Northern Ireland Bank Holidays 2026 and 2027
Every Northern Ireland bank holiday for 2026 and 2027, including St Patrick's Day and the Twelfth, how NI differs from the rest of the UK and the Republic of Ireland, and what it means for your leave.
Northern Ireland has 10 bank holidays in 2026 and 10 in 2027, more than anywhere else in the UK. It has the same 8 as England and Wales plus two of its own: St Patrick's Day on 17 March and the Battle of the Boyne on 12 July, which moved to Monday 13 July in 2026. The next bank holiday is Christmas Day, Friday 25 December 2026.
Northern Ireland bank holidays 2026
Northern Ireland has 10 bank holidays in 2026. The Twelfth fell on a Sunday this year, so the bank holiday was Monday 13 July. Dates already passed are greyed out.
| Date | Bank holiday | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 1 January | New Year's Day | Whole UK |
| Tuesday 17 March | St Patrick's Day | Northern Ireland only |
| Friday 3 April | Good Friday | Whole UK |
| Monday 6 April | Easter Monday | Whole UK |
| Monday 4 May | Early May bank holiday | Whole UK |
| Monday 25 May | Spring bank holiday | Whole UK |
| Monday 13 July | Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen's Day) (substitute day) | Northern Ireland only |
| Monday 31 August | Summer bank holiday | Whole UK |
| Friday 25 December | Christmas Day | Whole UK |
| Monday 28 December | Boxing Day (substitute day) | Whole UK |
Northern Ireland bank holidays 2027
2027 also has 10. St Patrick's Day is on a Wednesday, Easter is early with Good Friday on 26 March, and the Twelfth falls on a Monday, giving a long weekend. At Christmas, both Christmas Day and Boxing Day fall on a weekend, so the bank holidays are Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December.
| Date | Bank holiday | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Friday 1 January | New Year's Day | Whole UK |
| Wednesday 17 March | St Patrick's Day | Northern Ireland only |
| Friday 26 March | Good Friday | Whole UK |
| Monday 29 March | Easter Monday | Whole UK |
| Monday 3 May | Early May bank holiday | Whole UK |
| Monday 31 May | Spring bank holiday | Whole UK |
| Monday 12 July | Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen's Day) | Northern Ireland only |
| Monday 30 August | Summer bank holiday | Whole UK |
| Monday 27 December | Christmas Day (substitute day) | Whole UK |
| Tuesday 28 December | Boxing Day (substitute day) | Whole UK |
How Northern Ireland bank holidays differ
Northern Ireland follows the England and Wales pattern, including Easter Monday and the August bank holiday on the last Monday of the month, then adds two days of its own:
| Holiday | Northern Ireland | England and Wales | Scotland |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Patrick's Day, 17 March | Bank holiday | No | No |
| Battle of the Boyne, 12 July | Bank holiday | No | No |
| Easter Monday | Bank holiday | Bank holiday | No |
| Summer bank holiday | Last Monday in August | Last Monday in August | First Monday in August |
| Total a year | 10 | 8 | 9 |
Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland
If you live on one side of the border and work on the other, the holidays do not match. The Republic of Ireland shares New Year's Day, St Patrick's Day, Easter Monday, Christmas Day and the day after, but it also has public holidays in February, June and October that Northern Ireland does not. Good Friday is not a public holiday in the Republic, and the Twelfth is only a holiday in Northern Ireland. Your employer's location and contract decide which days you get.
St Patrick's Day bank holiday
St Patrick's Day, 17 March, has been a bank holiday in Ireland since 1903 and remains one in Northern Ireland. It falls on Tuesday 17 March 2026, Wednesday 17 March 2027 and Friday 17 March 2028. When it falls on a weekend, the following Monday is the bank holiday instead, as happened in 2024, when it moved to Monday 18 March. It is not a bank holiday in England, Wales or Scotland.
The Twelfth: Battle of the Boyne bank holiday
The Battle of the Boyne bank holiday, also called Orangemen's Day or simply the Twelfth, marks the battle of 1690. It is a bank holiday on 12 July, or the following Monday if 12 July falls at a weekend:
- 2026: 12 July was a Sunday, so the bank holiday was Monday 13 July
- 2027: Monday 12 July, giving a three-day weekend
- 2028: Wednesday 12 July
The Twelfth is also the peak of the summer holiday season in Northern Ireland. Many workplaces, especially in manufacturing, close for a week or two around it, often called the July fortnight, and staff are asked to take annual leave then. If your employer does this, it should be in your contract or given with enough notice.
