Northern Ireland has more bank holidays than any other UK nation in 2026 — ten in total. It shares the standard England-and-Wales calendar of eight, then adds two dates rooted in its own history: St Patrick’s Day and the Battle of the Boyne.
The full 2026 list
| Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Thursday | New Year’s Day |
| 17 March | Tuesday | St Patrick’s Day |
| 3 April | Friday | Good Friday |
| 6 April | Monday | Easter Monday |
| 4 May | Monday | Early May Bank Holiday |
| 25 May | Monday | Spring Bank Holiday |
| 13 July | Monday | Battle of the Boyne (substitute) |
| 31 August | Monday | Summer Bank Holiday |
| 25 December | Friday | Christmas Day |
| 28 December | Monday | Boxing Day (substitute) |
The two NI-specific holidays
St Patrick’s Day, 17 March. This is one of the clearest differences between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK: 17 March is a statutory bank holiday in NI, but not in England, Wales or Scotland. In 2026 it falls on a Tuesday, so no substitute day is needed.
The Battle of the Boyne, 12 July (observed 13 July). Commonly called “the Twelfth,” this commemorates the 1690 battle and is marked by Orange Order parades across Northern Ireland, particularly in Belfast and Derry/Londonderry. The actual date, 12 July, falls on a Sunday in 2026, so the bank holiday shifts to Monday 13 July under the standard substitute-day rule.
How NI compares to the rest of the UK
Northern Ireland is the only nation that observes both Easter Monday (like England and Wales, unlike Scotland) and its own local holidays (like Scotland does with St Andrew’s Day, unlike England and Wales). That combination is what pushes it to 10 days versus 8 in England/Wales and 9 in Scotland.
Planning around 13 July
If you’re travelling in or around Belfast or Derry/Londonderry on the Twelfth, expect road closures along parade routes and busier-than-usual town centres — it’s one of the largest annual public gatherings in Northern Ireland. For the full comparison across all four nations, see 2026 bank holidays UK.