Last reviewed: August 26, 2026 · Holiday data: June 23, 2026
Northern Ireland observes 10 bank holidays in 2028: 10 fall on a weekday and 0 land on a weekend, leaving 250 working days across the year. The working week is Monday to Friday with a Saturday and Sunday weekend, the same as England and Wales; what changes is the bank holiday set.
How Northern Ireland differs from England & Wales
Northern Ireland observes every England and Wales bank holiday and layers two more on top: St Patrick's Day on 17 March and the Battle of the Boyne, also called Orangemen's Day, on 12 July. When either falls on a weekend, the bank holiday shifts to the following Monday. Nothing from the England and Wales set is dropped, so Northern Ireland has the longest bank holiday calendar of the four UK nations.
Added in Northern Ireland (2028)
St Patrick's Day (Friday, March 17)
Battle of the Boyne (Wednesday, July 12)
Not observed in Northern Ireland (2028)
Northern Ireland observes every England and Wales bank holiday and drops none.
Northern Ireland bank holiday calendar 2028
Date
Day
Bank holiday
Notes
January 3
Monday
New Year's Day (observed)
New Year's Day (observed) on Monday January 3 produces a three-day weekend with the immediately preceding Saturday and Sunday.
March 17
Friday
St Patrick's Day
St Patrick's Day on Friday March 17 produces a three-day weekend with the immediately following Saturday and Sunday.
April 14
Friday
Good Friday
Good Friday on Friday April 14 produces a three-day weekend with the immediately following Saturday and Sunday.
April 17
Monday
Easter Monday
Easter Monday on Monday April 17 produces a three-day weekend with the immediately preceding Saturday and Sunday.
May 1
Monday
Early May Bank Holiday
Early May Bank Holiday on Monday May 1 produces a three-day weekend with the immediately preceding Saturday and Sunday.
May 29
Monday
Spring Bank Holiday
Spring Bank Holiday on Monday May 29 produces a three-day weekend with the immediately preceding Saturday and Sunday.
July 12
Wednesday
Battle of the Boyne
Battle of the Boyne on Wednesday July 12 breaks the working week without an obvious adjacent-weekend bridge opportunity.
August 28
Monday
Summer Bank Holiday
Summer Bank Holiday on Monday August 28 produces a three-day weekend with the immediately preceding Saturday and Sunday.
December 25
Monday
Christmas Day
Christmas Day on Monday December 25 produces a three-day weekend with the immediately preceding Saturday and Sunday.
December 26
Tuesday
Boxing Day
Boxing Day on Tuesday December 26 is a bridge-day candidate; the Monday is sometimes granted as discretionary leave to produce a four-day weekend.
2028 summary
Total days
366
Weekend days
106
Bank holidays on weekdays
10
Working days
250
After subtracting 106 weekend days and 10 weekday-falling bank holidays, Northern Ireland has 250 working days in 2028. Contracts that cite "business days" in Northern Ireland usually mean the days banks are open, which is exactly this count.
How many bank holidays does Northern Ireland have in 2028?
Northern Ireland observes 10 bank holidays in 2028, of which 10 fall on a weekday. The complete list is in the table above.
How does Northern Ireland differ from England & Wales?
Northern Ireland observes every England and Wales bank holiday and layers two more on top: St Patrick's Day on 17 March and the Battle of the Boyne, also called Orangemen's Day, on 12 July. When either falls on a weekend, the bank holiday shifts to the following Monday. Nothing from the England and Wales set is dropped, so Northern Ireland has the longest bank holiday calendar of the four UK nations.
When are St Patrick's Day and the Battle of the Boyne in 2028?
In 2028, Northern Ireland's own bank holidays are: St Patrick's Day, Battle of the Boyne. When 17 March or 12 July falls on a weekend, the bank holiday shifts to the following Monday.
How many working days does Northern Ireland have in 2028?
Northern Ireland has 250 working days in 2028, after subtracting 106 weekend days and 10 weekday-falling bank holidays.