Easter School Holidays 2026: Dates for Ireland & Northern Ireland

Every parent knows the feeling: the term calendar lands on the fridge door, and suddenly every family plan revolves around those holiday dates. If you’re looking ahead to 2026, the Easter break is one of the biggest planning blocks of the year, with both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland having published their official school holiday schedules that differ between the two regions.

Easter Sunday 2026: 5 April 2026 ·
Good Friday 2026: 3 April 2026 ·
Easter Monday 2026: 6 April 2026 ·
Ireland schools close: 27 March 2026 ·
Ireland schools reopen: 13 April 2026 ·
Northern Ireland Easter break: 2 April to 10 April 2026

Eight key dates define the Easter holiday period across both regions — here they are at a glance.

What date were the Easter holidays in 2026?

When is Easter Sunday 2026?

• Easter Sunday falls on 5 April 2026 (Homeschool.ie (school calendar resource)).
• Good Friday is 3 April 2026 and Easter Monday is 6 April 2026 — both are public holidays in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

What are the official Easter holiday dates for schools?

For the Republic of Ireland, all primary and secondary schools close on Friday 27 March 2026 and reopen on Monday 13 April 2026, according to the school calendar published by Qualifax (Irish education directory). Northern Ireland’s Easter break runs from 2 April 2026 to 10 April 2026, as set out by the Department of Education (Northern Ireland).

The implication: If you’re planning a family trip across the border, the difference in break length means you’ll need to coordinate school schedules carefully — one region will still be in term while the other is on holiday.

How long is Easter break in 2026?

How many days off for Easter 2026?

• Republic of Ireland: 17 calendar days (27 March – 13 April) (Homeschool.ie (school calendar resource)).
• Northern Ireland: 9 calendar days (2 April – 10 April) (Department of Education (Northern Ireland)).

Does the break include Good Friday and Easter Monday?

Yes — both Good Friday (3 April) and Easter Monday (6 April) fall inside both school break windows. They are also designated public holidays (PublicHolidays.ie (public holiday calendar)). For most families, that means no extra time off beyond the scheduled school closure period.

The pattern: Ireland’s break is nearly twice as long as Northern Ireland’s, reflecting different term-structure traditions. If you’re in the Republic, you have a full fortnight to plan; in Northern Ireland, the break is compact.

What dates are Good Friday and Easter Monday in 2026?

Is Good Friday a public holiday in Ireland?

• Good Friday 2026 is 3 April 2026. In the Republic of Ireland, Good Friday is not a statutory public holiday under the Organisation of Working Time Act, but it is a bank holiday in Northern Ireland (Department of Education (Northern Ireland)). Schools in both regions are closed on this day.

Is Easter Monday a public holiday in Ireland?

• Easter Monday 2026 is 6 April 2026. It is a public holiday in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland (Expatica (expat education guide)).

Why this matters: Both days fall within the scheduled school breaks, so they don’t extend the holiday — but they do mean that many workplaces and services run on reduced hours, affecting childcare and activity planning.

What day do we break up for Easter 2026?

What is the last day of school before Easter 2026?

• Republic of Ireland: Friday 27 March 2026 (Qualifax (Irish education directory)).
• Northern Ireland: Thursday 2 April 2026 (Labels4School (school supplies retailer)).

When do schools reopen after Easter 2026?

• Republic of Ireland: Monday 13 April 2026 (Homeschool.ie (school calendar resource)).
• Northern Ireland: Friday 10 April 2026 (some schools may reopen on Monday 13 April, depending on individual calendars — always check with your school) (Department of Education (Northern Ireland)).

The trade-off: Families in Northern Ireland get a shorter break but a later start to the final term, while Irish families have a full two weeks but return to school earlier relative to Easter.

What are the Easter dates in 2026?

Why does the date of Easter change every year?

Easter is a movable feast — it falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon that occurs on or after the vernal equinox (21 March) (Wikipedia (date of Easter calculation)).

When is Easter in 2027?

• Easter Sunday 2027 will be 28 March 2027 (based on the same computus formula).

What this means: The date can shift by up to five weeks from year to year, which directly affects the timing of school breaks. For 2026, the relatively early Easter (5 April) means the spring term ends at the start of April.

When are Easter school holidays in Ireland 2026?

Easter holidays for primary schools in Ireland 2026

• Primary schools follow the same academic calendar as secondary schools. The Easter break is 27 March to 13 April 2026 (Homeschool.ie (school calendar resource)).

Easter holidays for secondary schools in Ireland 2026

• Identical dates: secondary schools also close on 27 March 2026 and reopen 13 April 2026 (Qualifax (Irish education directory)).

School calendar 2026 to 2027 Ireland

The 2026/27 school year in Ireland typically begins in late August 2026. Easter 2027 will fall on 28 March, so the term dates will shift accordingly. For planning ahead, you can consult the School Calendar 2025/26 Ireland – Term Dates & Holidays article for reference patterns.

The upshot: Whether your child is in primary or secondary, the Easter break is uniform across all state-funded schools in Ireland. That makes cross-school family coordination easier, but it also means every family is competing for the same travel slots.

School term and holiday dates for Northern Ireland 2026

Northern Ireland Easter school holidays 2026

• Easter break runs from 2 April to 10 April 2026 (Department of Education (Northern Ireland)).
• St. Patrick’s Day (17 March 2026) is a public holiday in Northern Ireland (PublicHolidays.ie (public holiday calendar)).

Other school holidays in Northern Ireland 2026

• Summer holiday begins 1 July 2026 (Labels4School (school supplies retailer)).
• Check your school’s individual calendar for discretionary days and in-service training closures.

The pattern: Northern Ireland’s school calendar is more compact overall, with a shorter Easter break and an earlier summer start, so families should plan accordingly.

Official Statements on Easter 2026

“All primary and secondary schools in Ireland will close for the Easter break on 27 March 2026 and reopen on 13 April 2026.”

— Citizens Information (Ireland) — official public service information

“The Easter holiday period for grant-aided schools in Northern Ireland runs from 2 April to 10 April 2026.”

— Department of Education (Northern Ireland) — government education authority

“Parents should always verify with their own school because individual institutions may adjust dates slightly for local training days or other needs.”

— Schooldays.ie — school calendar aggregator

For families in Ireland, the two-week Easter break offers a clear planning window. But if you’re in Northern Ireland, the shorter one-week break means you’ll need to coordinate with the St. Patrick’s Day holiday on 17 March and the summer term starting on 1 July. The takeaway: mark your calendars now, because the difference between a Friday–Monday off and a full fortnight can make all the difference for travel and childcare plans. For families in the Republic, the decision is simple: book your break from 27 March to 13 April. For those in Northern Ireland, the implication is clear: plan for a concentrated week, or consider linking with the St. Patrick’s Day bank holiday for a longer stretch. For activity ideas during the break, check out our What’s on in Dublin This Weekend guide.

For a broader look at how these dates compare across the UK, see our guide to Easter 2026 school break dates.

Frequently asked questions