1 dayThu, Jan 1
New Year's Day — a lone day off, bridge it:
1
Stretch it: take 1 day of leave (Jan 2) for 4 days off (Jan 1 – 4).
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Long Weekends in Ireland 2026
Ireland has 7 long weekends (3 or more consecutive days off) in 2026, counting public holidays and Sat–Sun weekends; the longest natural break runs 3 days (Jan 31 – Feb 2). Placed well, 1 day of leave stretches a break to 4 consecutive days off — every option is below.
- Long weekends
- 7
- Longest break
- 3 days
- Best bridge
- +1 → 4 days
- Weekend
- Sat–Sun
Subscribe to or print Ireland holidays →
Every break in 2026
Public holidayWeekendLeave day
3 daysSat, Jan 31 – Mon, Feb 2
3112
Stretch it: take 4 days of leave (Feb 3–6) for 9 days off (Jan 31 – Feb 8).
1 dayTue, Mar 17
St. Patrick’s Day — a lone day off, bridge it:
17
Stretch it: take 1 day of leave (Mar 16) for 4 days off (Mar 14 – 17).
3 daysSat, Apr 4 – Mon, Apr 6
456
Stretch it: take 4 days of leave (Apr 7–10) for 9 days off (Apr 4 – 12).
3 daysSat, May 2 – Mon, May 4
234
Stretch it: take 4 days of leave (May 5–8) for 9 days off (May 2 – 10).
3 daysSat, May 30 – Mon, Jun 1
30311
Stretch it: take 4 days of leave (Jun 2–5) for 9 days off (May 30 – Jun 7).
3 daysSat, Aug 1 – Mon, Aug 3
123
Stretch it: take 4 days of leave (Aug 4–7) for 9 days off (Aug 1 – 9).
3 daysSat, Oct 24 – Mon, Oct 26
242526
Stretch it: take 4 days of leave (Oct 27–30) for 9 days off (Oct 24 – Nov 1).
3 daysFri, Dec 25 – Sun, Dec 27
Christmas Day · St. Stephen's Day
252627
Stretch it: take 4 days of leave (Dec 28–31) for 10 days off (Dec 25 – Jan 3).
All bridge plans, ranked by date
Each plan books leave only on working days between two natural breaks, so every one of them returns more than one day off per day of leave.
| Days off | Leave | Span |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | 3d · Dec 29–31 | Dec 25 – Jan 1 |
| 11 | 4d · Dec 29–31 + Jan 2 | Dec 25 – Jan 4 |
| 4Best value | 1d · Jan 2 | Jan 1 – 4 |
| 9 | 4d · Feb 3–6 | Jan 31 – Feb 8 |
| 4 | 1d · Mar 16 | Mar 14 – 17 |
| 9 | 4d · Mar 16 + Mar 18–20 | Mar 14 – 22 |
| 6 | 3d · Mar 18–20 | Mar 17 – 22 |
| 9 | 4d · Apr 7–10 | Apr 4 – 12 |
| 9 | 4d · May 5–8 | May 2 – 10 |
| 9 | 4d · Jun 2–5 | May 30 – Jun 7 |
| 9 | 4d · Aug 4–7 | Aug 1 – 9 |
| 9 | 4d · Oct 27–30 | Oct 24 – Nov 1 |
| 9 | 4d · Dec 21–24 | Dec 19 – 27 |
| 10 | 4d · Dec 28–31 | Dec 25 – Jan 3 |
Computed from Ireland's public holidays plus Sat–Sun weekends. Substitute days count as days off; observances don't. Bridges spend at most 4 leave days, booked only on working days.