Ireland works to nine public holidays, most of them Mondays, with St Patrick's Day on 17 March and St Brigid's Day at the start of February as the two that move to the weekday nearest their date.

How people take the days

Monday-anchored dates mean bridging is uncommon outside Easter and Christmas. Employers must give a paid day off, an extra day of annual leave, an extra day's pay or a paid day within a month — staff usually get the choice.

If you're visiting

Pubs, shops and visitor attractions trade on public holidays; Good Friday alcohol restrictions ended in 2018, so bars now open. St Patrick's Day means parades and heavy crowds in Dublin, Cork and Galway.

If you live here

Public holidays sit on top of the statutory 20 days of annual leave, not inside it. If a holiday falls on a day you don't normally work, you are still entitled to a fifth of your weekly pay for it.

Nearby countries

Neighbours of Ireland — see their holidays, or compare the two calendars side by side.

What these days actually mean

Observance, business closures and transport impact for the next few dates.

Christmas Day

25 Dec 2026

Public

Observance: The central Christian winter feast; in most countries the household gathering matters more than the church service.
Business: Near-total closure of retail, offices and banks. Expect the preceding afternoon to shut early too.
Transport: Skeleton or suspended services in many countries. Book intercity travel well ahead.

St. Stephen's Day

26 Dec 2026

Public

Observance: Officially recognised as a public holiday, so most people have the day off work.
Business: Expect offices, banks and the majority of shops to be closed.
Transport: Public transport usually runs a Sunday or holiday timetable.

General guidance based on this day's official classification, not country-specific reporting.