Easter Monday dates
- Monday 6 April 2026
- Monday 29 March 2027
- Monday 17 April 2028
Leave tip for 29 March 2027
- Make it longer: take Fri 26 Mar or Tue 30 Mar off: 4 days for 1 leave day.
- Stretch it: take Tue 30 Mar to Fri 2 Apr off (4 leave days) for 9 days off (Sat 27 Mar 2027 to Sun 4 Apr 2027).
Why Easter never sits still
Every other Irish bank holiday follows a simple rule. Easter Monday is the exception, because it hangs off Easter Sunday, and Easter is set by the moon. The church definition is the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after 21 March. That puts Easter Sunday anywhere from 22 March to 25 April, and Easter Monday a day later.
In 2027 you can join St Patrick's Day and Easter Monday: 7 days of leave for 13 days off in a row. Annual Leave Hacks 2027: How to Get 54 Days Off with 20 Days of Leave →
In practice the calculation is fiddly enough that we let our date engine do it rather than relying on a table someone typed in years ago. The dates on this page update themselves, so whichever year you’re planning for, you’ll see the right Monday.
The Good Friday question
Good Friday is not a public holiday in Ireland. That catches out visitors and even some locals, because banks used to close and plenty of schools and employers still give the day off. But there’s no legal entitlement to it, so if you want Good Friday free, you’ll usually need to book it as annual leave.
For decades Good Friday was also the one day pubs couldn’t open. That ban ended in 2018, and pubs now trade normally. Some people still mark the day quietly, and you’ll find churches busy for the afternoon services.
Turning Easter into a proper break
Easter is one of the most efficient times of the year to use your leave. Book the four working days after Easter Monday and you’re off from Easter Saturday right through to the following Sunday, nine days in a row. Add Good Friday as well and it’s ten. Our leave tips above show exactly which dates that means for the next Easter.
Schools close for around two weeks over Easter, and since the Department of Education standardises those dates, you can check them on our school holidays page. If you have children, that’s the window to plan around; if you don’t, the weeks either side of the school break are noticeably cheaper.
Commemorating 1916
Easter has a second meaning in Ireland. The Easter Rising began on Easter Monday 1916, and the State marks it each Easter Sunday with a ceremony outside the GPO on O’Connell Street in Dublin, where the Proclamation was read. Wreaths are laid, the Proclamation is read again, and there’s a military parade.
If you’re in Dublin for the weekend, the GPO Witness History exhibition, Kilmainham Gaol and the National Museum at Collins Barracks all tell the story well. Kilmainham books out quickly at holiday time, so reserve tickets in advance.
Spring in the countryside
Easter is when the country wakes up. The fields are full of lambs, the gorse on the hills is a startling yellow, and depending on how early Easter falls, you’ll catch the tail of the daffodils or the start of the bluebells. In the Burren, the first spring gentians start to flower in April, and visitor centres and seasonal ferries begin running again.
It’s a great weekend for walking. Lower trails are firmer than in winter, the evenings are long enough for a stroll after dinner, and the summer crowds haven’t arrived. Be ready for anything, though: hail, sunshine and a downpour in the same afternoon is a classic Irish Easter.
- Coast: Kinsale’s harbour walks, the Achill beaches or the Cliffs of Moher coastal path.
- Mountains: Glendalough’s lakes, Croagh Patrick (for the fit) or the Comeraghs.
- Gentle: river walks around Kilkenny, the Waterford Greenway by bike, or the Boyne Valley.
Egg hunts, markets and family days
Easter egg hunts are now a fixture at stately homes, forest parks and farms, and they book out, so check the websites of places like heritage estates and open farms a few weeks ahead. Farmers’ markets get busy, and many towns hold Easter Sunday and Monday festivals and fun runs.
Expect airports and ferry ports to be busy, particularly on the Thursday before Easter and on Easter Monday evening. If you’re flying, leave extra time for security, and if you’re driving, the main roads out of Dublin are best avoided on Thursday afternoon.
Booking tips
Accommodation in the most popular spots, especially Kerry, West Cork and the west coast, books out early for Easter weekend itself. Three-night minimum stays are common. If you’re late to the party, look at the week after Easter, when the prices fall but the school holidays may still be running.
Flying out for Easter
Easter is one of the most popular times of the year for a trip abroad, and Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports get very busy on the Thursday before and the Monday after. Flights and hotels are priced accordingly. If you’re flexible, travelling on Easter Sunday morning or returning on the Tuesday can be noticeably cheaper.
In Spain and Portugal, Holy Week (Semana Santa) is a big deal, with processions through the streets of Seville, Málaga and other cities. It’s an incredible thing to see but makes those cities busier and pricier than usual. For a calmer break, Lisbon, Porto and Kraków are good spring choices.
Whatever you choose, remember that Easter Monday is a public holiday in many European countries too, so museums and shops abroad may keep holiday hours.
Add it to your calendar
Monday 29 March 2027 Google Calendar Apple / Outlook (.ics)
Subscribe to every Irish bank holiday. Future years appear automatically.
Do you get the day off?
Most workers are owed a benefit for every public holiday, but it isn’t always the day itself. Read your public holiday rights.
Frequently asked questions
Are schools closed for Easter in Ireland?
Yes. Schools close for about two weeks around Easter, on dates set nationally by the Department of Education and Youth. Our school holidays page lists them.
Is Easter Tuesday a bank holiday in Ireland?
No. Only Easter Monday is a public holiday. Easter Tuesday is a normal working day, though schools are usually still on their Easter break.
Is Good Friday a bank holiday in Ireland?
No. Good Friday is not a public holiday. Some schools and employers close, but there’s no automatic right to the day off.
What’s the earliest and latest Easter Monday can be?
Easter Sunday falls between 22 March and 25 April, so Easter Monday is between 23 March and 26 April.
Are pubs open on Good Friday?
Yes. The ban on selling alcohol on Good Friday was lifted in 2018, and pubs now open as normal.
Do you get the day off?
Not always. Your employer chooses between a day off, a day's pay or extra leave, and part-time workers have their own rules.
Your public holiday rights explained →What's open on the day →Plan your leave for the year →Events & things to do →
