Are Banks Open Today in Ireland? Bank Hours & Holidays 2026

If you’ve ever shown up at a bank in Ireland only to find the doors locked and no explanation in the window, you already know the frustration of navigating official public holidays, bank holidays that don’t always line up, and the unique case of Good Friday. This guide cuts through the confusion with verified dates, standard hours, and what to expect for the rest of 2026.

Public holidays in Ireland: 9 per year ·
Good Friday bank closure: Most banks closed ·
October Bank Holiday 2026: Monday, 26 October ·
AIB typical weekday hours: 10:00–16:00

Here is a quick summary of key facts about Irish bank holidays.

Are banks open today in Ireland?

Standard bank hours in Ireland

Most Irish banks operate Monday to Friday, roughly 10 AM to 4 PM. Some branches in Dublin and other cities extend to 5 PM on certain days. The Irish Times notes that standard hours apply except on public holidays and Good Friday. If you need to know “are banks open today”, the first check is whether today is a public holiday – if it is, they’re closed.

Checking branch hours online

Both Bank of Ireland and AIB publish branch-specific hours on their websites. For Bank of Ireland, the Bank of Ireland UK Bank Holidays page lists target closing days, including Good Friday.

What times do banks open and close?

• Monday–Thursday: 10:00–16:00 (most branches)
• Friday: 10:00–16:00 (some close at 17:00 in city centres)
• Saturday/Sunday: closed (except limited self-service)
• Public holidays: closed all day

The Workplace Relations Commission confirms that only public holidays trigger automatic closure; Good Friday is not one, but banks close voluntarily.

The implication: planning visits around the holiday calendar is essential, even on days that aren’t official public holidays.

Are banks closed in Ireland on Good Friday?

Good Friday status in Ireland

“Good Friday is not a public holiday and is a normal working day.”

Workplace Relations Commission, via The Irish Times

Despite this legal status, the vast majority of banks, including AIB and Bank of Ireland, close on Good Friday. Bank of Ireland UK formally lists Good Friday as a target closing day. Thesaurus.ie explains that Good Friday is a bank holiday but not a public holiday, meaning no automatic day off for employees.

Do banks close on Good Friday?

Yes – practically all financial institutions close. According to Ireland.com, while shops and supermarkets may stay open in larger towns, banks nearly always shut. The digital self-service lobbies of AIB and Bank of Ireland remain accessible, but counter services are unavailable.

What this means: if you need branch services on Good Friday, plan for full closure – self-service is your only option.

What are all the bank holidays in Ireland?

List of public holidays in Ireland

Ireland observes 9 public holidays each year. The Workplace Relations Commission lists them:

• New Year’s Day (1 January)
• St Patrick’s Day (17 March)
• Easter Monday (movable)
• May Bank Holiday (first Monday in May)
• June Bank Holiday (first Monday in June)
• August Bank Holiday (first Monday in August)
• October Bank Holiday (last Monday in October)
• Christmas Day (25 December)
• St Stephen’s Day (26 December)

Wikipedia notes that Good Friday is not included in this list, confirming its status as a non-public holiday. Banks close on all nine public holidays.

Bank holiday dates for 2025 and 2026

The table below lists exact dates for 2025 and 2026.

The pattern is consistent: the October holiday always lands on the last Monday, which in 2026 falls on the 26th, not the 31st as some might assume.

This means you can reliably plan around these fixed dates years in advance.

Is Monday, 31st October a bank holiday in Ireland?

October bank holiday date in 2026

No – 31 October 2026 is a Saturday, not a Monday. The October bank holiday is the last Monday of October, which in 2026 is 26 October. Wikipedia confirms the rule: “October Bank Holiday – last Monday of October.” So 31 October is not a bank holiday; banks are open as usual on that Saturday? Actually banks are closed on Saturdays anyway, so it’s moot.

Why 31st October is not a bank holiday in 2026

31 October 2026 falls on a Saturday. Since the bank holiday is defined as a Monday, it cannot be a Saturday. The confusion often arises because people remember “October bank holiday is around Halloween” – but it’s always the last Monday, not the date. The Ireland.com public holiday page reinforces the last-Monday rule.

The catch: the weekend before Halloween will be a three-day break only if you take the 26th off – otherwise, it’s a normal week.

Are banks open today 29th December?

Bank hours on December 29th

29 December sits in the limbo between Christmas and New Year. Personio notes that many businesses operate reduced hours or close entirely during this period. For banks specifically, the pattern is mixed: AIB typically closes from 25 December to 1 January except for self-service lobbies, according to common practice (check Bank of Ireland UK for similar). If 29 December falls on a weekday, some branches may open with reduced hours; if on a weekend, they’re closed.

Holiday season operating hours

The Irish Times articles focus on Good Friday, but the principle extends: during Christmas, banks close on public holidays (25, 26 December, 1 January) and often stay shut between them. The Workplace Relations Commission reminds that 26 December is a public holiday (St Stephen’s Day), so that day is definitely closed.

The implication: treat the entire Christmas–New Year period as high-risk for branch closures, and rely on online banking or ATMs.

Timeline: Key dates for Irish bank holidays

• Good Friday 2025: 18 April – banks closed
• October Bank Holiday 2025: 27 October – last Monday
• Good Friday 2026: 3 April – banks closed
• October Bank Holiday 2026: 26 October – last Monday

These dates are verified against Wikipedia and Bank of Ireland UK. The pattern repeats annually: Good Friday is the outlier – not a public holiday but banks still close.

This consistency means you can confidently mark your calendar years ahead.

Confirmed facts & what’s still unclear

Given the gaps, always confirm with your local branch before heading out.

What the official sources say

“Good Friday is not a public holiday and is a normal working day.”

Workplace Relations Commission (Ireland’s statutory body for employment law), cited in The Irish Times

“Good Friday is a target closing day for Bank of Ireland branches in the Republic of Ireland.”

Bank of Ireland UK – Bank Holidays page

For anyone in Ireland trying to answer “are banks open today”, the key is simple: check if it’s one of the 9 public holidays or Good Friday. If yes, the branch doors will be locked – regardless of legal technicalities. For Irish consumers, the implication is clear: plan cash needs around these dates or rely on self-service lobbies. For visitors, the safest move is to assume banks follow the same closure pattern as public holidays plus Good Friday. The only exception? Some city-centre branches may offer limited Christmas-week hours, but don’t count on it without checking their website first.

Frequently asked questions