Public holidays in Ireland (2026)

Last reviewed: 7 November 2026

In short: Ireland has 10 public holidays; Good Friday is not one. Employees are entitled to a paid day off, an extra day of leave or an extra day's pay, as the employer decides. A holiday on a weekend still gives the benefit but no automatic day off.

RuleWhat applies
National public holidaysPublic holidaysThe 2026 public holidays are 1 January, 2 February, 17 March, 6 April (Easter Monday), 4 May, 1 June, 3 August, 26 October, 25 December and 26 December. Good Friday is not a public holiday. [1]
Number of national public holidaysPublic holidaysThere are 10 public holidays in Ireland each year (up from 9 in 2022). [1]
Working on a public holidayPublic holidaysAn employee is entitled to whichever one the employer decides: a paid day off on the day, a paid day off within a month, an additional day of annual leave, or an additional day's pay (section 21 of the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997). If the day is one the employee would normally work and must work it, the employee gets an extra day's pay. Part-time staff qualify after 40 hours worked in the previous 5 weeks. [2]
Shop opening on public holidaysPublic holidays⚠ Not yet verified
Holiday falling on a weekendPublic holidaysIf a public holiday falls on a day that is not a normal working day for the business, such as a Saturday or Sunday, the employee is still entitled to the public holiday benefit but has no automatic legal right to the next working day off. [1]

Notes

  • The February holiday is the first Monday in February, or 1 February if that is a Friday. The revised text of the 1997 Act read (updated to 20 January 2025) does not show it, so the list and dates come from Citizens Information.
  • No general rule on shop opening on public holidays was found in the sources read.

Sources

  1. Citizens Information: Public holidays (consulted 7 November 2026) · all sources
  2. Law Reform Commission (Revised Acts): Organisation of Working Time Act 1997, section 21 and Second Schedule (consulted 7 November 2026) · all sources

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General information, not legal advice. Rules change: check the official source before you fly or ride.