October Bank Holiday in Ireland: Dates, Halloween and Escapes

The last long weekend before Christmas

After the October bank holiday, there’s a long wait until Christmas. Maybe that’s why it feels so good: the light is going, the leaves are turning, and there’s one last chance to get away before the dark evenings and the Christmas rush set in.

The holiday is always the last Monday in October. It falls right at the start of the school mid-term break, so for families it’s the opening day of a full week off. And since the clocks go back on the last Sunday of October, the day before the holiday is also the day you get an extra hour in bed.

The mid-term break connection

The Department of Education sets standard mid-term dates for every primary and secondary school, and the October break runs from the bank holiday Monday to the Friday of the same week. If you’ve children in school, that’s nine days in a row, and if you can take four days of annual leave, you can turn the whole week into a real holiday.

Our school holidays page lists the official dates for the next few school years. If you don’t have children, be aware that this is also a busy week for family-friendly hotels, so popular places book up even though it’s out of season.

Halloween was born here

Halloween grew out of Samhain, the Celtic festival that marked the end of the harvest and the start of the dark half of the year. It was believed that the boundary between this world and the otherworld was thin, which explains the costumes, bonfires and a few superstitions that survive in Irish homes. Irish emigrants took the customs to America, and they came back in the form most of us know today.

Some traditions are still very much alive. Barmbrack, a fruit loaf baked with a ring inside, is a staple, and whoever gets the ring is supposedly next to marry. Children still play snap-apple and bob for apples, and in some parts, bonfires are lit on Halloween night.

Festivals worth travelling for

The October bank holiday weekend has a strong festival line-up, much of it with a spooky edge. Derry‘s Halloween celebrations are among the biggest in Europe. In County Meath, the Púca festival celebrates the roots of Samhain around Trim and Athboy, close to the Hill of Ward where Samhain fires are said to have been lit. Dublin’s Bram Stoker Festival celebrates the author of Dracula, who was born in Clontarf.

And then there’s Cork. The Cork Jazz Festival is traditionally held over the October bank holiday weekend, with gigs in venues and pubs all over the city. Book well ahead: Cork’s hotels fill up for it every year.

• Cork: the jazz festival across the bank holiday weekend.
• Derry: one of Europe’s largest Halloween festivals.
• Meath: the Púca festival in Trim and Athboy.
• Dublin: the Bram Stoker Festival, with events across the city.

Autumn colour

By late October, Ireland’s broadleaf woods are at their best. Glendalough‘s lakes, Killarney National Park, the river valleys of Kilkenny around Inistioge, and the woods at Tollymore and Gougane Barra all put on a good show, particularly after a dry spell. The light is low and golden, and on a calm day the lakes are perfectly still.

Days are short, though. Sunset is around five o’clock after the clocks change, so start walks early and make sure you’re off the hills before dark.

Cosy escapes

This is the season for country house hotels, open fires and long dinners. Places with an indoor plan B are worth prioritising: Kilkenny’s castle and medieval centre, the Boyne Valley‘s Brú na Bóinne visitor centre, or Killarney with its lakes and Muckross House. Spa hotels are popular for the weekend, and a lot of them run autumn packages.

Abroad, late October is a great time for city breaks: Kraków, Seville and Porto are all comfortable for walking around, and flights tend to be cheaper than in summer.

A note on the weather

Late October can be stormy. Atlantic storms often arrive around this time, so watch the forecast and Met Éireann warnings before heading to exposed coasts or mountains, and don’t be shy about switching plans to something sheltered.

A newer holiday than you’d think

The October bank holiday feels like it’s always been there, but it’s one of the younger ones on the list. It was introduced in 1977, giving Ireland a long weekend in the gap between August and Christmas. Its timing at the end of the month, so close to Halloween, has helped make Halloween bigger here than almost anywhere else in Europe.

A word on fireworks: you’ll hear plenty in the days around Halloween, but selling, buying or setting off fireworks without a licence is illegal in Ireland. Organised displays are run by many local councils and festivals, and they’re much safer for children and pets.

If you’re staying home, Halloween night itself is a big community occasion in many towns, with costume parades, bonfires run by local groups and trick-or-treating that starts as soon as it gets dark. Shops sell out of barmbrack and pumpkins in the final days, so buy early. For an autumn break, the October weekend also tends to be a little cheaper than the summer holidays, except in Cork during the jazz festival.

Add it to your calendar

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

When did the October bank holiday start?

The October bank holiday on the last Monday of October was introduced in 1977.

Is the October bank holiday always the last Monday?

Yes. In the Republic of Ireland the October bank holiday is the last Monday of October.

Do the clocks go back on the October bank holiday weekend?

Usually, yes. The clocks go back on the last Sunday in October, which is the day before the bank holiday.

Is the mid-term break the same week as the October bank holiday?

Yes. The standardised October mid-term runs from the bank holiday Monday to the following Friday.

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