Public Holidays in Ireland 2026 and 2027
Ireland has ten public holidays a year. Below are the confirmed dates for 2026 and 2027, what your employees are entitled to on each one, and the one day almost everybody gets wrong.
Irish public holidays 2026
| Holiday | Date | Day | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | 1 January 2026 | Thursday | Fixed date. |
| St Brigid's Day | 2 February 2026 | Monday | Added in 2023 — Ireland's newest public holiday. |
| St Patrick's Day | 17 March 2026 | Tuesday | Fixed date. |
| Easter Monday | 6 April 2026 | Monday | Moves with Easter. Good Friday is not a public holiday. |
| May Bank Holiday | 4 May 2026 | Monday | First Monday in May. |
| June Bank Holiday | 1 June 2026 | Monday | First Monday in June. |
| August Bank Holiday | 3 August 2026 | Monday | First Monday in August. |
| October Bank Holiday | 26 October 2026 | Monday | Last Monday in October. |
| Christmas Day | 25 December 2026 | Friday | Fixed date. |
| St Stephen's Day | 26 December 2026 | Saturday | Fixed date. |
Irish public holidays 2027
| Holiday | Date | Day | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | 1 January 2027 | Friday | Fixed date. |
| St Brigid's Day | 1 February 2027 | Monday | Added in 2023 — Ireland's newest public holiday. |
| St Patrick's Day | 17 March 2027 | Wednesday | Fixed date. |
| Easter Monday | 29 March 2027 | Monday | Moves with Easter. Good Friday is not a public holiday. |
| May Bank Holiday | 3 May 2027 | Monday | First Monday in May. |
| June Bank Holiday | 7 June 2027 | Monday | First Monday in June. |
| August Bank Holiday | 2 August 2027 | Monday | First Monday in August. |
| October Bank Holiday | 25 October 2027 | Monday | Last Monday in October. |
| Christmas Day | 25 December 2027 | Saturday | Fixed date. |
| St Stephen's Day | 26 December 2027 | Sunday | Fixed date. |
Good Friday is not a public holiday
This is the most common misunderstanding in Irish leave management. Good Friday is not one of the ten public holidays. Many schools, pubs and offices close, and plenty of employers give the day off by custom — but there is no statutory entitlement to it. If you close on Good Friday, employees either take it as annual leave or you grant it as an extra day under their contract. Whichever you choose, write it down.
The same goes for Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve: widely given, never statutory.
What employees are entitled to
For each public holiday, a full-time employee is entitled to one of the following, and the choice belongs to the employer:
- A paid day off on the public holiday
- An additional day of annual leave
- An additional day's pay
- A paid day off within a month of the public holiday
Part-time employees qualify if they have worked at least 40 hours in the five weeks ending on the day before the holiday. If a part-time employee is not normally rostered on that day, the entitlement is generally one fifth of their normal weekly pay.
Public holiday entitlement is separate from and additional to the statutory four weeks of annual leave — see our guide to annual leave entitlement in Ireland.
What happens when a public holiday falls on a weekend
Ireland does not automatically move a public holiday to the following Monday the way the UK does. The entitlement still exists — it is simply satisfied through one of the four options above. In 2027, for example, check the day column in the table above before assuming a Monday off.
Frequently asked questions
How many public holidays are there in Ireland?
There are ten public holidays in Ireland each year. St Brigid's Day was added in 2023, bringing the total up from nine.
Is Good Friday a public holiday in Ireland?
No. Good Friday is not one of Ireland's ten public holidays, even though many schools and businesses close. Employers are not required to give paid leave for it unless a contract says otherwise.
What are employees entitled to on a public holiday?
Full-time employees are entitled to one of four things, at the employer's choice: a paid day off on the holiday, an additional day of annual leave, an additional day's pay, or a paid day off within a month of the holiday.
Do part-time employees get public holiday entitlement in Ireland?
Yes, provided they have worked at least 40 hours in the five weeks ending on the day before the public holiday.
Do public holidays count as annual leave?
No. Public holiday entitlement is separate from and additional to the statutory four weeks of annual leave.