Easter Tuesday and privilege days
Easter Tuesday is not a bank holiday in Northern Ireland, even though you may hear it called one. Some employers give it, or another day, as an extra privilege day. For example, the Northern Ireland Civil Service gives staff 12 public and privilege holidays a year on top of their annual leave, compared with the 10 official bank holidays. Whether you get any extra days depends on your contract.
Bank holidays and work in Northern Ireland
Employment law is devolved in Northern Ireland, but holiday rights are broadly the same as in Great Britain. Almost every worker gets 5.6 weeks of paid holiday, which is 28 days for a five-day week, and employers can count bank holidays as part of it. There is no legal right to a bank holiday off, or to extra pay for working one, unless your contract says so.
- Because Northern Ireland has 10 bank holidays, a contract of "28 days including bank holidays" leaves only 18 days to book yourself, against 20 in England and Wales.
- Part-time staff should get bank holidays pro rata. The Part-Time Holiday Calculator works out a fair share, and the Holiday Entitlement Calculator shows your full allowance.
- For a Monday to Friday worker, Northern Ireland has 251 working days in 2026 and 2027, and 250 in 2028. Count any period with the Working Days Calculator.
Northern Ireland bank holidays 2028
GOV.UK has already published 2028. New Year's Day is a Saturday, so the first bank holiday is Monday 3 January, and Easter is late, with Good Friday on 14 April.
| Date | Bank holiday | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Monday 3 January | New Year's Day (substitute day) | Whole UK |
| Friday 17 March | St Patrick's Day | Northern Ireland only |
| Friday 14 April | Good Friday | Whole UK |
| Monday 17 April | Easter Monday | Whole UK |
| Monday 1 May | Early May bank holiday | Whole UK |
| Monday 29 May | Spring bank holiday | Whole UK |
| Wednesday 12 July | Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen's Day) | Northern Ireland only |
| Monday 28 August | Summer bank holiday | Whole UK |
| Monday 25 December | Christmas Day | Whole UK |
| Tuesday 26 December | Boxing Day | Whole UK |
For Christmas and New Year details, see Christmas bank holidays. For the whole UK, see UK bank holidays and the next bank holiday, and for Scotland, Scotland bank holidays.
Sources
- GOV.UK, UK bank holidays: Northern Ireland, 2026 to 2028
- nidirect, Bank holidays in Northern Ireland
- Northern Ireland Civil Service, annual leave and public and privilege holidays
- The Working Time Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016
Northern Ireland bank holidays: frequently asked questions
Quick answers about bank holidays in Northern Ireland.
How many bank holidays are there in Northern Ireland?
Northern Ireland has 10 bank holidays a year, the most in the UK. That is the 8 England and Wales bank holidays plus St Patrick's Day on 17 March and the Battle of the Boyne on 12 July. 2026, 2027 and 2028 each have 10.
When is the next bank holiday in Northern Ireland?
The next Northern Ireland bank holiday is Christmas Day, Friday 25 December 2026, followed by the Boxing Day substitute on Monday 28 December and New Year's Day on Friday 1 January 2027. The checker on this page always shows the next one.
Is St Patrick's Day a bank holiday?
Yes in Northern Ireland, but not in England, Wales or Scotland. St Patrick's Day, 17 March, is a Tuesday in 2026, a Wednesday in 2027 and a Friday in 2028. If it falls on a weekend, the following Monday is the bank holiday.
Is the Twelfth of July a bank holiday?
Yes. The Battle of the Boyne, also called Orangemen's Day or the Twelfth, is a bank holiday in Northern Ireland only. In 2026 12 July is a Sunday, so the bank holiday is Monday 13 July. In 2027 it is Monday 12 July and in 2028 Wednesday 12 July.
Is Easter Tuesday a bank holiday in Northern Ireland?
No. Easter Tuesday is not a bank holiday anywhere in the UK. Some employers in Northern Ireland give it as an extra privilege day, so check your contract. Good Friday and Easter Monday are both bank holidays in Northern Ireland.
Is Good Friday a bank holiday in Northern Ireland?
Yes. Good Friday and Easter Monday are both bank holidays in Northern Ireland. In 2027 they are Friday 26 March and Monday 29 March.
Are Northern Ireland bank holidays the same as in the Republic of Ireland?
No. Only New Year's Day, St Patrick's Day, Easter Monday, Christmas Day and the day after Christmas line up. The Republic has public holidays in February, June and October that Northern Ireland does not, and Good Friday is not a public holiday there.
Do I get paid for bank holidays in Northern Ireland?
Not automatically. There is no legal right to paid time off on a bank holiday, or to extra pay for working one. Your contract decides. Northern Ireland workers get 5.6 weeks of paid holiday, and employers can count the 10 bank holidays as part of it.