Last verified: June 2026 — sourced from gov.uk/bank-holidays
Northern Ireland has 10 bank holidays in 2026 — two more than England and Wales. St Patrick’s Day (17 March) and the Battle of the Boyne (12 July) are unique to Northern Ireland and are not observed anywhere else in the UK. All other UK bank holidays apply in Northern Ireland as normal.
Northern Ireland bank holidays 2026 — full list
| Date | Day | Bank holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2026 | Thursday | New Year’s Day |
| 17 March 2026 NI only | Tuesday | St Patrick’s Day |
| 3 April 2026 | Friday | Good Friday |
| 6 April 2026 | Monday | Easter Monday |
| 4 May 2026 | Monday | Early May bank holiday |
| 25 May 2026 | Monday | Spring bank holiday |
| 13 July 2026 NI only | Monday | Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen’s Day) |
| 31 August 2026 | Monday | Summer bank holiday ⬅ upcoming |
| 25 December 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day ⬅ upcoming |
| 28 December 2026 | Monday | Boxing Day (substitute) ⬅ upcoming |
St Patrick’s Day in Northern Ireland
St Patrick’s Day on 17 March is a public holiday in Northern Ireland only. It commemorates Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, and is widely celebrated with parades, music and cultural events across Northern Ireland. It is not a bank holiday in England, Wales or Scotland, though it is informally observed in many Irish communities across Great Britain.
Battle of the Boyne — Orangemen’s Day
The Battle of the Boyne bank holiday on 12 July (or the nearest Monday when it falls on a weekend) commemorates the 1690 Battle of the Boyne, in which King William III defeated King James II. It is the most significant date in the Ulster Protestant calendar and is marked by Orange Order parades across Northern Ireland. It is unique to Northern Ireland and is not observed anywhere else in the United Kingdom.
See also
For the full UK picture see our UK bank holidays 2026 page, or our Scottish bank holidays 2026 page for Scotland-specific dates. Use our next bank holiday countdown to see how long until your next day off.