Ireland gives workers 10 public holidays a year — more than many comparable countries — and 2025 brings a mix of fixed dates and movable celebrations. Whether you’re planning a long weekend or sorting out your employment rights, here is everything you need to navigate the year ahead, pulled from official sources.

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Total public holidays: 10 · First holiday: 1 January · October Bank Holiday: 27 October

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
  • 10 public holidays for Republic of Ireland in 2025 (flair HR)
2What’s unclear
  • Specific sector overrides for healthcare or retail not publicly codified for 2025
3Timeline signal
  • St. Brigid’s Day added 2023; October Bank Holiday 27 October 2025 (flair HR)
4What’s next
Holiday Date in 2025 Day
New Year’s Day 1 January Wednesday
St. Brigid’s Day 3 February Monday
St. Patrick’s Day 17 March Monday
Easter Monday 21 April Monday
May Day 5 May Monday
June Bank Holiday 2 June Monday
August Bank Holiday 4 August Monday
October Bank Holiday 27 October Monday
Christmas Day 25 December Thursday
St. Stephen’s Day 26 December Friday

How many public holidays are there in Ireland in 2025?

The Republic of Ireland observes 10 statutory public holidays in 2025, confirmed across multiple independent sources (flair HR). This count rose from nine to ten in March 2022, when St. Brigid’s Day joined the calendar (Communications Workers’ Union).

St. Brigid’s Day falls on the first Monday in February each year. In 2025, that is 3 February — making it a convenient early-year long weekend.

These holidays apply nationwide across the Republic of Ireland. There are no regional variations within the Republic, though Northern Ireland operates its own distinct schedule.

What are the holidays in order for 2025?

The ten public holidays span the full calendar year, starting on 1 January and ending with the late-December double of Christmas and St. Stephen’s Day. Six of the ten fall on Mondays — a pattern that makes 2025 particularly generous for long weekends.

January to June

  • 1 January: New Year’s Day (Wednesday)
  • 3 February: St. Brigid’s Day (Monday) — first Monday in February
  • 17 March: St. Patrick’s Day (Monday)
  • 21 April: Easter Monday (Monday)
  • 5 May: May Day (Monday) — first Monday in May; coincides with Bealtoine festival (flair HR)
  • 2 June: June Bank Holiday (Monday) — first Monday in June

July to December

  • 4 August: August Bank Holiday (Monday) — first Monday in August
  • 27 October: October Bank Holiday (Monday) — last Monday in October; coincides with Samhain festival (flair HR)
  • 25 December: Christmas Day (Thursday)
  • 26 December: St. Stephen’s Day (Friday)
Bottom line: Six of the ten holidays land on Monday, giving workers an unusually favorable long-weekend schedule in 2025.

Why is 27 October a bank holiday?

The October Bank Holiday is set as the last Monday in October each year. In 2025, that lands on 27 October — a Monday. This follows a decades-old tradition of placing the autumn bank holiday on that specific position in the calendar.

The date also carries cultural weight: it coincides with the Celtic festival of Samhain, which marks the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter — a connection many Irish publications note when discussing the holiday’s timing (flair HR).

The upshot

The last Monday rule means the October Bank Holiday shifts every year. Checking the exact date each October is worth the effort — it is never 31 October, regardless of calendar quirks.

Is Monday, 31st October a bank holiday in Ireland?

No — 31 October 2025 is a Friday, and it is not a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland. The October Bank Holiday is always the last Monday in October, which in 2025 is 27 October.

The confusion arises because Halloween (31 October) falls close to the bank holiday period. Some workers may assume the entire end of October is free, but only the Monday qualifies. There is no substitute-day rule that shifts the holiday to accommodate Halloween.

Comparison to actual date

Date Day Status
27 October 2025 Monday Public holiday
31 October 2025 Friday Not a public holiday

The implication: workers who want 31 October off for Halloween must use annual leave or negotiate with their employer — it is not covered by any statutory entitlement.

No holiday on 31 October

Employees who want time off for Halloween activities on 31 October must use annual leave or negotiate with their employer. There is no statutory entitlement to that specific date off.

Bank holiday pay for part-time workers in Ireland

Entitlements for public holidays are governed by the Organisation of Working Time Act. Both full-time and part-time workers have rights, but the rules differ based on hours worked.

Entitlement rules

Full-time workers have immediate entitlement to public holiday benefits — a paid day off, an additional day of annual leave, or an extra day’s pay, depending on what the employer offers (Workplace Relations Commission).

Part-time workers qualify if they worked at least 40 hours in the five weeks before the public holiday. Those who meet this threshold receive the same entitlements as full-time workers (Workplace Relations Commission).

