Long Weekends in Ireland 2026
Ireland has 10 public holidays in 2026, creating 9 long-weekend opportunities — 7 automatic 3-day weekends and 2 bridge chances where a day or two of leave buys a longer break.
Smartest break
Take 1 leave day around New Year's Day (January 1, 2026) for 4 days off — Jan 1 – Jan 4.
| Holiday | Date | Leave to book | Days off | Your break |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thu, Jan 1 | Fri, Jan 2 | 4 | Jan 1 – Jan 4 |
| St. Brigid’s Day | Mon, Feb 2 | None — automatic | 3 | Jan 31 – Feb 2 |
| St. Patrick’s Day | Tue, Mar 17 | Mon, Mar 16 | 4 | Mar 14 – Mar 17 |
| Easter Monday | Mon, Apr 6 | None — automatic | 3 | Apr 4 – Apr 6 |
| May Day | Mon, May 4 | None — automatic | 3 | May 2 – May 4 |
| First Monday in June | Mon, Jun 1 | None — automatic | 3 | May 30 – Jun 1 |
| First Monday in August | Mon, Aug 3 | None — automatic | 3 | Aug 1 – Aug 3 |
| October Bank Holiday | Mon, Oct 26 | None — automatic | 3 | Oct 24 – Oct 26 |
| Christmas Day | Fri, Dec 25 | None — automatic | 3 | Dec 25 – Dec 27 |
Long weekend FAQ
- What is a bridge day?
- A bridge day ("puente" in Spanish) is a workday wedged between a public holiday and the weekend. Book it off and the holiday and weekend join into one unbroken break.
- How many long weekends does Ireland have in 2026?
- Ireland has 9 long-weekend opportunities in 2026: 7 that need no leave and 2 that need one or two days off.