Public holidays in Northern Ireland 2026
Northern Ireland has 10 public holidays in 2026. 8 fall on a weekday and 2 on the weekend, with 2 substitute days off marked as observed, which leaves 251 working days out of 365. The weekend is Saturday and Sunday.
Northern Ireland is one of the nations of the United Kingdom: see also public holidays in the United Kingdom 2026 (England and Wales).
Holiday dates 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday | New Year's Day | |
| Tuesday | Saint Patrick's Day | |
| Friday | Good Friday | |
| Monday | Easter Monday | |
| Monday | May Day | |
| Monday | Spring Bank Holiday | |
| Sunday weekend | Battle of the Boyne | |
| Monday | Battle of the Boyne observed | |
| Monday | Late Summer Bank Holiday | |
| Friday | Christmas Day | |
| Saturday weekend | Boxing Day | |
| Monday | Boxing Day observed |
Observed marks a substitute day off granted because the holiday itself falls on a weekend.
Working days per month in 2026
A working day is any day that is neither a weekend day (Saturday and Sunday) nor a public holiday. Holidays that fall on the weekend do not reduce the count.
| Month | Calendar days | Weekend days | Holidays on weekdays | Working days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | 31 | 9 | 1 | 21 |
| February 2026 | 28 | 8 | 0 | 20 |
| March 2026 | 31 | 9 | 1 | 21 |
| April 2026 | 30 | 8 | 2 | 20 |
| May 2026 | 31 | 10 | 2 | 19 |
| June 2026 | 30 | 8 | 0 | 22 |
| July 2026 | 31 | 8 | 1 | 22 |
| August 2026 | 31 | 10 | 1 | 20 |
| September 2026 | 30 | 8 | 0 | 22 |
| October 2026 | 31 | 9 | 0 | 22 |
| November 2026 | 30 | 9 | 0 | 21 |
| December 2026 | 31 | 8 | 2 | 21 |
| Total 2026 | 365 | 104 | 10 | 251 |
Jan21 wd
Feb20 wd
Mar21 wd
Apr20 wd
May19 wd
Jun22 wd
Jul22 wd
Aug20 wd
Sep22 wd
Oct22 wd
Nov21 wd
Dec21 wd
Long weekends and bridge days in 2026
Breaks of three days or more that need no annual leave at all.
- 4 daysFri 3 to Mon 6 April 2026Good Friday, Easter Monday
- 3 daysSat 2 to Mon 4 May 2026May Day
- 3 daysSat 23 to Mon 25 May 2026Spring Bank Holiday
- 3 daysSat 11 to Mon 13 July 2026Battle of the Boyne
- 3 daysSat 29 to Mon 31 August 2026Late Summer Bank Holiday
- 4 daysFri 25 to Mon 28 December 2026Christmas Day, Boxing Day
Take one day of leave on the date shown and turn a holiday into a longer break.
- 4 daysTake off Friday 2 January 2026 for Thu 1 to Sun 4 January 2026New Year's Day
- 4 daysTake off Monday 16 March 2026 for Sat 14 to Tue 17 March 2026Saint Patrick's Day
Questions about 2026 in Northern Ireland
- How many working days are there in Northern Ireland in 2026?
- 251 working days. 2026 has 365 days, 104 of them weekend days and 10 public holidays on weekdays.
- How many public holidays does Northern Ireland have in 2026?
- 10 public holidays, plus 2 substitute days off. 2 fall on the weekend.
- Which 2026 holidays fall on a weekend?
- Battle of the Boyne (12 July 2026), Boxing Day (26 December 2026).
- What counts as the weekend in Northern Ireland?
- Saturday and Sunday. The calculator lets you change this if your organisation works a different week.
- What about 2027?
- See public holidays in Northern Ireland 2027 or go back to 2025.