Europe · 2026 Calendar

Best days to take annual leave in Ireland in 2026

Use public holidays and weekends to stretch your 2026 annual leave further. Below are the highest-value date combinations and the exact workdays to request.

Coverage & rules note: Irish public holidays. Weekend entitlement can be handled differently by employers. Always confirm statutory leave entitlement, bank closures and replacement days with official/local sources and your employer.

Customize Ireland 2026 in the interactive planner →

Top 2026 leave combinations for Ireland

Each recommendation below is a standalone break option assuming a Monday–Friday workweek (Saturday–Sunday rest days). Open the interactive planner above to build a combined non-overlapping annual schedule, switch workweek patterns, or export a .ics calendar file.

1 leave day → 4 consecutive days off

1 Jan 2026 – 4 Jan 2026

4.00×multiplier

Book 1 leave day 1 workday public holiday 2 weekend days (Sat–Sun)

Request leave on: 2 Jan 2026. Return to work: 5 Jan 2026.

Holidays used: New Year's Day (1 Jan 2026).

1 leave day → 4 consecutive days off

14 Mar 2026 – 17 Mar 2026

4.00×multiplier

Book 1 leave day 1 workday public holiday 2 weekend days (Sat–Sun)

Request leave on: 16 Mar 2026. Return to work: 18 Mar 2026.

Holidays used: St Patrick's Day (17 Mar 2026).

1 leave day → 4 consecutive days off

31 Dec 2026 – 3 Jan 2027

4.00×multiplier

Book 1 leave day 1 workday public holiday 2 weekend days (Sat–Sun) Leave year: 1 in 2026

Request leave on: 31 Dec 2026. Return to work: 4 Jan 2027.

Holidays used: New Year's Day (1 Jan 2027).

1 leave day → 4 consecutive days off

30 Jan 2026 – 2 Feb 2026

4.00×multiplier

Book 1 leave day 1 workday public holiday 2 weekend days (Sat–Sun)

Request leave on: 30 Jan 2026. Return to work: 3 Feb 2026.

Holidays used: St Brigid's Day (2 Feb 2026).

1 leave day → 4 consecutive days off

3 Apr 2026 – 6 Apr 2026

4.00×multiplier

Book 1 leave day 1 workday public holiday 2 weekend days (Sat–Sun)

Request leave on: 3 Apr 2026. Return to work: 7 Apr 2026.

Holidays used: Easter Monday (6 Apr 2026).

1 leave day → 4 consecutive days off

1 May 2026 – 4 May 2026

4.00×multiplier

Book 1 leave day 1 workday public holiday 2 weekend days (Sat–Sun)

Request leave on: 1 May 2026. Return to work: 5 May 2026.

Holidays used: May Day (4 May 2026).

2026 public holidays in Ireland

These 10 public-holiday dates feed the 2026 optimization above.

Ireland · 2026 public holidays
Date	Day	Holiday	Saves a Mon–Fri workday?
1 Jan 2026	Thursday	New Year's Day	Yes — weekday (if off work)
2 Feb 2026	Monday	St Brigid's Day	Yes — weekday (if off work)
17 Mar 2026	Tuesday	St Patrick's Day	Yes — weekday (if off work)
6 Apr 2026	Monday	Easter Monday	Yes — weekday (if off work)
4 May 2026	Monday	May Day	Yes — weekday (if off work)
1 Jun 2026	Monday	June bank holiday	Yes — weekday (if off work)
3 Aug 2026	Monday	August bank holiday	Yes — weekday (if off work)
26 Oct 2026	Monday	October bank holiday	Yes — weekday (if off work)
25 Dec 2026	Friday	Christmas Day	Yes — weekday (if off work)
26 Dec 2026	Saturday	St Stephen's Day	No — falls on weekend

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