Could more bank holidays grace the Irish calendar next year? 64% of people are in favour

Just one more bank holiday… or two?

It’s not long since this current Bank Holiday Monday graced the month of February in honour of St. Brigid, but now it seems we want more.

St. Brigid's long weekend is only in its second year and it seems there is a sense of unpreparedness among the public, as shown in this research.

There is also a huge desire for more as 64% of Irish adults say they believe there should be additional bank holidays throughout the year. 

Exactly half (50%) strategically plan holidays and annual leave around existing Bank Holidays to maximize their time off. 

Exploring the potential for more bank holidays, the late Sinead O’Connor leads the list of potential unsung Irish heroes deserving of a bank holiday, closely followed by Explorer Tom Crean and Countess Constance Markievicz.

How many do we have now?

There are 10 public holidays in Ireland each year, which increased from 9 in 2022.

They're as follows:

• New Year's Day (1 January)
• First Monday in February, or 1 February if the date falls on a Friday
• Saint Patrick's Day (17 March)
• Easter Monday
• First Monday in May
• First Monday in June
• First Monday in August
• Last Monday in October
• Christmas Day (25 December)
• Saint Stephen's Day (26 December)

So, what do you think? Do we need more bank holidays?

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