There’s something satisfying about spotting a long weekend on the calendar and realising you can turn a single day off into a proper break. For anyone planning holidays around bank holidays in 2024, the dates across Ireland and the UK offer plenty of opportunities — if you know exactly when they fall and how they differ from one region to the next. This guide lays out every bank holiday in 2024 for the Republic of Ireland, England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, with the dates you need to plan your year.

4 related posts

Irish public holidays in 2024: 10 ·
UK bank holidays (England and Wales) in 2024: 8 ·
October bank holiday in Ireland: Monday 28 October 2024 ·
May bank holiday in Ireland: Monday 6 May 2024 ·
St. Patrick’s Day 2024: Sunday 17 March (public holiday, no statutory substitute) ·
Easter Monday 2024: Monday 1 April (bank holiday in both Ireland and UK)

Quick snapshot

1Ireland 2024
2UK 2024 (England & Wales)
3Scotland 2024
  • 9 bank holidays (GOV.UK – Bank holidays)
  • 2 January observed (GOV.UK – Bank holidays)
  • St. Andrew’s Day on 30 November (GOV.UK – Bank holidays)
4Northern Ireland 2024
  • 10 bank holidays (GOV.UK – Bank holidays)
  • St. Patrick’s Day and Battle of the Boyne (GOV.UK – Bank holidays)
  • Easter Tuesday not observed (GOV.UK – Bank holidays)
Key facts at a glance
Fact Value
Total Irish public holidays 2024 10
Total UK bank holidays (England & Wales) 2024 8
Date of October bank holiday (Ireland) Monday, 28 October 2024
Date of St. Patrick’s Day 2024 Sunday, 17 March 2024
Observance of St. Patrick’s Day Public holiday; no statutory substitute day
Total UK bank holidays (Scotland) 2024 9
Total UK bank holidays (Northern Ireland) 2024 10

How many Irish bank holidays are there in 2024?

Ireland has 10 public holidays in 2024, according to the Irish government’s official list. That number has been consistent since 2023, when St. Brigid’s Day was added as a permanent public holiday.

Total number of public holidays in Ireland for 2024

  • New Year’s Day – 1 January 2024
  • St. Brigid’s Day – 5 February 2024
  • St. Patrick’s Day – 17 March 2024
  • Easter Monday – 1 April 2024
  • May Day – 6 May 2024
  • June Bank Holiday – 3 June 2024
  • August Bank Holiday – 5 August 2024
  • October Bank Holiday – 28 October 2024
  • Christmas Day – 25 December 2024
  • St. Stephen’s Day – 26 December 2024

That’s ten days spread across the year, creating several three-day weekends if you plan around them. The Citizens Information service notes that public holidays in Ireland are often called bank holidays, though legally they are public holidays governed by the Organisation of Working Time Act.

How does this compare to previous years?

Before 2023, Ireland had nine public holidays. The addition of St. Brigid’s Day, observed on the first Monday of February (5 February in 2024), brought the total to ten. No further additions have been announced for 2024, so the count remains stable.

Why this matters

For workers in Ireland, the ten public holidays mean at least ten paid days off if you’re employed full-time. The 2023 addition of St. Brigid’s Day effectively gave employees one extra statutory day — a meaningful shift for annual leave planning.

What counts as a bank holiday vs public holiday?

In Ireland, the terms are used interchangeably in everyday conversation, but legally they are public holidays. The UK uses the term “bank holiday” formally, governed by the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971. In the US, the equivalent is “federal holidays,” which apply to federal employees but are not mandated for private employers in the same way. The difference matters most when planning travel or understanding your employment rights.

Bottom line: Ireland’s public holiday count settled at ten after adding St. Brigid’s Day in 2023. Employees are entitled to these ten days; employers should check the Organisation of Working Time Act for compliance. Travellers should note that the June and August bank holidays are peak booking periods.

What are the bank holidays in Ireland in 2024?

Here is the full list of Irish bank holiday dates for 2024, drawn from the government’s public holiday schedule and Citizens Information. All dates apply nationwide in the Republic of Ireland.

