October Holiday
🇮🇪 Ireland
- Public Holiday
- Countrywide
- Fixed date
Overview
The October Holiday, also known as the October Bank Holiday, is a public holiday in Ireland held on the last Monday of October. In Irish it is called Lá Saoire i Mà Dheireadh Fómhair, and it was introduced in 1977.
What It Is
The October Holiday always falls on a Monday, the last one in October, so its date moves between 25 and 31 October from year to year. That gives workers in Ireland a long weekend. It usually, though not always, comes the day after Ireland switches from Irish Standard Time (UTC+1) back to Irish Winter Time (UTC+0), meaning the extra hour of sleep often lands right before a day off.
Why It Matters
The holiday is a relatively modern addition to Ireland's calendar, introduced in 1977 as an additional bank holiday for the autumn. Its purpose is practical rather than commemorative: it is a scheduled break in the stretch of the year after the August holiday weekend. Unlike many public holidays, it is not tied to a saint, a historical event, or a religious feast, so its significance lies mainly in giving the country a shared pause as the days shorten.
Holiday in Context
Ireland's October Holiday is the only public holiday between the August bank holiday and Christmas, so it breaks up a long stretch of the working year. Its Irish alternative name, Lá Saoire OÃche Shamhna, points to its closeness to Halloween, which falls a few days later on 31 October.
Countries Celebrating
1 country
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