Bank holiday guide
Is St Patrick's Day a Bank Holiday?
In Northern Ireland, yes. St Patrick's Day on 17 March is a bank holiday there and a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland. It is a normal working day in England, Scotland and Wales.
Next St Patrick's Day bank holiday
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Then Friday 17 March 2028.
The short answer
Yes in Northern Ireland. No in England, Wales and Scotland.
When is the St Patrick's Day bank holiday?
The bank holiday is 17 March. When that date is a Saturday or Sunday, the Northern Ireland bank holiday is normally observed on the following Monday.
St Patrick's Day bank holiday dates 2027 to 2036
Upcoming dates for the next ten years. Select a year for every bank holiday in it.
| Year | Bank holiday date |
|---|---|
| 2027 | |
| 2028 | |
| 2029 | Substitute day |
| 2030 | Substitute day |
| 2031 | |
| 2032 | |
| 2033 | |
| 2034 | |
| 2035 | Substitute day |
| 2036 |
Show every St Patrick's Day date from 1971 to 2050
| Year | Bank holiday date |
|---|---|
| 1971 | |
| 1972 | |
| 1973 | Substitute day |
| 1974 | Substitute day |
| 1975 | |
| 1976 | |
| 1977 | |
| 1978 | |
| 1979 | Substitute day |
| 1980 | |
| 1981 | |
| 1982 | |
| 1983 | |
| 1984 | Substitute day |
| 1985 | Substitute day |
| 1986 | |
| 1987 | |
| 1988 | |
| 1989 | |
| 1990 | Substitute day |
| 1991 | Substitute day |
| 1992 | |
| 1993 | |
| 1994 | |
| 1995 | |
| 1996 | Substitute day |
| 1997 | |
| 1998 | |
| 1999 | |
| 2000 | |
| 2001 | Substitute day |
| 2002 | Substitute day |
| 2003 | |
| 2004 | |
| 2005 | |
| 2006 | |
| 2007 | Substitute day |
| 2008 | |
| 2009 | |
| 2010 | |
| 2011 | |
| 2012 | Substitute day |
| 2013 | Substitute day |
| 2014 | |
| 2015 | |
| 2016 | |
| 2017 | |
| 2018 | Substitute day |
| 2019 | Substitute day |
| 2020 | |
| 2021 | |
| 2022 | |
| 2023 | |
| 2024 | Substitute day |
| 2025 | |
| 2026 | |
| 2027 | |
| 2028 | |
| 2029 | Substitute day |
| 2030 | Substitute day |
| 2031 | |
| 2032 | |
| 2033 | |
| 2034 | |
| 2035 | Substitute day |
| 2036 | |
| 2037 | |
| 2038 | |
| 2039 | |
| 2040 | Substitute day |
| 2041 | Substitute day |
| 2042 | |
| 2043 | |
| 2044 | |
| 2045 | |
| 2046 | Substitute day |
| 2047 | Substitute day |
| 2048 | |
| 2049 | |
| 2050 |
Dates follow the official GOV.UK bank holiday list where published. Later years are calculated from the statutory rules and can change if a holiday is added or moved by royal proclamation.
St Patrick's Day in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland
St Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. The day became a bank holiday across the island under the Bank Holiday (Ireland) Act 1903 and stayed on the Northern Ireland calendar after partition.
It is also a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland, where the rules differ. There is no substitute Monday: if 17 March falls on a weekend, employees are instead entitled to a paid day off within a month, an extra day of annual leave or an extra day's pay.
Is St Patrick's Day a bank holiday in England, Scotland or Wales?
No. England, Wales and Scotland work as normal on 17 March. Cities with large Irish communities hold parades and festivals on the nearest weekend instead.
What is open on St Patrick's Day in Northern Ireland?
- Banks and government offices are closed.
- Schools are closed.
- Shops, cafés and pubs in towns and cities mostly stay open, though parade routes can affect access.
- Buses and trains run a holiday timetable.
St Patrick's Day: questions
Is St Patrick's Day a bank holiday?
In Northern Ireland, yes; in the rest of the UK, no. The next one is observed on Wednesday 17 March 2027.
Is St Patrick's Day a bank holiday in Northern Ireland?
Yes. In 2027 it is on Wednesday 17 March 2027.
Is St Patrick's Day a bank holiday in Ireland?
Yes. 17 March is a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland as well as a bank holiday in Northern Ireland.
Is St Patrick's Day a bank holiday in England?
No. It is a normal working day in England and Wales.
Is St Patrick's Day a bank holiday in Scotland?
No. Scotland's own patron saint's day, St Andrew's Day on 30 November, is a bank holiday instead.
What happens if 17 March is a Saturday or Sunday?
In Northern Ireland the bank holiday is normally moved to the following Monday. The Republic of Ireland does not move it, but gives employees a compensating benefit.
Are schools closed on St Patrick's Day in Northern Ireland?
Yes. Schools in Northern Ireland close for the St Patrick's Day bank holiday.
Do I get St Patrick's Day off work?
Only if your contract says so. A bank holiday gives no automatic right to time off or extra pay, and employers can count it as part of your 5.6 weeks of statutory annual leave.