There’s a moment in late October when Ireland collectively checks the calendar and realises the next public holiday is almost here. This year, that date falls on Monday, 26 October 2026 — the October Bank Holiday. In this guide, you’ll find the official 2026 public holidays list, the difference between bank holidays and public holidays, and why Good Friday causes so much confusion.

4 related posts

Next bank holiday in Ireland: October 26, 2026 ·
Total public holidays per year: 10 ·
Good Friday status: Not a public holiday

Quick snapshot

1Next Bank Holiday
2Public Holidays 2026
  • 10 holidays total (Citizens Information)
  • Includes fixed and floating dates (Citizens Information)
  • Easter Monday always a public holiday (Citizens Information)
3Good Friday
  • Not a public holiday in Ireland (Citizens Information)
  • Bank holiday in Northern Ireland (Citizens Information)
4Northern Ireland
Label Value
Next bank holiday in Ireland October 26, 2026
Number of public holidays 10
Most common bank holiday day Monday
Good Friday status Not a public holiday
Easter Monday Always a public holiday
May Bank Holiday First Monday in May
October Bank Holiday Last Monday in October

What date is the next Irish bank holiday?

The next bank holiday in the Republic of Ireland is the October Bank Holiday on Monday, 26 October 2026, according to the official Citizens Information (state agency) public holidays page. It falls on the last Monday of October, which is the fixed pattern for this holiday. After that, the next holiday on the Irish calendar is Christmas Day on 25 December 2026.

The upshot

If you’re planning a long weekend around the October Bank Holiday, book early: this is one of only two Monday-only holidays in the second half of the year, and demand for accommodation spikes around it.

Are there any holidays in October 2026?

  • Yes — one public holiday: the October Bank Holiday on Monday, 26 October 2026.
  • No other public holidays fall in October 2026.

The last Monday in October has been the official date for the October Bank Holiday in Ireland since 1977, when the holiday was moved from the first Monday of the month to create a longer break before winter.

The implication: October is a one-holiday month in Ireland, so it’s worth planning around that single long weekend if you’re scheduling travel or work leave.

What holiday is coming up in Ireland?

Counting from today, the next public holiday in Ireland is the October Bank Holiday on 26 October 2026. If you’re reading this before early August 2026, the August Bank Holiday on Monday, 3 August 2026 is the immediate one to plan for, as confirmed by the Citizens Information (state agency) 2026 holiday list.

Bottom line: What this means: any search for “when is the next bank holiday” depends entirely on the current date — but for the rest of 2026, the answer is always one of the three remaining holidays: August, October, or Christmas.

What are the dates of all holidays in Ireland?

Ireland has 10 public holidays per year, and the full 2026 list is published by Citizens Information (the official state information service). The dates mix fixed calendar days with floating Monday-based holidays.

The table below lays out each holiday and its 2026 date.

Holiday 2026 Date Type
New Year’s Day Thursday, 1 January Fixed
St. Brigid’s Day Monday, 2 February Fixed (first Monday of February)
St. Patrick’s Day Tuesday, 17 March Fixed
Easter Monday Monday, 6 April Floating
May Bank Holiday Monday, 4 May Floating (first Monday of May)
June Bank Holiday Monday, 1 June Floating (first Monday of June)
August Bank Holiday Monday, 3 August Floating (first Monday of August)
October Bank Holiday Monday, 26 October Floating (last Monday of October)
Christmas Day Friday, 25 December Fixed
St. Stephen’s Day Saturday, 26 December Fixed

The pattern: nine of the ten holidays fall on weekdays in 2026, which means employees get the full benefit of each one without substitute day complications — except for St. Stephen’s Day, which lands on a Saturday and may generate a substitute day for some workers under employment legislation.

Why this matters

With 10 public holidays and most of them falling on Mondays, Irish workers get a predictable rhythm of three-day weekends through spring and summer — but a Christmas holiday on a Saturday means employers must check contracts for substitute-day entitlements.

Is Good Friday a bank holiday in Ireland?

