St Patrick's Day
17 March each year — Northern Ireland only
St Patrick's Day is observed on 17 March and is a bank holiday in Northern Ireland, celebrating the patron saint of Ireland. Saint Patrick, a 5th-century Romano-British Christian missionary, is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. Belfast and other towns across Northern Ireland host St Patrick's Day parades with music, dance and cultural events. The holiday is celebrated by people of Irish descent around the world — particularly in the United States, Canada and Australia — though it is only an official public holiday in Northern Ireland (not in England, Scotland or Wales). When 17 March falls on a weekend, the bank holiday moves to the following Monday.
History & Origins
St Patrick's Day celebrates Saint Patrick (c. 385–461 AD), the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland, credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland in the 5th century. Patrick's remarkable life story begins in Roman Britain — probably in what is now Wales or the west of Scotland — where he was born into a Romanised British family. At the age of 16 he was captured by Irish raiders and taken to Ireland as a slave, where he worked as a shepherd for six years before escaping. He entered the church in continental Europe and eventually returned to Ireland as a missionary bishop, spending the remainder of his life converting the Irish to Christianity.
St Patrick's Day is celebrated worldwide by the Irish diaspora — approximately 70 million people worldwide claim Irish heritage, making it one of the world's most widely celebrated national days. Famous celebrations include:
- The Chicago River is dyed bright green each year — a tradition since 1962.
- New York City's St Patrick's Day Parade (dating to 1762) is one of the world's oldest and largest parades.
- Dublin's city-centre parade and festival draws hundreds of thousands of spectators.
- Pubs worldwide pour record quantities of Guinness stout.
In Northern Ireland, 17 March is a bank holiday. In the Republic of Ireland, it is the national day and a public holiday. Elsewhere in the UK — England, Scotland, Wales — it is not a bank holiday.
Upcoming Dates
| Year | Actual Date | Observed |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Tuesday, 17 March 2026 |
Tuesday, 17 March 2026
17 March — St Patrick's Day, bank holiday in Northern Ireland only |
| 2027 | Wednesday, 17 March 2027 |
Wednesday, 17 March 2027
17 March — St Patrick's Day, bank holiday in Northern Ireland only |
| 2028 | Friday, 17 March 2028 |
Friday, 17 March 2028
17 March — St Patrick's Day, bank holiday in Northern Ireland only |
Why the Date Can Change
St Patrick's Day is fixed on 17 March. In Northern Ireland, when 17 March falls on a Sunday, the substitute bank holiday is Monday 18 March. The date cannot otherwise be moved.
Where It's a Public Holiday
St Patrick's Day is a bank holiday in Northern Ireland only within the United Kingdom, on 17 March. It is also the national holiday of the Republic of Ireland. It is not a bank holiday in England, Scotland or Wales. When 17 March falls on a Sunday, the substitute bank holiday in Northern Ireland is Monday 18 March.
What's Open & Closed
| Banks |
Closed
Closed in Northern Ireland
|
| Government offices |
Closed
Closed in Northern Ireland
|
| Post offices |
Closed
Closed in Northern Ireland
|
| Supermarkets |
Open
Open in Northern Ireland
|
| Pubs |
Open
Open — very busy in Northern Ireland and worldwide
|
| Public transport |
Reduced service
Reduced service in Northern Ireland; special arrangements for parades in Belfast
|
Public Holiday Pay & Your Rights
Under the Employment Rights Act 1996 and Working Time Regulations 1998, workers in Northern Ireland whose contracts include bank holidays are entitled to a paid day off on St Patrick's Day. There is no statutory penalty rate for working — any enhanced pay is contractual, not a legal requirement.
In England, Scotland and Wales, 17 March is not a bank holiday and workers have no special entitlement based on bank holiday legislation.
How It's Observed
The Belfast St Patrick's Day parade is the major public event in Northern Ireland, with colourful floats, bands, and community groups marching through the city centre. St Patrick's Day festivals run across towns throughout Northern Ireland.
Wearing green and the shamrock (a three-leafed clover — the shamrock is said to have been used by St Patrick to explain the Christian concept of the Trinity) are universal St Patrick's Day customs. Pinching those who don't wear green is a playful American tradition that has spread globally.
The day is marked by céilí music (traditional Irish folk music), set dancing, and pub celebrations across Ireland and the worldwide Irish diaspora. Guinness stout — brewed in Dublin since 1759 — is inseparably associated with the day; global Guinness sales peak on 17 March.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was St Patrick?
St Patrick (c. 385–461 AD) was a Romano-British Christian missionary who became the patron saint of Ireland. He was born in Roman Britain (possibly present-day Wales or south-west Scotland), captured as a teenager in a slave raid, and taken to Ireland. After escaping and training as a priest in continental Europe, he returned to Ireland as a bishop and spent his life converting the Irish to Christianity. He is said to have used the three-leafed shamrock to explain the Christian Trinity. His feast day (17 March) is believed to be the date of his death.
Why is St Patrick's Day not a bank holiday in England?
St Patrick's Day is a bank holiday specifically in Northern Ireland, where a significant proportion of the population is of Irish heritage and the day has deep cultural significance. In England, Scotland and Wales, 17 March has no equivalent cultural or historical significance as a public holiday. Bank holidays in the UK are not uniformly applied across all four nations — Northern Ireland, Scotland, and England/Wales each have their own distinct bank holiday calendars to reflect their different histories and cultural traditions.
Is St Patrick's Day celebrated in the Republic of Ireland?
Yes — St Patrick's Day (Lá Fhéile Pádraig) is the national day of the Republic of Ireland and a public holiday. Dublin hosts a major parade and multi-day festival drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors. Cities across Ireland hold parades and events. The Irish government has actively promoted St Patrick's Day as a global cultural event — the Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) traditionally presents the US President with a bowl of shamrocks at the White House each year around 17 March.
Why is Guinness so associated with St Patrick's Day?
Guinness stout has been brewed at the St James's Gate Brewery in Dublin since Arthur Guinness signed his famous 9,000-year lease in 1759. As Ireland's most famous exported product and the drink most associated with Irish pub culture, Guinness became inseparably linked with St Patrick's Day as the celebration spread worldwide with the Irish diaspora. It is estimated that approximately 13 million pints of Guinness are consumed worldwide on 17 March — roughly three times the daily average. The association is so strong that Guinness is one of the major sponsors of St Patrick's Day events globally.
Legal Basis
When is it observed?
17 March each year — Northern Ireland only