A clear list of dates, one pattern: the October and May bank holidays are the key anchors for long weekends in the second half of the year.
Holiday Date 2024 Day of week
New Year’s Day 1 January Monday
St. Brigid’s Day 5 February Monday
St. Patrick’s Day 17 March Sunday
Easter Monday 1 April Monday
May Day 6 May Monday
June Bank Holiday 3 June Monday
August Bank Holiday 5 August Monday
October Bank Holiday 28 October Monday
Christmas Day 25 December Wednesday
St. Stephen’s Day 26 December Thursday

The pattern: nine of the ten dates fall on a Monday, creating automatic three-day weekends. The exceptions are St. Patrick’s Day (Sunday) and Christmas/St. Stephen’s Day (Wednesday-Thursday). Because St. Patrick’s Day lands on a Sunday, there is no statutory substitute day — employees who normally work that day may still be entitled to a paid day off, but the public holiday itself is not moved to Monday.

The implication: workers who take annual leave on the Tuesday after each Monday holiday can stretch those weekends into four-day breaks.

Bottom line: Ireland’s 2024 calendar delivers nine Monday holidays. Workers who take annual leave on the Tuesday after each Monday holiday can stretch those weekends into four-day breaks. The October 28 date is the last long weekend of the year.

Regional variations: Northern Ireland vs Republic of Ireland

Northern Ireland’s bank holidays differ from the Republic’s in both count and content. Northern Ireland observes 10 bank holidays in 2024, per GOV.UK. It includes St. Patrick’s Day (17 March) and the Battle of the Boyne / Orangemen’s Day (12 July, observed on 15 July in 2024 because 12 July falls on a Friday). Notably, Easter Tuesday was removed from Northern Ireland’s list in 2022, so it is not a bank holiday in 2024.

Bank holidays in Dublin and nearby areas

All bank holidays in the Republic of Ireland are observed nationwide, including Dublin. There are no regional variations within the state. Whether you’re in Dublin, Cork, Galway, or Limerick, the same ten public holidays apply.

Why is the October bank holiday in 2024 on 27 October?

It isn’t. The October bank holiday in Ireland in 2024 falls on Monday 28 October 2024, not 27 October. The question arises because some older calendars or search snippets may reference the “last Monday of October” rule differently across years. In 2024, the last Monday of October is the 28th, confirmed by the Irish government’s official list and Citizens Information.

The rule for the October bank holiday in Ireland

The October bank holiday in Ireland is always the last Monday of October. That’s a fixed rule — not a variable date like Easter. In 2024, the last Monday is 28 October. In 2023, it was 30 October. In 2025, it will be 27 October. So the date does shift, but always to the last Monday.

The catch

If you see “27 October” in a search result for 2024 bank holidays, it’s likely an error or a reference to a different year. No official bank holiday falls on 27 October 2024 in Ireland, the UK, or the US.

Why 27 October is not the actual date in 2024

Simple arithmetic: October 2024 has 31 days. The first day of the month is a Tuesday. The last Monday therefore falls on 28 October, not 27. The 27th is a Sunday in 2024.

Correct date: Monday 28 October

Mark it now: Monday 28 October 2024 is the Irish October bank holiday. This is the final long weekend of the year in Ireland, and for many, the last chance to use up annual leave before Christmas.

What are the bank holidays in the UK in 2024?

The UK’s bank holidays vary by nation. England and Wales have 8, Scotland has 9, and Northern Ireland has 10. All official dates are published by GOV.UK.

Eight bank holidays across England and Wales share one pattern: Good Friday and Easter Monday anchor the spring, while the Early May and Spring bank holidays create a cluster of long weekends in May and June.

UK bank holiday comparison, 2024
Holiday England & Wales Scotland Northern Ireland
New Year’s Day 1 Jan 1 Jan 1 Jan
2 January — 2 Jan —
St. Patrick’s Day — — 17 Mar (Sun)
Good Friday 29 Mar 29 Mar 29 Mar
Easter Monday 1 Apr — 1 Apr
Early May bank holiday 6 May 6 May 6 May
Spring bank holiday 27 May 27 May 27 May
Battle of the Boyne — — 15 Jul (Mon)
Summer bank holiday 26 Aug 5 Aug 26 Aug
St. Andrew’s Day — 2 Dec (Mon) —
Christmas Day 25 Dec 25 Dec 25 Dec
Boxing Day 26 Dec 26 Dec 26 Dec

The trade-off: Scotland gets an extra day in January (2 January) and St. Andrew’s Day in late November, but loses Easter Monday as a statutory day. Northern Ireland adds St. Patrick’s Day and the Battle of the Boyne, bringing its total to ten — tied with the Republic of Ireland in count, but with different dates.

