Ireland Public Holidays 2026: Complete List & Employer Guide

If you’re mapping out your 2026 calendar around Ireland’s public holidays, there’s a welcome surprise: a brand-new statutory day off that makes the list the longest in decades. St. Brigid’s Day joins the roster for the first time as an official public holiday, giving workers 10 guaranteed days off—but not every detail is locked down yet.

Total public holidays in Ireland 2026: 10 ·
New statutory holiday added: St. Brigid’s Day (February 2) ·
Easter Sunday 2026: April 5 ·
Bank holiday list date range: January 1 to October 26

Ten public holidays, one pattern: nearly all fall on Mondays, making three-day weekends the norm—but Easter and Christmas break the rhythm.

How many public holidays are there in Ireland in 2026?

Ireland recognises 10 public holidays each year, established by the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 and subsequent amendments (Wikipedia – public holiday law). The 2026 calendar includes all 10, with St. Brigid’s Day appearing as a statutory holiday for the first time after being introduced in 2023. Easter Sunday and Easter Monday are both included, though only Easter Monday is an official public holiday. Good Friday, falling on April 3 in 2026, is not an official public holiday in the Republic of Ireland, though many schools and businesses close voluntarily (Ireland.com – official tourism board guidance).

Total count of public holidays

• 10 statutory public holidays in 2026 (Office Holidays (business calendar summary))
• New addition: St. Brigid’s Day (February 2) (Ireland.com (official tourism board guidance))
• Easter Sunday and Easter Monday both fall in the holiday period, but only Easter Monday is a statutory holiday (Office Holidays (business calendar))

List of statutory public holidays in Ireland 2026

• New Year’s Day – January 1
• St. Brigid’s Day – February 2
• St. Patrick’s Day – March 17
• Easter Monday – April 6
• May Day (May Bank Holiday) – May 4
• June Bank Holiday – June 1
• August Bank Holiday – August 3
• October Bank Holiday – October 26
• Christmas Day – December 25
• St. Stephen’s Day – December 26

What is the new statutory holiday in 2026?

St. Brigid’s Day (February 2) became a statutory public holiday in Ireland in 2023, marking the first new public holiday since St. Patrick’s Day was added in 1903 (Wikipedia (public holiday reference)). The date is tied to the feast of St. Brigid, one of Ireland’s patron saints, and is observed on the first Monday of February—or on February 1 if that falls on a Friday. In 2026, the first Monday is February 2 (Ireland.com (official tourism board guidance)).

St. Brigid’s Day as a public holiday

• First observed in 2023 (Wikipedia (public holiday reference))
• Becomes a permanent fixture in the Irish holiday calendar (Citizens Information (public holiday rights))

Date and significance of St. Brigid’s Day 2026

• Date: February 2, 2026 (Monday)
• Significance: Celebrates the life of St. Brigid and marks the start of spring in the Celtic calendar

The catch: While the holiday is now statutory, not all employers have updated their calendars or pay systems—verify your company’s policy before February 2026.

Why is Easter so late in 2026?

Easter Sunday in 2026 falls on April 5 (Office Holidays (business calendar)). The date is determined by the ecclesiastical rule: Easter is the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the spring equinox (March 20). The earliest Easter can occur is March 23, the latest April 26 (Wikipedia (public holiday reference)).

Date of Easter 2026

• Easter Sunday: April 5, 2026
• Easter Monday (public holiday): April 6, 2026
• Good Friday: April 3, 2026 (not an official holiday but widely observed) (Office Holidays (business calendar))

How Easter date is determined

• First Sunday after the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox (Wikipedia (public holiday reference))
• 2026’s full moon after equinox occurs on April 2, making the following Sunday (April 5) Easter Sunday

The pattern: When Easter falls late, the spring break for schools often shifts, and the gap between Easter Monday and the May bank holiday shrinks—planning ahead matters more in 2026 than in early-Easter years.

Is 28th December 2026 a bank holiday in Ireland?

