Anyone planning their 2026 calendar around bank holidays might notice two different February dates vying for attention. In Ireland, St. Brigid’s Day lands on Monday, 2 February, while in Canada, Family Day is set for Monday, 16 February – and the overlap often causes confusion.
Public holidays in Ireland in 2026: 9 ·
St. Brigid’s Day (February) date: Monday 2 February 2026 ·
February 2026 bank holiday date (Canada statutory): Monday 16 February 2026 ·
Next Irish bank holiday after February: 17 March 2026 (St. Patrick’s Day)
Quick snapshot
- St. Brigid’s Day is Monday 2 February 2026 (Purple Tree Ireland Public Holidays)
- Family Day in Canada is Monday 16 February 2026 (Government of Canada Statutory Holidays)
- Ireland has 9 public holidays in 2026 (Irish Central)
- Whether Northern Ireland bank holidays differ slightly from the Republic (check local legislation) (GOV.UK Bank Holidays)
- If any Canadian province moves Family Day to a different date in 2026 (Government of Canada Statutory Holidays)
- Whether an extra one-off bank holiday will be announced for Ireland in 2026 (none confirmed as of early 2025) (Purple Tree Ireland Public Holidays)
- 2 February 2026 – St. Brigid’s Day (Ireland public holiday)
- 16 February 2026 – Family Day (Canada) / Presidents’ Day (US)
- 17 March 2026 – St. Patrick’s Day (Ireland public holiday)
- After February, the next Irish public holiday is St. Patrick’s Day on 17 March 2026 (Irish Central)
- In Canada, the next statutory holiday after Family Day is Good Friday (3 April 2026) (Government of Canada Statutory Holidays)
Ireland’s 2026 public holiday calendar contains 9 official dates, one of which – St. Brigid’s Day – is the only February public holiday in the Republic. Canada’s Family Day, meanwhile, falls on a separate Monday later that month.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Irish public holidays 2026 | 9 |
| St. Brigid’s Day 2026 date | 2 February 2026 |
| Canadian Family Day 2026 | 16 February 2026 |
| Next Irish bank holiday after Feb | 17 March 2026 (St. Patrick’s Day) |
The implication: anyone scheduling cross-border work or travel in February 2026 must track both dates to avoid a missed day off.
What day is St. Brigid’s bank holiday in 2026?
Date of St. Brigid’s Day 2026
- St. Brigid’s Day is observed on Monday, 2 February 2026 (Danske Bank Ireland Holiday List)
- It replaces the earlier February public holiday and is fixed to the first Monday of February (Purple Tree Ireland Public Holidays)
Since 1 February 2026 falls on a Sunday, the public holiday shifts to the following Monday, 2 February. This is consistent with the practice for other Monday-based public holidays in Ireland.
Is St. Brigid’s Day a public holiday in Ireland?
- Yes, St. Brigid’s Day is a full public holiday in the Republic of Ireland (Ireland.com Practical Information)
- Schools, banks, and most businesses are closed (Irish Central)
The implication: anyone planning travel or work schedules in Ireland must treat 2 February 2026 as a full day off. This is not a half-day or optional holiday – it carries the same weight as St. Patrick’s Day.
How many bank holidays are in 2026 in Ireland?
Full list of 9 public holidays in Ireland 2026
- New Year’s Day – Thursday 1 January 2026 (Purple Tree Ireland Public Holidays)
- St. Brigid’s Day – Monday 2 February 2026
- St. Patrick’s Day – Tuesday 17 March 2026 (Irish Central)
- Easter Monday – Monday 6 April 2026 (Irish Central)
- May Bank Holiday – Monday 4 May 2026 (Irish Central)
- June Bank Holiday – Monday 1 June 2026 (Irish Central)
- August Bank Holiday – Monday 3 August 2026 (Irish Central)
- October Bank Holiday – Monday 26 October 2026 (Irish Central)
- Christmas Day – Friday 25 December 2026 (Ireland.com)
- St. Stephen’s Day – Saturday 26 December 2026 (observed Monday 28 December) (Irish Central)
The pattern: all but three of the 9 public holidays fall on Mondays, making them convenient for long weekends. Only New Year’s Day (Thursday), St. Patrick’s Day (Tuesday), and Christmas Day (Friday) break the Monday rule.