Bank holidays in England and Wales

England and Wales have eight bank holidays in 2024. The list includes all the UK-wide holidays except those specific to Scotland or Northern Ireland. The GOV.UK bank holiday schedule is the authoritative source.

Scotland’s bank holidays

Scotland observes nine bank holidays in 2024. The Scottish Government’s list includes 2 January (Tuesday in 2024) as a bank holiday and St. Andrew’s Day, which is substituted to Monday 2 December because 30 November 2024 falls on a Saturday. Scotland does not observe Easter Monday as a bank holiday.

Northern Ireland’s bank holidays

Northern Ireland has ten bank holidays in 2024. In addition to the UK-wide holidays, it observes St. Patrick’s Day and the Battle of the Boyne / Orangemen’s Day on 12 July, observed on 15 July 2024 (Monday). GOV.UK confirms that Easter Tuesday is no longer a bank holiday in Northern Ireland, following its removal in 2022.

What to watch

Northern Ireland’s ten bank holidays mean more days off than England and Wales, but the substitute-day rule applies when a holiday falls on a weekend. In 2024, St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Sunday, so employees who normally work that day may not get an extra Monday off unless their contract specifies otherwise.

How do bank holidays differ from national and federal holidays?

The terms overlap, but they are not identical. In Ireland, “bank holiday” and “public holiday” are used interchangeably, though the Citizens Information site notes that legally they are public holidays. In the UK, bank holidays are specific days set by the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971, while some public holidays like Christmas and Good Friday are common law holidays that are not technically “bank holidays” but are observed as such.

Bank holidays vs public holidays in Ireland and UK

In Ireland, all ten public holidays function as bank holidays: banks are closed, most businesses shut, and employees are entitled to a paid day off. The term “bank holiday” is the common name, even though the legal framework uses “public holiday.” In the UK, the distinction is more formal: bank holidays are those designated by statute, while days like Good Friday are public holidays at common law but are treated the same in practice.

What are Federal holidays in the United States?

US federal holidays are established by Congress and apply to federal employees. The US Office of Personnel Management lists 11 federal holidays for 2024. Unlike Irish public holidays or UK bank holidays, federal holidays in the US are not automatically mandatory for private employers — though most observe the major ones. The term “bank holiday” in the US is less common and usually refers to a bank closure ordered by a state or federal authority, not a regular public holiday.

National holidays vs bank holidays in other countries

“National holiday” is a broader term that can mean a day celebrated by a country (like a national day or independence day) that may or may not include a day off. In many countries, national holidays are designated as public holidays, but not all public holidays are national holidays. For example, St. Patrick’s Day is a public holiday in Ireland and Northern Ireland but not a national holiday in the sense of a solemn patriotic observance — it’s a cultural and religious celebration.

Bottom line: The legal labels differ, but for the average worker in Ireland or the UK, the practical effect is the same: a paid day off. US readers should note that federal holidays are not universal — check your employment contract. For travellers, knowing the difference helps avoid bank and business closures.

Timeline: Bank holidays in 2024 at a glance

  • 1 Jan 2024 — New Year’s Day (Ireland, UK)
  • 5 Feb 2024 — St. Brigid’s Day (Ireland)
  • 17 Mar 2024 — St. Patrick’s Day (Ireland, Northern Ireland)
  • 1 Apr 2024 — Easter Monday (Ireland, UK)
  • 6 May 2024 — May Day / Early May bank holiday (Ireland, UK)
  • 3 Jun 2024 — June Bank Holiday (Ireland)
  • 27 May 2024 — Spring bank holiday (UK, except Scotland)
  • 5 Aug 2024 — August Bank Holiday (Ireland)
  • 26 Aug 2024 — Summer bank holiday (England, Wales, Northern Ireland)
  • 28 Oct 2024 — October Bank Holiday (Ireland)
  • 25 Dec 2024 — Christmas Day (Ireland, UK)
  • 26 Dec 2024 — St. Stephen’s Day / Boxing Day (Ireland, UK)

What this means for planning: the biggest concentration of long weekends comes in late spring and early summer. From 6 May (May Day) to 3 June (June Bank Holiday) in Ireland, and from 6 May to 27 May (Spring bank holiday) in most of the UK, there are multiple extended weekends within four weeks. The winter period is more compressed: Christmas and St. Stephen’s Day land on Wednesday and Thursday, creating a four-day window for those who can take Friday off.

