Ireland has 10 bank holidays in 2026, including St. Brigid's Day. This guide lists every date and explains the employer obligations around public holiday pay, entitlements for part-time staff, and what happens when a bank holiday falls on a non-working day Read more
Understanding public holidays in Ireland matters for every employer. Whether you call them bank holidays or public holidays, these 10 statutory days carry specific legal obligations under the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997. Getting them wrong can lead to payroll errors, employee disputes, and WRC claims. This guide covers all bank holidays in Ireland for 2026, your obligations as an employer, and the bank holiday entitlements your employees are owed. For ongoing compliance support, explore our HR Essentials service.
Ireland observes 10 public holidays each year, increased from 9 in 2023 when St Brigid’s Day was added. Below is the full list of bank holidays Ireland 2026.
| Date | Day | Public Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2026 | Thursday | New Year’s Day |
| 2 February 2026 | Monday | St Brigid’s Day |
| 17 March 2026 | Tuesday | St Patrick’s Day |
| 6 April 2026 | Monday | Easter Monday |
| 4 May 2026 | Monday | May Bank Holiday |
| 1 June 2026 | Monday | June Bank Holiday |
| 3 August 2026 | Monday | August Bank Holiday |
| 26 October 2026 | Monday | October Bank Holiday |
| 25 December 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day |
| 26 December 2026 | Saturday | St Stephen’s Day |
Note: Good Friday is not a public holiday in Ireland. While some businesses choose to close, employees have no automatic entitlement to a day off on Good Friday (3 April 2026).
There are 10 public holidays in Ireland each year. This has been the case since 2023, when St Brigid’s Day was introduced. The 10 holidays are fixed in legislation. Individual employers cannot designate their own public holidays or substitute alternative dates without the employee’s agreement.
St Brigid’s Day was introduced under the Organisation of Working Time (Amendment) Act 2023. The date follows a specific rule for payroll and scheduling:
In 2026, 1 February falls on a Sunday, so the public holiday is Monday 2 February 2026. All standard entitlement rules apply. Ensure your HR policies and procedures reflect this additional holiday.
Most employees are entitled to paid leave on each of the 10 bank holidays in Ireland 2026. These entitlements also interact with annual leave rules, so understanding both matters.
Full-time employees have an immediate entitlement from the first day of employment. No minimum service required.
If the employee is required to work on the public holiday, the employer must provide one of:
The choice rests with the employer. However, if an employee asks (at least 21 days before the holiday) which option will apply and the employer does not respond at least 14 days beforehand, the employee is entitled to the actual day off with pay.
Part-time employees qualify for bank holiday entitlements provided they have worked at least 40 hours in the 5 weeks before the public holiday.
Even employees who never work on public holidays are entitled to compensation if they meet the 40-hour threshold. Part-time workers must also receive at least the minimum wage for all hours, including public holiday hours.
The rules are set out in the Organisation of Working Time (Determination of Pay For Holidays) Regulations (SI 475/1997).
A salaried employee who gets a paid day off simply receives their normal day’s pay within their monthly salary. No additional calculation is needed.
Take the total pay earned in the 2 weeks immediately before the public holiday, divide by the number of days worked in those 2 weeks. This gives the appropriate daily rate.
For one-fifth of weekly pay (when the holiday falls on a non-working day), divide the 2-week total by 2, then by 5.
In 2026, St Stephen’s Day (26 December) falls on a Saturday. Under Irish law, the following Monday does not automatically become a public holiday. The public holiday remains on its calendar date.
Employees are still entitled to bank holiday entitlements. For those who do not normally work Saturdays, they receive one-fifth of weekly pay. Some employers give the following Monday off as a goodwill gesture, but this is not required. Apply your approach consistently to avoid disputes. See our HR policies and procedures page for guidance.
Failure to comply can result in a WRC complaint and award against your business.
Employees on maternity, adoptive, paternity, parent’s, parental, or domestic violence leave remain entitled to public holiday benefit.
Employees on sick leave are generally entitled, with two exceptions: absence beyond 26 weeks due to ordinary illness, or beyond 52 weeks due to an occupational accident.
Entitled to public holiday benefit for the first 13 weeks of a lay-off. After 13 weeks, the entitlement ceases.
If employment ends during the week before a public holiday and the employee worked in the previous 4 weeks, they are entitled to an additional day’s pay. This is often overlooked. Understanding how public holidays interact with the redundancy process is particularly relevant during restructuring.
Two bank holidays Ireland 2026 fall midweek:
Six of the 10 bank holidays in Ireland 2026 fall on a Monday, creating natural long weekends: St Brigid’s Day, Easter Monday, May, June, August, and October bank holidays.
Christmas Day 2026 falls on a Friday. St Stephen’s Day falls on Saturday, so employees who do not normally work Saturdays receive one-fifth of weekly pay. Communicate arrangements early.
As of March 2026, the next upcoming bank holiday is:
Remaining 2026 public holidays:
No. There is no statutory requirement for “double pay.” The legal entitlement is a paid day off, an additional day of annual leave, an additional day’s pay, or a paid day off within one month. Some employers offer enhanced rates by agreement, but this goes beyond the legal minimum.
Yes, provided they have worked at least 40 hours in the 5 weeks before the public holiday. If the holiday falls on a day they do not normally work, they receive one-fifth of their weekly pay.
That day should not count as annual leave. The employee receives the public holiday benefit separately and retains their annual leave day.
Yes, but you must provide one of the statutory alternatives: a paid day off within a month, an additional day of annual leave, or an additional day’s pay.
Full-time employees have immediate entitlement from day one. Part-time employees must have worked at least 40 hours in the 5 weeks before the public holiday.
The key points for 2026:
If you need help reviewing your public holiday policies or payroll processes, our employment advice team is here to help. Get in touch with PurpleTree today.
This article is for general information purposes and does not constitute legal advice. For queries specific to your business, contact the Workplace Relations Commission or seek professional employment advice.
Explore more of our guides to Irish employment law and employer obligations:
Our team of HR specialists advises Irish employers on exactly these issues every day. Get in touch for a confidential conversation.
Speak to Our Team
Register Now:
You will receive a confirmation email with a Zoom invitation in advance of the Breakfast Briefing.
