Schools in the Republic of Ireland are due to finish term on Friday 19 March 2027 and reopen on Monday 5 April. Friday 19 March is a school day, rather than the first full day of the holiday.

The dates come from the Department of Education and Youth’s Circular 0018/2026, reproduced by the INTO. They cover primary and post-primary schools; Northern Ireland has a separate school calendar.

Which dates should go in the diary?

Under the standard arrangement, the first weekend away from school is Saturday 20 March and Sunday 21 March. The two full weeks without classes run from Monday 22 March to Friday 2 April, followed by the final weekend on 3–4 April. Classes resume on Monday 5 April.

For family planning, record both the final day of term and the reopening date. A listing that says the break begins on 19 March may be referring to the end of that day’s classes, not a whole day without school.

Can a primary school shorten the break?

Yes. The circular allows primary schools needing to make up time lost through unforeseen closures to remain open up to Wednesday 24 March. That is a contingency arrangement, not an automatic change to every primary school’s dates.

Check your school’s published calendar and any later messages before committing to childcare or travel. The circular requires schools to publish their calendar and contingency plan on their website. It does not establish a universal early finishing time on the final day of term.

A practical booking check

Match the calendar to each child’s school, rather than assuming siblings’ arrangements are identical. Check the collection time for Friday 19 March separately, especially if an after-school service normally handles the journey home.

For a camp or childcare booking, ask the provider for its own opening days, collection arrangements and cancellation terms. A school holiday does not establish that another service will be open. Keep the school’s dated notice alongside the booking so that any later calendar change is easy to compare.

These dates were checked on 24 October 2026. This is a planning guide, not an announcement that schools are closing today.