Good Friday is not a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland, according to Citizens Information (the official state information service). In 2026, Good Friday falls on 3 April, as confirmed by the Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (banking industry body) holiday schedule. The official tourism board Ireland.com also confirms that schools and some businesses close on Good Friday even though it is not an official public holiday.

The catch

Good Friday is a normal working day in Irish employment law — but many employers still give staff the day off. That creates a patchwork where some offices are closed and others are not, so it’s always worth checking your own workplace policy rather than assuming a national holiday.

Is Monday a bank holiday in Ireland?

Most Irish bank holidays fall on Mondays. In 2026, six of the ten public holidays are on Mondays: St. Brigid’s Day (2 February), Easter Monday (6 April), May Bank Holiday (4 May), June Bank Holiday (1 June), August Bank Holiday (3 August), and the October Bank Holiday (26 October). The other four fall on fixed dates. This Monday-heavy pattern comes from the historical tradition of giving workers long weekends, as set out in the Citizens Information (state agency) public holiday guidance.

Bottom line: The trade-off: a Monday holiday guarantees a long weekend for office workers, but it also means those in retail, hospitality, and healthcare face higher demand days with premium pay rates.

Is tomorrow a bank holiday in N Ireland?

No — unless you’re reading this on a date that happens to be a Northern Ireland bank holiday. Northern Ireland’s bank holidays are set by the UK government and differ from the Republic of Ireland’s. The UK Government (official bank holidays page) publishes the full list, which includes dates like St. Patrick’s Day and Easter Monday but also includes UK-specific holidays like the Battle of the Boyne on 13 July.

Is tomorrow a public holiday or not?

If you’re in the Republic of Ireland, the answer depends on the date. The official 2026 list from Citizens Information (state agency) shows ten public holidays, and no other days are national public holidays. If you’re in Northern Ireland, the answer comes from a completely different list published by the UK Government (official bank holidays page).

The confusion is understandable: the island shares the name “Ireland” but the two jurisdictions have separate holiday systems.

Is tomorrow a regular holiday?

A “regular holiday” usually means a day off given by a specific employer rather than a statutory public holiday. In the Republic of Ireland, public holidays are set by the Organisation of Working Time Act, and any additional days off — like Good Friday in some workplaces — are voluntary employer concessions. For the official statutory position, the Citizens Information (state agency) public holidays page is the authoritative reference.

Why is next Monday a bank holiday?

If there’s a bank holiday on the next Monday in Ireland, the reason is simple: the country’s holiday calendar deliberately clusters Mondays. The Citizens Information (official state information service) explains that Monday holidays create guaranteed long weekends for employees. This tradition dates back to the 1970s, when the government moved several holidays to Mondays to align with European practice and boost domestic tourism.

What national day is it tomorrow?

If tomorrow is 17 March, it’s St. Patrick’s Day — Ireland’s biggest national celebration and a public holiday. If you’re asking about any other day, the answer is likely “no national day.” Ireland’s dedicated national day is St. Patrick’s Day, and the other public holidays are seasonal bank holidays rather than national days.

Is Monday a bank holiday in Ireland?

Not every Monday is a bank holiday — only the specific Mondays listed in the official calendar. In 2026, the Monday bank holidays are: 2 February, 6 April, 4 May, 1 June, 3 August, and 26 October. For the full official list, see the Citizens Information (state agency) public holidays page.

The pattern: Ireland’s floating holidays are all anchored to Mondays, which is why “next Monday” is so often the correct answer when someone asks when the next bank holiday is.

Are there any holidays in October 2026?

October 2026 has exactly one public holiday in the Republic of Ireland: the October Bank Holiday on Monday, 26 October. This is confirmed by the Citizens Information (official state agency) 2026 holiday calendar. There are no other public holidays in October.

Is March 23, 2026 a holiday?

No. 23 March 2026 is not a public holiday in Ireland, according to the official 2026 list from Citizens Information (state agency). The nearest holidays to that date are St. Patrick’s Day on 17 March and Easter Monday on 6 April.

What holiday is coming up in Ireland?

Depending on when you check, the next upcoming holiday in Ireland is one of the remaining 2026 dates: the August Bank Holiday (3 August), the October Bank Holiday (26 October), Christmas Day (25 December), or St. Stephen’s Day (26 December). The official Citizens Information (state agency) public holidays page keeps the authoritative list.

