October Bank Holiday in Ireland Date in the current year: October 27, 2025

The first bank holidays in Ireland, which was then part of the United Kingdom, were established by the United Kingdom Bank Holidays Act 1871. However, the October Holiday was not included in the original list and was established more than a century later by the 1977 amendment to the Holidays (Employees) Act 1973. The holiday was created to provide a break between the long stretch from August to Christmas and to align with similar European autumn holidays.

Historically, the date of the October Holiday coincided with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. Samhain was a liminal time when the boundary between the living and the dead was believed to blur, explaining the origin of many modern Halloween customs. Since Halloween (October 31) falls around the October Bank Holiday weekend, the holiday has become strongly associated with Halloween celebrations.

In modern Ireland, traditions and activities surrounding the October Bank Holiday focus heavily on Halloween festivities. Towns and cities host parades, fireworks, bonfires, costume events, and themed markets. Children go trick-or-treating, and adults often attend parties or local festivals. Many people also take the opportunity to travel, either domestically or abroad, as schools typically close for a midterm break during the same week.

Some of the largest events held around the October Holiday include the Derry Halloween Festival, which is widely regarded as the largest Halloween festival in Europe, and the Dragon of Shandon parade in Cork. The Dublin Marathon used to be held on the last Monday in October, but it was moved to the last Sunday of the month in 2016 to attract more international participants.

Since the October Holiday is a public holiday, public sector offices, banks, and many businesses, especially those in rural areas, are closed for the day. As mentioned above, schools are usually on their midterm break. However, shops, pubs, restaurants, and entertainment venues in urban areas generally remain open because the long weekend encourages spending and leisure activities. They may open later and/or close earlier than usual.

Public transportation usually operates on a Sunday schedule, which means reduced services, though this may vary by location. There may be local traffic disruptions due to road closures for various public events, especially in Dublin.