Official mid-term, Christmas and Easter break dates for primary and post-primary schools, with the bank holidays that fall inside each break.
School year 2026/27
| Break | Off from | Back to school |
|---|---|---|
| October mid-termIncludes October Bank Holiday | Mon 26 Oct | Mon 2 Nov |
| ChristmasIncludes Christmas DayIncludes St Stephen's DayIncludes New Year's Day | Wed 23 Dec | Wed 6 Jan |
| February mid-termPost-primary: Mon 15 to Fri 19 Feb. Primary: Thu 18 and Fri 19 Feb (some take the full week). | Mon 15 Feb | Mon 22 Feb |
| EasterIncludes Easter Monday | Mon 22 Mar | Mon 5 Apr |
School year 2027/28
| Break | Off from | Back to school |
|---|---|---|
| October mid-termIncludes October Bank Holiday | Mon 25 Oct | Mon 1 Nov |
| ChristmasIncludes Christmas DayIncludes St Stephen's DayIncludes New Year's Day | Thu 23 Dec | Thu 6 Jan |
| February mid-termPost-primary: Mon 21 to Fri 25 Feb. Primary: Thu 24 and Fri 25 Feb (some take the full week). | Mon 21 Feb | Mon 28 Feb |
| EasterIncludes Easter Monday | Mon 10 Apr | Mon 24 Apr |
School year 2028/29
| Break | Off from | Back to school |
|---|---|---|
| October mid-termIncludes October Bank Holiday | Mon 30 Oct | Mon 6 Nov |
| ChristmasIncludes Christmas DayIncludes St Stephen's DayIncludes New Year's Day | Sat 23 Dec | Mon 8 Jan |
| February mid-termPost-primary: Mon 12 to Fri 16 Feb. Primary: Thu 15 and Fri 16 Feb (some take the full week). | Mon 12 Feb | Mon 19 Feb |
| EasterIncludes Easter Monday | Mon 26 Mar | Mon 9 Apr |
Source: Department of Education and Youth, Circular 0018/2026
How Irish school holidays work
The Department of Education and Youth agrees standard dates for the October mid-term, Christmas, the February mid-term and Easter with the teacher unions, a few years at a time. Schools can’t stretch these breaks with their own discretionary days, so if your children are in different schools, they’ll be off together.
February is the one exception. Secondary schools take the whole week, while primary schools are only required to close on the Thursday and Friday. Many primary schools use discretionary days to close for the full week, so check your school’s own calendar.
Summer holidays
Summer dates aren’t standardised. Secondary schools usually finish just before the June bank holiday, when the State exams begin. Primary schools generally close at the end of June. Most schools reopen in the last week of August or the week in which 1 September falls.
Getting the most from a mid-term
The October mid-term always starts on the October bank holiday, so families get nine days in a row. If you’re planning a family break, book early: these weeks are among the busiest of the year for family hotels and holiday parks, even out of season. Our escape guides are tagged family-friendly and rainy-day where they suit.