Ireland School Holidays & Term Dates
Summer Holidays is on now — 27 Jun 2026 (Sat) – 30 Aug 2026 (Sun) (65 days). Official Department of Education standardised break dates for recognised primary and post-primary schools.
See 2026 school holiday dates29
days left of this school holiday
2026 calendar
Ireland’s Department of Education standardises mid-term, Christmas and Easter breaks nationwide. Summer holidays and the exact start of the school year are set by each school. February mid-term dates below use the post-primary full week; primary schools close Thursday–Friday and may extend with discretionary days.
| Period | Dates | Days |
|---|---|---|
Post-Christmas TermTerm Schools reopened Mon 5 Jan 2026 after the Christmas break. | 5 Jan 2026 (Mon) – 15 Feb 2026 (Sun) | 42 |
February Mid-term BreakBreak Post-primary: Mon 16–Fri 20 Feb. Primary: closed Thu 19–Fri 20 Feb; may use 3 discretionary days for Mon 16–Fri 20. | 16 Feb 2026 (Mon) – 20 Feb 2026 (Fri) | 5 |
Pre-Easter TermTerm Final school day before Easter is Fri 27 Mar 2026 (unless contingency shortens the break). | 21 Feb 2026 (Sat) – 27 Mar 2026 (Fri) | 35 |
Easter BreakBreak Schools reopen Mon 13 Apr 2026. | 28 Mar 2026 (Sat) – 12 Apr 2026 (Sun) | 16 |
Summer TermTerm Representative primary-style end (last week of June). Post-primary schools usually finish before the June bank holiday (Mon 1 Jun 2026). | 13 Apr 2026 (Mon) – 26 Jun 2026 (Fri) | 75 |
Summer HolidaysBreak Not standardised. Schools set summer start/end; typically closed for July and most or all of August. Representative primary-style window; post-primary summer is often longer. | 27 Jun 2026 (Sat) – 30 Aug 2026 (Sun) | 65 |
Autumn TermTerm Representative start in the week of 1 Sep 2026. Exact opening dates are school-set. | 31 Aug 2026 (Mon) – 25 Oct 2026 (Sun) | 56 |
October Mid-term BreakBreak | 26 Oct 2026 (Mon) – 30 Oct 2026 (Fri) | 5 |
Pre-Christmas TermTerm Final school day before Christmas is Tue 22 Dec 2026. | 31 Oct 2026 (Sat) – 22 Dec 2026 (Tue) | 53 |
Christmas BreakBreak Schools reopen Wed 6 Jan 2027. | 23 Dec 2026 (Wed) – 5 Jan 2027 (Tue) | 14 |
At a glance
- School days
- 261
- Holiday days
- 105
- Terms
- 5
- Longest break
- 65d
- Shortest break
- 5d
- Avg break
- 21d
Summer Holidays
February Mid-term Break
Year timeline
- Post-Christmas Term· 42d
- February Mid-term Break· 5d
- Pre-Easter Term· 35d
- Easter Break· 16d
- Summer Term· 75d
- Summer Holidays· 65d
- Autumn Term· 56d
- October Mid-term Break· 5d
- Pre-Christmas Term· 53d
- Christmas Break· 14d
Browse years
FAQ
When are the next Ireland school holidays?
Recognised Irish schools close for October mid-term, Christmas, February mid-term, Easter, and a longer summer break. The Ireland hub countdown shows the next upcoming break; year pages list every standardised break with exact dates.
Are TermBreaks dates the official Ireland school holidays?
Yes for the standardised breaks. Mid-term, Christmas and Easter dates come from the Department of Education and Youth (including Circular 0018/2026). Summer start/end and the first day of the school year are not standardised — confirm those with your school.
Do primary and post-primary schools have the same holidays?
Christmas, Easter and October mid-term are the same. February mid-term differs: post-primary schools close for a full week; primary schools close Thursday and Friday and may use discretionary days to take the full week.
How many Ireland school holiday blocks are there each year?
Five main blocks: October mid-term, Christmas, February mid-term, Easter, and summer. Schools may also close on discretionary or religious observance days outside those windows.
Why aren’t Ireland summer holidays standardised?
The Department standardises Christmas, Easter and mid-term breaks so families with children in different schools align. Start and end of the school year (including summer length) stay with each school, subject to minimum open-day requirements.
Where can I verify Ireland school holiday dates?
Check the Department of Education school holiday dates page on gov.ie and Circular 0018/2026 for 2026/27 onwards. TermBreaks links sources and last-verified dates on every calendar page and on the methodology page.
When is the February mid-term break in Ireland 2026?
Post-primary schools close Monday, 16 February 2026 to Friday, 20 February 2026. Primary schools close Thursday 19 and Friday 20 February, and may use discretionary days to match the full week.
When is the Easter break in Ireland 2026?
Schools’ final day is Friday, 27 March 2026; they reopen Monday, 13 April 2026. On TermBreaks the holiday window is Saturday, 28 March to Sunday, 12 April 2026.
When is the October mid-term break in Ireland 2026?
All schools close Monday, 26 October 2026 to Friday, 30 October 2026 inclusive.
When is the Christmas break in Ireland 2026?
Schools’ final day is Tuesday, 22 December 2026; they reopen Wednesday, 6 January 2027. On TermBreaks the holiday window is Wednesday, 23 December 2026 to Tuesday, 5 January 2027.
When are the Summer Holidays in Ireland 2026?
Summer dates are school-set. TermBreaks shows a representative primary-style window from Saturday, 27 June 2026 to Sunday, 30 August 2026. Post-primary schools often finish before the June bank holiday; confirm with your school.