Public holidays in the Republic of Ireland

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Public holidays are observed in the Republic of Ireland on:

New Year's Day, 1 January^[1]
St Patrick's Day, 17 March^[1]
Good Friday, moveable (though observed by schools, banks, public offices, etc., this day is not an official public holiday)
Easter Monday, moveable
May Day, the first Monday in May
June Bank Holiday, the first Monday in June
August Bank Holiday, the first Monday in August
October Bank Holiday (sometimes called the Halloween holiday), the last Monday in October
Christmas Day, 25 December^[1]
St Stephen's Day, 26 December^[1]

The most recent public holiday to be added was May Day. This holiday, taken as the first Monday in May, was introduced in 1994. Recently, senior politicians (including Ruairi Quinn TD) have been considering the addition of one or two extra public holidays in order to bring the number of such holidays in Ireland closer to the European average. It is considered likely that this will happen in the next year or two.^{[citation needed]}

1 School Holidays (Primary)
2 School Holidays (Post-Primary/Secondary)
3 Footnote
4 External links
5 See also

[edit] School Holidays (Primary)

In the Republic of Ireland the academic year in primary schools lasts from September 1 to June 30.
The academic year is composed of 183 schooldays (with 6 in-service days this is reduced to 177) and schools are not open in July or August (though for flexibility school may open for the last two/three days of August).

The first mid-term break is always the last week of October (commonly called the Halloween break).
Many (though not all) Catholic schools (approximately 95% of Irish primary schools) close for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8.
The Christmas break lasts from the last schoolday before December 23 to the first weekday after January 6 (17-21 days).
The second mid-term break is a minimum of two days to a maximum of five days duration taken in the third week of February (commonly called the Shrove break).
The Easter break consists of a week before Easter to the 2nd Monday after Easter (10 school days or 16 days inclusive).
In the last term holidays are flexible and are generally arranged around the public holidays in May and June.

[edit] School Holidays (Post-Primary/Secondary)

In the Republic of Ireland the academic year in secondary schools lasts from September 1 to May 31.
The academic year is composed of 167 schooldays and schools are not open in June, July or August (though for flexibility school may open for the first week of June or last two/three days of August).
The first mid-term break begins on the last weekend before October 31 and lasts for one week.
Many Catholic schools (approximately 90% of Irish secondary schools) close for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8.
The Christmas break lasts from the last schoolday before December 23 to the first weekday after January 6 (17-21 days).
The second mid-term break begins on the last schoolday in the second week of February and lasts for one week.
The Easter break consists of a week before Easter to the second Monday after Easter (10 school days or 16 days inclusive).
The school year ends on the first Friday of June.
The state examinations (the Junior and Leaving Certificate examinations) begin the Wednesday after the June Bank Holiday.

[edit] Footnote

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Note that where a public holiday falls on a Saturday or a Sunday, or possibly coincides with another public holiday, it is generally observed (as a day off work) on the next available weekday, even though the public holiday itself does not move. In such cases, an employee is entitled to at least one of the following (as chosen by the employer): a day off within a month, an additional day's paid annual leave or an additional day's pay. The usual practice is, however, to award a day off on the next available weekday.