Ireland Long Weekends 2028
Ireland produces 8 long weekends in 2028 — every break of three days or more that its public holidays actually create. The longest runs 4 days (Dec 23–26). All of these breaks come straight from the published holiday calendar.
Ireland long weekends in 2028
Saint Brigid's Day
3 daysFeb 5 – 7
Saint Patrick's Day
3 daysMar 17 – 19
Saint Patrick's Day falls on a Friday — a three-day weekend for Ireland's national day.
Easter
3 daysApr 15 – 17
Good Friday (Apr 14) is not a public holiday in Ireland, so the break runs Saturday to Easter Monday.
May Day
3 daysApr 29 – May 1
May Day falls on Monday May 1 — the first May bank holiday weekend since 2023 to be a true May Day.
June Bank Holiday
3 daysJun 3 – 5
August Bank Holiday
3 daysAug 5 – 7
October Bank Holiday
3 daysOct 28 – 30
Christmas
4 daysDec 23 – 26
Christmas Day (Mon) and Saint Stephen's Day (Tue) follow the weekend directly — four consecutive days off without taking a single vacation day.
Interactive Leave & Bridge Days Planner
Select your country, year, and annual leave budget to calculate the highest-ROI vacation strategies. Bridge mid-week holidays into continuous mega-breaks.
18 Bridge Strategies Found
Christmas Day
Dec 23 – 31•Total Vacation: 9 days
Take 3 days of annual leave on Dec 27 – 29 to connect Christmas Day into a 9-day continuous break.
Saint Brigid's Day
Feb 5 – 13•Total Vacation: 9 days
Take 4 days of annual leave on Feb 8 – 11 to connect Saint Brigid's Day into a 9-day continuous break.
Saint Patrick's Day
Mar 11 – 19•Total Vacation: 9 days
Take 4 days of annual leave on Mar 13 – 16 to connect Saint Patrick's Day into a 9-day continuous break.
Easter Monday
Apr 15 – 23•Total Vacation: 9 days
Take 4 days of annual leave on Apr 18 – 21 to connect Easter Monday into a 9-day continuous break.
May Day
Apr 29 – May 7•Total Vacation: 9 days
Take 4 days of annual leave on May 2 – 5 to connect May Day into a 9-day continuous break.
June Bank Holiday
Jun 3 – 11•Total Vacation: 9 days
Take 4 days of annual leave on Jun 6 – 9 to connect June Bank Holiday into a 9-day continuous break.
August Bank Holiday
Aug 5 – 13•Total Vacation: 9 days
Take 4 days of annual leave on Aug 8 – 11 to connect August Bank Holiday into a 9-day continuous break.
October Bank Holiday
Oct 28 – Nov 5•Total Vacation: 9 days
Take 4 days of annual leave on Oct 31 – Nov 3 to connect October Bank Holiday into a 9-day continuous break.
Christmas Day
Dec 16 – 26•Total Vacation: 11 days
Take 5 days of annual leave on Dec 18 – 22 to connect Christmas Day into a 11-day continuous break.
Saint Brigid's Day
Jan 29 – Feb 7•Total Vacation: 10 days
Take 5 days of annual leave on Jan 31 – Feb 4 to connect Saint Brigid's Day into a 10-day continuous break.
Saint Patrick's Day
Mar 17 – 26•Total Vacation: 10 days
Take 5 days of annual leave on Mar 20 – 24 to connect Saint Patrick's Day into a 10-day continuous break.
Easter Monday
Apr 8 – 17•Total Vacation: 10 days
Take 5 days of annual leave on Apr 10 – 14 to connect Easter Monday into a 10-day continuous break.
May Day
Apr 22 – May 1•Total Vacation: 10 days
Take 5 days of annual leave on Apr 24 – 28 to connect May Day into a 10-day continuous break.
June Bank Holiday
May 27 – Jun 5•Total Vacation: 10 days
Take 5 days of annual leave on May 29 – Jun 2 to connect June Bank Holiday into a 10-day continuous break.
August Bank Holiday
Jul 29 – Aug 7•Total Vacation: 10 days
Take 5 days of annual leave on Jul 31 – Aug 4 to connect August Bank Holiday into a 10-day continuous break.
October Bank Holiday
Oct 21 – 30•Total Vacation: 10 days
Take 5 days of annual leave on Oct 23 – 27 to connect October Bank Holiday into a 10-day continuous break.
New Year's Day
Dec 25, 2027 – Jan 2, 2028•Total Vacation: 9 days
Take 5 days of annual leave on Dec 27 – 31 to connect New Year's Day into a 9-day continuous break.
New Year's Day
Jan 1 – 9•Total Vacation: 9 days
Take 5 days of annual leave on Jan 3 – 7 to connect New Year's Day into a 9-day continuous break.
Compliance Notice: Leave planning recommendations are calculated for vacation optimization. Taking annual leave is subject to your employment contract, employer approval, and local labor legislation.
The 8 long weekends of 2028
Saint Brigid's Day — Feb 5–7 (3 days); Saint Patrick's Day — Mar 17–19 (3 days); Easter — Apr 15–17 (3 days); May Day — Apr 29 – May 1 (3 days); June Bank Holiday — Jun 3–5 (3 days); August Bank Holiday — Aug 5–7 (3 days); October Bank Holiday — Oct 28–30 (3 days); Christmas — Dec 23–26 (4 days)
Full list: Saint Brigid's Day (Feb 5–7) Saint Patrick's Day (Mar 17–19) Easter (Apr 15–17) May Day (Apr 29 – May 1) June Bank Holiday (Jun 3–5) August Bank Holiday (Aug 5–7) October Bank Holiday (Oct 28–30) Christmas (Dec 23–26) — 8 consecutive-day breaks in total.
How Ireland builds its long weekends
Long weekends come from public holidays landing next to weekends (or substitute days extending them). The table above lists only real calendar breaks — a 8-day count means 8 separate runs of consecutive days off.
How to plan around them
The 8 breaks above are the ones the calendar gives you for free. The longest (Christmas, 4 days, Dec 23–26) is the best anchor for a longer trip; the others work well for short getaways. Check the linked year page for make-up workdays that may surround the longer breaks.
Official sources & data
- Public holidays in IrelandVisit sourceCitizens Information
- Ireland public holidays 2028Visit sourcePublicHolidays.ie (compiled from the citizensinformation.ie release)
Frequently asked questions
How many long weekends does Ireland have in 2028?
8 — every break of three consecutive days or more that Ireland's public holidays create in 2028. The longest is Christmas with 4 days off.
What is the longest long weekend in Ireland in 2028?
Christmas — 4 days (Dec 23–26).
Which public holidays create long weekends in Ireland 2028?
Saint Brigid's Day, Saint Patrick's Day, Easter, May Day, June Bank Holiday, August Bank Holiday, October Bank Holiday, Christmas. Each is listed above with its exact dates.
Does Ireland have substitute days for weekend holidays?
Not automatically — a holiday falling on a weekend does not move to a fixed weekday. Instead, under the Organisation of Working Time Act your employer must give you a benefit within a month of that day: a paid day off, an extra day of annual leave, or an extra day’s pay. In 2028 only New Year’s Day (Sat Jan 1) is affected.
Are the 2028 long weekend dates confirmed?
Yes — Ireland's 2028 holidays are confirmed, and the long weekends above derive directly from them.