Bank holidays 2026 in Northern Ireland
There are 10 bank holidays in Northern Ireland in 2026. Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen’s Day) and Boxing Day fall on a weekend, so the day off moves to the next weekday (substitute day).
| Date | Bank holiday |
|---|---|
| Thu 1 January | New Year’s Day |
| Tue 17 March | St Patrick’s Day |
| Fri 3 April | Good Friday |
| Mon 6 April | Easter Monday |
| Mon 4 May | Early May bank holiday |
| Mon 25 May | Spring bank holiday |
| Mon 13 July | Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen’s Day)substitute day |
| Mon 31 August | Summer bank holiday |
| Fri 25 December | Christmas Day |
| Mon 28 December | Boxing Daysubstitute day |
Dates from the official gov.uk bank holiday list. Your employer doesn’t have to give you bank holidays off – check your contract.
Bridge days 2026
Book one day off and get four days in a row:
- New Year’s Day (Thu 1 January): Fri 2 January → 4 days
- St Patrick’s Day (Tue 17 March): Mon 16 March → 4 days
Make the most of your annual leave in 2026
The longest break around each bank holiday if you book no more than four days of leave. Weekends and bank holidays are already counted.
| Occasion | Book off | Days off in a row |
|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Fri 2 January1 day of leave | 4 daysThu 1 January – Sun 4 January |
| St Patrick’s Day | Mon 16 March, Wed 18 March, Thu 19 March, Fri 20 March4 days of leave | 9 daysSat 14 March – Sun 22 March |
| Good Friday + Easter Monday | Mon 30 March – Thu 2 April4 days of leave | 10 daysSat 28 March – Mon 6 April |
| Early May bank holiday | Tue 5 May – Fri 8 May4 days of leave | 9 daysSat 2 May – Sun 10 May |
| Spring bank holiday | Tue 26 May – Fri 29 May4 days of leave | 9 daysSat 23 May – Sun 31 May |
| Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen’s Day) | Tue 14 July – Fri 17 July4 days of leave | 9 daysSat 11 July – Sun 19 July |
| Summer bank holiday | Tue 1 September – Fri 4 September4 days of leave | 9 daysSat 29 August – Sun 6 September |
| Christmas Day + Boxing Day + New Year’s Day | Tue 29 December – Thu 31 December3 days of leave | 10 daysFri 25 December – Sun, 3 January 2027 |
Long weekends without booking leave
Good Friday (Fri 3 April) · Easter Monday (Mon 6 April) · Early May bank holiday (Mon 4 May) · Spring bank holiday (Mon 25 May) · Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen’s Day) (Mon 13 July) · Summer bank holiday (Mon 31 August) · Christmas Day (Fri 25 December) · Boxing Day (Mon 28 December)
Working days in 2026
2026 has 251 working days in Northern Ireland (Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays).
Subscribe to bank holidays in Northern Ireland
A subscription keeps the dates up to date automatically – for the coming years too.
How the subscription works
- iPhone: tap “Apple Calendar” and confirm “Subscribe”. Or add it manually under Settings → Calendar → Accounts → Subscribed calendar:
webcal://www.miracal.app/ics/holidays-uk-northern-ireland.ics - Google / Android: open the link in a browser and confirm “Add”.
- Outlook: Add calendar → Subscribe from web.
Bank holidays in your calendar
Subscribe to the bank holidays and Miracal shows them next to your iCloud, Google and Outlook events, your tasks and your contacts’ birthdays. Free for iPhone and Android.
Free download · iPhone & Android
Frequently asked questions
How many bank holidays are there in 2026?
10 in Northern Ireland. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own lists: Scotland, Northern Ireland, England and Wales.
What is a substitute day?
When a bank holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the day off moves to the next weekday. Boxing Day 2026, for example, is a Saturday – the substitute day is Monday 28 December.
Do I get bank holidays off?
Not automatically. There’s no legal right to time off on bank holidays; it depends on your contract. Bank holidays can count towards your statutory 28 days of leave.
How many working days are there in 2026?
251 working days from Monday to Friday, without bank holidays.