Taking three days’ leave from March 18th gives someone a six-day stretch. By the August bank holiday, which this year falls on the 3rd, you might want to consider another trip away. At this stage of the year, a person following this guide will have taken 23 days’ leave and had a total of 49 days off in five distinct blocks. If we assume the reader has 25 days’ annual leave – more than some but less than some others – they still have two days to play with. This year Christmas Day falls on a Friday, so obviously St Stephen’s Day – also a public holiday – falls on a Saturday.

Source: The Irish Times January 06, 2026 13:30 UTC