Confirmed facts vs. what’s unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Next bank holiday in Ireland is October 26, 2026 (Citizens Information)
  • Ireland has 10 public holidays (Citizens Information)
  • Good Friday is not a public holiday in Ireland (Citizens Information)
  • Easter Monday is always a public holiday (Citizens Information)

What’s unclear

  • Whether your employer gives a substitute day for St. Stephen’s Day falling on Saturday — check your contract
  • Northern Ireland’s full holiday list — governed by UK rules, not Irish ones
  • Whether banks will observe a substitute holiday for 26 December 2026 — some banking schedules show 28 and 29 December as holidays (Banking & Payments Federation Ireland)

Research confidence for this article is moderate: the core dates from Citizens Information (the official state agency) are high-confidence, while banking substitute-day schedules come from industry sources with some variation.

What the experts say

Public holidays are days where most businesses and banks are closed. The official list includes 10 days.

Citizens Information (official state agency)

Good Friday is not a public holiday and is a normal working day.

Workplace Relations Commission (Irish employment-law body)

Good Friday is not an official public holiday in the Republic of Ireland.

Ireland.com (official tourism board)

Banking-industry holiday schedules for Ireland list Good Friday as a bank holiday on 3 April 2026.

Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (banking industry body)

The pattern: even where the legal status is clear — Good Friday is not a public holiday — the practical reality varies by sector. Banking and tourism operate differently from the statutory minimum.

Additional sources

ireland.com, assets.ctfassets.net, publicholidays.ie, myfirewards.com, danskeci.com, msn.com, feiertagskalender.ch, trips.ie

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a bank holiday and a public holiday in Ireland?

In common usage, the terms are interchangeable in Ireland. Both refer to the ten statutory days listed by Citizens Information (state agency). There is no legal distinction between a “bank holiday” and a “public holiday” in Irish law — the Organisation of Working Time Act refers to public holidays.

Are all public holidays bank holidays?

Yes — in the Republic of Ireland, all public holidays are sometimes called “bank holidays” colloquially, though the statutory term is public holiday. The ten official days apply to all employees, not just bank workers.

Do banks close on St. Patrick’s Day?

Yes, banks close on St. Patrick’s Day, along with most other businesses. St. Patrick’s Day (17 March) is one of Ireland’s ten public holidays, and banking schedules list it as a holiday, as confirmed by the Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (banking industry body) holiday schedule.

What happens if a public holiday falls on a weekend?

If a public holiday falls on a weekend, employees are generally entitled to a substitute day off or additional pay, depending on their contract. The rules are explained in the Citizens Information (state agency) public holidays guide. For example, in 2026, St. Stephen’s Day falls on a Saturday, so many workers will receive a substitute day.

Are schools closed on bank holidays?

Yes — schools in Ireland close on all public holidays. Ireland.com (official tourism board) notes that schools and some businesses also close on Good Friday, even though it is not an official public holiday.

How many bank holidays does Ireland have?

Ireland has 10 public holidays per year. The Citizens Information (official state agency) is the authoritative source for the full list.

Is the August bank holiday always the first Monday?

Yes — the August Bank Holiday in Ireland is always the first Monday of August. In 2026, that falls on 3 August, as confirmed by the Citizens Information (state agency) holiday calendar.

What is the October bank holiday called?

The October Bank Holiday is officially just called the “October Bank Holiday.” It falls on the last Monday of October each year, and in 2026 that date is 26 October, per Citizens Information (state agency).

Related reading

The next bank holiday in Ireland is 26 October 2026 — but the real takeaway is bigger than a single date. For employees and travellers planning around the Irish calendar, the 2026 pattern is clear: ten public holidays, six of them on Mondays, and a quiet second half of the year after August. For anyone relying on bank schedules, the late-December substitute days after St. Stephen’s Day on a Saturday are worth checking directly with their bank, because industry holiday PDFs differ from the statutory list. For employers, the lesson is simpler: state the policy on Good Friday in writing, because the law and the practice are not the same thing.