Bank Holidays Ireland 2020: Do THIS + Boost Days Off by 90%

So, there are plenty of Bank Holidays in Ireland in 2020. Well – there’s the same as last year… and, eh, every other year…

The BIG difference this year is when they fall.

Ireland’s public holidays fall nicely this year which means that if you’re crafty and well prepared, you can almost DOUBLE your time off.

When it comes to annual leave Ireland is pretty bad. According to this study, we work more and get less time off than many other EU countries.

This means that we need to be well prepared when it comes to taking time off, to ensure that we wiggle out as many days off in a row as possible.

In the guide below, you’ll find out how to leverage the official Bank Holidays in Ireland in 2020 to get the most time off with your annual leave.

Photo by Arthur Ward via Tourism Ireland

Table of Contents

Here are the official bank holidays in Ireland in 2020

New Year’s Day – Wednesday, January 1st
St. Patricks Day – Tuesday, March 17th
Easter Monday – Monday, April 13th
May Bank Holiday – Monday, May 4th
June Bank Holiday – Monday, June 1st
August Bank Holiday – Monday, August 3rd
October Bank Holiday – Monday, October 26th
Christmas Day – Friday, December 25th
St. Stephen’s Day – Saturday, December 26th

Photo by Luke myers

Public Holidays in Ireland in 2020: How to double your time off

So, if you plan ahead you can end up with several very fine chunks of time off in 2020. Why would you bother?

Well, you could plan a holiday somewhere exotic where you’ll need a bit more time to enjoy yourself, you could go visiting friends or family in Aus, or you could flake out around the gaff in your jocks for two weeks.

The opportunities are endless. Here’s how you can get crafty!

Photo © The Irish Road Trip

Easter Bank Holiday in Ireland (BIG opportunity)

One of the biggest opportunities for making the most of your annual leave and the bank holidays in Ireland in 2020 falls around Easter.

Here’s the low-down

The opportunity: Easter Monday (falls on April 13th)
When to book off: April 14th – 17th (Tues – Friday)
What you get: 9 days off in a row by using 4 days of annual leave
Potential bonus: if your employer closes on Good Friday, that’ll add an extra day off to the tally

Christmas

You can get a whopping 16 days off at Christmas by using just 7 days from your annual leave. That’s pretty damn good.

Here’s the low-down

The opportunity: Christmas Day falls on a Friday
When to book off: 23rd, 24th, 27th, 30th, 31st, Jan 2nd and 3rd
What you get: 16 days off in a row for 7 days of annual leave
Potential bonus: if your employer is sound and closes on Christmas Eve, that’ll reduce the amount of leave you’re taking

The June and August Bank Holidays 2020

We’re not done yet. You can get two fat breaks during June and August by taking off 4 days in each month around the bank holidays.

In a nutshell: If you take off the 4 days that follow the June and August Bank Holiday, you’ll have two 9-day chunks from just 4 days of annual leave.

Here’s the low-down

The opportunity: The days that follow both Bank Holidays
When to book off in June: June 2nd to 5th
When to book off in August: August 4th to 7th
What you get: 9 days off in a row for 4 days of annual leave

Staycation Inspiration: Things to do with your annual leave and bank holidays in Ireland

Photo by Martin Fleming via Failte Ireland

So, the chances are (if there’s money’s there) that you’ll be tempted to head abroad with some of your time off in 2020.

That’s completely understandable.

BUT, if you fancy exploring a bit of Ireland (even if it’s just over the Bank Holidays) and you’re in need of a bit of inspo, we’ve prepped some ready-made itineraries for you to use.

If you’re looking for road trip itineraries, you’ll find 48-hour, 5-day, 7-day, and one month guide to Ireland here.

If you just fancy a weekend away somewhere unique (or fancy), have a little nosey in our guide to where to stay in Ireland.

You’ll find everything from guides to glamping and unique Airbnbs, to castle hotels and more.

Keith O'Hara

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