What this means: Ireland gets 9 public holidays in 2026, with St. Brigid’s Day on 2 February as the sole February break. For 2026, no extra one-off bank holiday has been announced by the Irish government (Danske Bank Ireland Holiday List).
Is there an extra bank holiday in 2026?
- No, as of early 2025, no additional public holiday beyond the standard 9 has been confirmed for Ireland (Purple Tree Ireland Public Holidays)
- Some online discussions speculated about a possible “Bank Holiday for 2026” due to the timing of St. Brigid’s Day, but official sources do not list an extra day (GOV.UK Bank Holidays)
The trade-off: Ireland already gets a February holiday thanks to St. Brigid’s Day, so the pressure for an extra bank holiday is lower than in the UK, where February has no public holiday (see section below).
Is February 16, 2026 a holiday?
February 16, 2026 as a stat holiday in Canada
- Yes, 16 February 2026 is Family Day in most Canadian provinces (British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Saskatchewan, etc.) – a statutory holiday (Government of Canada Statutory Holidays)
- In Quebec, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories, Family Day is not observed; other statutory holidays apply (Government of Canada Statutory Holidays)
What this means: if you’re in Ontario or Alberta, Monday 16 February is a day off. If you’re in Quebec, it’s a normal working Monday.
February 16, 2026 in Ireland and other countries
- In Ireland, 16 February is not a public holiday – the February bank holiday is St. Brigid’s Day on 2 February (Ireland.com Practical Information)
- In the United States, 16 February 2026 is Presidents’ Day – a federal holiday (U.S. Office of Personnel Management)
- In the UK, there is no February bank holiday; Scotland observes a bank holiday on 2 January, but February has none (GOV.UK Bank Holidays)
The catch: confusion between the Irish and Canadian February dates can lead to missed days off. Always check the country-specific calendar before booking travel or planning work.
What are the dates of bank holidays in 2026 (Ireland)?
January to December 2026 bank holiday calendar
- January: New Year’s Day – Thursday 1 January 2026 (Purple Tree Ireland Public Holidays)
- February: St. Brigid’s Day – Monday 2 February 2026
- March: St. Patrick’s Day – Tuesday 17 March 2026
- April: Easter Monday – Monday 6 April 2026
- May: May Bank Holiday – Monday 4 May 2026
- June: June Bank Holiday – Monday 1 June 2026
- August: August Bank Holiday – Monday 3 August 2026
- October: October Bank Holiday – Monday 26 October 2026
- December: Christmas Day – Friday 25 December 2026
- December: St. Stephen’s Day – Saturday 26 December 2026 (observed Monday 28 December)
The pattern: ten dates spread across the year, with a long gap between August and October. For 2027, the dates shift slightly; the full list is available from Purple Tree Ireland Public Holidays.
Bank holidays in Ireland 2027
- New Year’s Day – Friday 1 January 2027 (Irish Central)
- St. Brigid’s Day – Monday 1 February 2027
- St. Patrick’s Day – Wednesday 17 March 2027
- Easter Monday – Monday 29 March 2027
- May Bank Holiday – Monday 3 May 2027
- June Bank Holiday – Monday 7 June 2027
- August Bank Holiday – Monday 2 August 2027
- October Bank Holiday – Monday 25 October 2027
- Christmas Day – Saturday 25 December 2027 (observed Monday 27 December)
- St. Stephen’s Day – Sunday 26 December 2027 (observed Tuesday 28 December)
The pattern holds: 9 public holidays again in 2027, with the February holiday once more on the first Monday. No extra bank holiday has been announced for 2027 either.
What holidays are in February 2026?
February 2026 holidays in Ireland
- Only one: St. Brigid’s Day on Monday 2 February (Ireland.com Practical Information)
- No other public holidays in February in the Republic of Ireland
The implication: if you’re in Ireland, plan your February break around the first Monday. The rest of the month is business as usual.
February 2026 global holidays (Canada, US, UK)
- Canada: Family Day – Monday 16 February (most provinces) (Government of Canada Statutory Holidays)
- United States: Presidents’ Day – Monday 16 February (U.S. Office of Personnel Management)
- United Kingdom: No February bank holiday (GOV.UK Bank Holidays)
The trade-off: February is a quiet month for public holidays in the UK, with the next bank holiday being Good Friday in April. In contrast, Ireland and Canada both get a February break – just on different dates.