No. December 28, 2026 is a Monday, but it is not a bank holiday in Ireland. The Christmas period includes Christmas Day (December 25, Friday) and St. Stephen’s Day (December 26, Saturday). When St. Stephen’s Day falls on a Saturday, the following Monday (December 28) is not automatically a public holiday—only the statutory dates themselves are observed. However, some employers may grant a discretionary day off (Citizens Information (public holiday rights)).

Bank holiday schedule December 2026

• Christmas Day: December 25 (Friday) – public holiday
• St. Stephen’s Day: December 26 (Saturday) – public holiday
• December 28 (Monday): not a public holiday

St. Stephen’s Day and Christmas period

• St. Stephen’s Day is December 26 every year; when it falls on a weekend, employees may not get a replacement day off (Workplace Relations Commission (employment rights guidance))

The implication: Workers who expected a four-day Christmas break in 2026 may be disappointed—only Friday and Saturday are holidays, with Sunday normal pay unless your employer offers an extra day.

What are the Ireland school holidays for 2026?

Primary and secondary school holiday dates

• General pattern: Easter break (two weeks around Easter), summer break (June to August), mid-term breaks (October and February) (Government of Ireland (school calendar guidelines))
• Exact dates published by each school board; check local school websites

Mid-term breaks and summer holidays

• February mid-term: often coincides with St. Brigid’s Day (February 2) in some schools
• Easter break: typically April 3–17 (estimated) but confirm with school
• Summer break: usually late June to late August

What this means: Families should verify dates directly with their school before booking holidays—the public holiday calendar is fixed, but school calendars are not.

Timeline: Ireland Public Holidays 2026

1. January 1 – New Year’s Day (public holiday) (Office Holidays (business calendar))
2. February 2 – St. Brigid’s Day (first observance as statutory holiday) (Ireland.com (official tourism board guidance))
3. March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day (public holiday) (Office Holidays (business calendar))
4. April 5 – Easter Sunday (not a public holiday, but widely observed) (Office Holidays (business calendar))
5. April 6 – Easter Monday (public holiday) (Office Holidays (business calendar))
6. May 4 – May Bank Holiday (Office Holidays (business calendar))
7. June 1 – June Bank Holiday (Office Holidays (business calendar))
8. August 3 – August Bank Holiday (Office Holidays (business calendar))
9. October 26 – October Bank Holiday (Office Holidays (business calendar))
10. December 25 – Christmas Day (public holiday) (Office Holidays (business calendar))
11. December 26 – St. Stephen’s Day (public holiday) (Office Holidays (business calendar))

The catch: With only two public holidays in the second half of the year, workers must plan annual leave carefully to avoid a long gap.

What’s confirmed and what’s still unclear

The takeaway: Employers and employees should verify individual circumstances to avoid surprises.

Expert perspectives on public holiday obligations

“Employees are entitled to public holiday benefits if they have worked for their employer for at least 40 hours in the 5 weeks before the holiday. Those who work on a public holiday are entitled to a paid day off within a month.”

— Workplace Relations Commission (official regulator guidance)

“Part-time workers and casual employees may have different public holiday entitlements depending on the number of hours they’ve worked in the preceding five weeks.”

— Citizens Information (statutory rights information service)

These official sources provide the statutory basis for public holiday entitlements.

What this means for you

Ireland’s 2026 public holiday calendar is generous by international standards, but the uneven distribution and employer-specific pay rules mean you can’t assume every Monday off is a paid day. For employers, the addition of St. Brigid’s Day is a reminder to update payroll systems and communicate holiday schedules early. For employees, especially part-time workers, the key is to verify your public holiday pay rights with your employer before the year begins. For families planning around school holidays, the need to confirm local school calendars is more critical than ever. The choice is clear: stay informed now, or risk losing a paid day in 2026.

For a detailed breakdown of how the Republic and Northern Ireland differ on these dates, see the full guide to Irish public holidays 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Review the FAQs for quick answers to common questions about Ireland’s 2026 public holidays.