Non-working day scenarios

If a public holiday falls on a day the employee does not normally work, the employer must pay one-fifth of the normal weekly pay as compensation (Workplace Relations Commission). This applies to both full-time and qualifying part-time workers.

Absence and termination rules

Workers who are absent immediately before a public holiday may still be entitled to benefits, as confirmed by the Communications Workers’ Union guidance (Communications Workers’ Union). Employees who terminate their employment are entitled to pay for an upcoming holiday if they worked the four weeks prior (Workplace Relations Commission).

Why this matters

Part-time workers who consistently log 40+ hours over any five-week window before a holiday can claim full public holiday entitlements. Tracking hours carefully across those five weeks is the key to protecting your rights.

2025 Ireland Public Holidays Timeline

New Year’s Day
St. Brigid’s Day — first Monday in February
St. Patrick’s Day — national holiday
Easter Monday
May Day — first Monday in May
June Bank Holiday — first Monday in June
August Bank Holiday — first Monday in August
October Bank Holiday — last Monday in October
Christmas Day
St. Stephen’s Day

What We Know — and What Remains Unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Ireland has 10 public holidays in 2025 (flair HR)
  • St. Brigid’s Day was added in 2023 as the 10th holiday
  • Six holidays fall on Mondays in 2025 (flair HR)
  • Full-time workers have immediate holiday entitlements
  • Part-time workers qualify after 40 hours in 5 prior weeks
  • Republic of Ireland holidays differ from Northern Ireland

What is unclear

  • Sector-specific substitute-day arrangements for healthcare shift workers not publicly codified
  • Exact Easter Sunday 2025 date varies across sources — Easter Monday confirmed as 21 April
  • No payroll calculation examples published by official bodies for 2025

What the Experts Say

Full-time workers have immediate entitlement to benefit for public holidays.

— Workplace Relations Commission (Government Authority)

St. Brigid’s Day honors Ireland’s only female patron saint.

— Irish Central (Cultural Publication)

Bank holidays are statutory public holidays that give employees the right to paid time off or an alternative arrangement.

— The HR Company (HR Guide)

Republic of Ireland vs Northern Ireland Bank Holidays

Ten holidays on the Republic’s calendar, but a different lineup across the border in Northern Ireland. The schedules diverge in notable ways — workers commuting or employed cross-border need to track both systems carefully.

Feature Republic of Ireland Northern Ireland
Total holidays 10 10+ (different dates)
St. Brigid’s Day Yes (first Monday in February) No
Good Friday Not a public holiday Yes
Battle of the Boyne Not observed Yes (14 July)
Additional May holiday No 4 May
Additional August holiday No 31 August

The pattern: Northern Ireland includes religious and commemorative dates that the Republic does not observe, while the Republic added St. Brigid’s Day — unique to its own calendar — in 2023.

For workers planning cross-border travel or employment, the mismatch matters. A holiday in Belfast on 4 May has no equivalent day off in Dublin.

Related reading: Employment Law Solicitors Dublin: Top Firms and Key Rules · Counties of Ireland in Irish – Official Names for 32 Counties

Additional sources

timekeeper.co.uk, fssu.ie, ireland.com, hogansirishcottages.com, leavetrackapp.com, officeholidays.com

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Frequently asked questions

How many public holidays in Ireland 2025?

There are 10 public holidays in the Republic of Ireland in 2025, confirmed across multiple independent sources including flair HR and the Communications Workers’ Union.

What date is October Bank Holiday 2025?

The October Bank Holiday in 2025 falls on 27 October, which is a Monday. This follows the rule of “last Monday in October” set for all October bank holidays.

Is 31 October a bank holiday?

No, 31 October 2025 is a Friday and is not a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland. Only 27 October (the last Monday) qualifies as the October Bank Holiday.

List Ireland bank holidays 2025 in order?

In order: New Year’s Day (1 Jan), St. Brigid’s Day (3 Feb), St. Patrick’s Day (17 Mar), Easter Monday (21 Apr), May Day (5 May), June Bank Holiday (2 Jun), August Bank Holiday (4 Aug), October Bank Holiday (27 Oct), Christmas Day (25 Dec), St. Stephen’s Day (26 Dec).

St Brigid’s Day 2025 date?

St. Brigid’s Day 2025 is 3 February, which is a Monday. St. Brigid’s Day was introduced as a public holiday in 2023, making 2025 its third year on the calendar.

Bank holiday pay for part-time workers?

Part-time workers qualify for public holiday entitlements if they worked at least 40 hours in the five weeks before the holiday. They then receive the same benefits as full-time workers: a paid day off, additional annual leave, or extra pay.

August Bank Holiday 2025 Ireland date?

The August Bank Holiday in 2025 falls on 4 August, which is a Monday. This follows the rule of “first Monday in August” that applies to all August bank holidays in Ireland.