Timeline signal
- – New Year’s Day (Ireland, UK, Canada)
- – St. Brigid’s Day (Ireland public holiday)
- – Family Day (Canada) / Presidents’ Day (US)
- – St. Patrick’s Day (Ireland public holiday)
- – Easter Monday (Ireland public holiday)
- – May Bank Holiday (Ireland)
- – June Bank Holiday (Ireland)
- – August Bank Holiday (Ireland)
- – October Bank Holiday (Ireland)
- – Christmas Day (Ireland, UK, Canada, US)
- – St. Stephen’s Day (Ireland)
Confirmed facts
- St. Brigid’s Day is Monday 2 February 2026 (confirmed by Danske Bank Ireland and Purple Tree)
- Canada Family Day 2026 is Monday 16 February 2026 (statutory in most provinces) (Government of Canada)
- Ireland has 9 public holidays in 2026 (no announced extra) (Irish Central)
- St. Patrick’s Day 2026 is Tuesday 17 March (Irish Central)
What’s unclear
- Whether any Canadian province will move Family Day to a different date in 2026 (check local legislation)
- If Northern Ireland bank holidays differ slightly from the Republic; confirm using GOV.UK
- Whether an extra one-off bank holiday will be announced later in 2025 for 2026 – none confirmed as of early 2025 (Purple Tree)
St. Brigid’s Day 2026 is Monday, 2 February – a full public holiday in the Republic of Ireland.
– Purple Tree Ireland Public Holidays (source)
Family Day in Canada falls on the third Monday of February, which in 2026 is 16 February.
– Government of Canada Statutory Holidays (source)
Ireland’s 2026 public holiday list includes 9 dates, with St. Brigid’s Day as the newest addition.
– Irish Central (source)
Good Friday is not a public holiday in Ireland, though it is listed as a bank holiday by Danske Bank.
– Danske Bank Ireland Holiday List (source)
For anyone in Ireland, the February bank holiday is set: Monday 2 February is St. Brigid’s Day – a full day off. Canadians in most provinces get Monday 16 February. The risk of mixing up the two dates is real, especially for cross-border trips or remote work schedules. The implication for travellers and employers: check your local jurisdiction, mark the correct Monday in your calendar, and don’t assume both countries share the same February break. For Ireland, the next public holiday after February is St. Patrick’s Day on 17 March – a Tuesday, so plan accordingly.
Related reading: February Bank Holiday 2026 – St. Brigid’s Day Dates · Ireland Public Holidays 2026 – Full List
For a complete overview of all public holidays in the Republic, see Irelands 2026 bank holiday dates.
Frequently asked questions
Is February 16, 2026 a bank holiday in Ireland?
No. The February public holiday in Ireland is St. Brigid’s Day on 2 February 2026. February 16 is a normal working day in Ireland.
Why is St. Brigid’s Day on a Monday in 2026?
St. Brigid’s Day is observed on the first Monday of February. Since 1 February 2026 falls on a Sunday, the holiday moves to Monday 2 February (Purple Tree).
What is the difference between a bank holiday and a public holiday in Ireland?
In Ireland, “public holiday” and “bank holiday” are often used interchangeably, but banks may also close on Good Friday, which is not an official public holiday (Danske Bank).
Are schools closed on St. Brigid’s Day 2026?
Yes, as a full public holiday, schools across the Republic of Ireland are closed on 2 February 2026 (Ireland.com).
Does Canada have a February bank holiday in 2026?
Yes, Monday 16 February 2026 is Family Day in most Canadian provinces – a statutory holiday (Government of Canada).
What holiday is on February 17, 2026?
February 17, 2026 is a Tuesday with no major public holiday in Ireland, Canada, the US, or the UK. The February holidays are on Monday 2 (Ireland) and Monday 16 (Canada/US).
Will there be an extra bank holiday in 2026 for the UK or Ireland?
As of early 2025, no extra bank holiday has been announced for either the UK or Ireland in 2026 (GOV.UK, Purple Tree).