Clarity: What’s confirmed and what’s unclear

The confirmed list draws on official sources: gov.ie, Citizens Information, GOV.UK, and the Scottish Government.

Confirmed facts

  • Ireland has 10 public holidays in 2024 as listed by Citizens Information.
  • The October bank holiday is the last Monday of October, which is 28 October 2024 (gov.ie).
  • UK bank holidays for 2024 are published on GOV.UK.
  • Northern Ireland has 10 bank holidays, including St. Patrick’s Day and the Battle of the Boyne.
  • Scotland has 9 bank holidays, with 2 January and St. Andrew’s Day observed.

What’s unclear

  • Whether some private employers in Ireland follow the public holiday rules exactly for all 10 days, particularly for St. Brigid’s Day, which is newer.
  • The exact status of Easter Tuesday in Northern Ireland — it was removed in 2022, but some older resources may still reference it.
  • Whether 27 October is ever a bank holiday in any jurisdiction — no evidence has been found for 27 October 2024.

“The list of public holidays in Ireland for 2024 includes New Year’s Day, St. Brigid’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter Monday, May Day, June Bank Holiday, August Bank Holiday, October Bank Holiday, Christmas Day, and St. Stephen’s Day.”

Citizens Information – Irish government information service

“The 2024 bank holiday dates for England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland are set by the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 and subsequent orders.”

GOV.UK – UK Government official bank holiday schedule

“The Irish October bank holiday falls on the last Monday of October. In 2024, that date is Monday 28 October.”

gov.ie – Irish Government public holidays page

These three sources — the Irish government, the UK government, and Citizens Information — provide the authoritative framework for every date in this guide. When planning annual leave around bank holidays in 2024, these are the pages to bookmark.

For anyone working in Ireland or the UK, the 2024 bank holiday calendar offers clear planning opportunities. The nine Monday holidays in Ireland create natural long weekends; the UK’s varying counts by nation mean you need to check your specific region. The October 28 date in Ireland is the last such opportunity of the year — and with no substitute day for St. Patrick’s Day on a Sunday, that October weekend becomes even more valuable for a final break before winter.

Related reading: Personal Tax Allowance 2024/25 – Amount, Freeze and Key Rules

Additional sources

hrlocker.com, hogansirishcottages.com, flair.hr, moneyguideireland.com, workingdaycalculator.co.uk, en.wikipedia.org

For those specifically interested in the Irish calendar, Irelands 2024 bank holidays provides a detailed breakdown of all ten official dates.

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Frequently asked questions

Is there a bank holiday on Easter Monday in Ireland?

Yes, Easter Monday (1 April 2024) is a public holiday in Ireland and also a bank holiday in the UK (except Scotland). It’s one of the ten Irish public holidays.

When is the June bank holiday in 2024?

The June Bank Holiday in Ireland is on Monday 3 June 2024. In the UK, the Spring bank holiday falls on 27 May 2024 (except Scotland).

What is the August bank holiday in Ireland?

The August Bank Holiday in Ireland is on Monday 5 August 2024. It is the first Monday of August.

Is St. Brigid’s Day a new bank holiday?

Yes, St. Brigid’s Day (5 February 2024) became a permanent public holiday in Ireland in 2023, bringing the total from nine to ten. It is observed on the first Monday of February.

Are all public holidays in Ireland also bank holidays?

In everyday usage, yes — the terms are used interchangeably. Legally, they are public holidays under the Organisation of Working Time Act. Banks close on all of them.

Does the UK have a bank holiday on St. Patrick’s Day?

Only in Northern Ireland. England, Wales, and Scotland do not observe St. Patrick’s Day as a bank holiday. In Northern Ireland, it is a bank holiday.

What happens if a bank holiday falls on a weekend in Ireland?

Under Irish law, if a public holiday falls on a weekend, there is no automatic substitute day like in the UK. In 2024, St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Sunday, and no Monday substitute is provided.

How many bank holidays does Scotland have in 2024?

Scotland has 9 bank holidays in 2024, including 2 January and St. Andrew’s Day (observed on 2 December). Scotland does not observe Easter Monday as a bank holiday.