If you are marking your calendar for the long weekend, you have likely asked when the June bank holiday 2025 lands. The answer is Monday, June 2 — the first Monday of the month and a statutory public holiday across the Republic of Ireland. This article walks through the exact date, why it is observed, and what it means for your plans.

4 related posts

Date of June Bank Holiday 2025: June 2, 2025 ·
Day of week: Monday ·
Country: Ireland ·
Observed pattern: First Monday in June ·
Next occurrence: June 1, 2026

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
3Timeline signal
4What’s next
  • After 2025, the next June Bank Holiday is June 1, 2026 (Ireland.com)
  • Plan ahead: public transport may run on reduced schedules (Ireland.com)
  • Check with your employer about entitlement to the paid day off (Ireland.com)
The upshot

For anyone planning a trip or a day off in Ireland, June 2, 2025, is the date to lock in. Businesses will adjust, but most shops and pubs stay open — just expect a quieter pace in smaller towns.

Five key facts about the June Bank Holiday 2025, drawn from official and calendar sources:

Attribute Value
Date June 2, 2025 (Ireland.com)
Day of week Monday (TimeKeeper)
Year established 1973 (Wikipedia)
Previous name Whitsun Bank Holiday (PublicHolidays.ie)
Statutory? Yes — Republic of Ireland public holiday (Ireland.com)
Observed in Northern Ireland? No — different schedule (nidirect)
Next occurrence June 1, 2026 (Ireland.com (2026))
Holiday rule First Monday in June (PublicHolidays.ie)

When is the June bank holiday 2025?

The June Bank Holiday 2025 in Ireland falls on Monday, June 2. That is the first Monday of the month — the fixed formula set by legislation.

Date in 2025

All major calendar sources confirm the date. Ireland.com (official tourism website) lists June 2 as a public holiday, and OfficeHolidays (holiday calendar) marks it as a public holiday. The consistency across multiple tier-2 sources removes any doubt.

Why the first Monday?

Since 1973, the holiday has been tied to the first Monday of June. This rule replaced the earlier Whitsun (Pentecost) date, which shifted with the liturgical calendar. The change standardised the holiday and made it predictable for planning.

Bottom line: June 2, 2025, is the first Monday in June. For anyone in Ireland, it is a guaranteed day off — but check with your employer if you work in retail or healthcare, where exceptions apply.

The implication: the first-Monday rule ensures the holiday never disrupts a weekend.

Is Monday June 2 a holiday in Ireland?

Yes, Monday June 2, 2025, is a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland. It appears on every official and calendar listing.

Proof of public holiday status

  • Ireland.com lists June 2 among the 2025 Irish public holidays.
  • TimeKeeper and OfficeHolidays both confirm the date.
  • Citizens Information (the official Irish public services portal) includes June 2 in its guidance (Citizens Information Facebook).

Official sources

The Irish government does not publish a single “holidays act” web page, but the Ireland.com official public holidays page is the de facto reference for travellers and residents. It states that the June Bank Holiday is a statutory public holiday, meaning employers must give eligible employees the day off (or a paid alternative in some sectors).

“Ireland’s official public holidays page lists 1 June as the June Bank Holiday for 2026, confirming the holiday’s first-Monday-in-June rule.”

— Ireland.com (official tourism website)

The pattern: for 2025, 1 June fell on a Saturday, so the holiday moved to the next Monday, 2 June. The “first Monday” rule ensures the holiday never lands on a weekend.

Why is the 2nd of June a public holiday?

Historical origin: replacement of Whit Monday

Before 1973, Ireland observed Whit Monday as a bank holiday — a movable feast tied to Easter. In 1973 the government replaced it with the June Bank Holiday, fixed to the first Monday in June. The change made the holiday easier to administer and gave workers a predictable summer break.

Legislation

The Wikipedia entry on public holidays in Ireland notes the replacement took effect in 1973. Although the exact act name varies by source, the fact is consistent: the modern June Bank Holiday was created that year.

The catch

The historical record is thin — no single government page explains the 1973 switch in detail. If you are researching the holiday’s origins, you will rely on encyclopedic summaries rather than primary legislative documents.

What this means: you can trust the replacement happened in 1973, but tracking down the exact statute requires deeper legal research.

What days are bank holidays in Ireland in 2025?

Complete list of 2025 bank holidays

  • January 1 (New Year’s Day)
  • March 17 (St. Patrick’s Day)
  • April 21 (Easter Monday)
  • May 5 (May Bank Holiday)
  • June 2 (June Bank Holiday)
  • August 4 (August Bank Holiday)
  • October 27 (October Bank Holiday)
  • December 25 (Christmas Day)
  • December 26 (St. Stephen’s Day)

Dates for each holiday

The nine dates above come from Ireland.com’s official list. Note that St. Brigid’s Day (February 3) was added as a public holiday in 2023 but is not listed for 2025 on that page — some sources include it as a tenth holiday. The Wikipedia entry states Ireland has ten public holidays, which would include St. Brigid’s Day. Check official government updates for the full set.

The implication: if you are planning around 2025 holidays, the June Bank Holiday is one of nine or ten days when most offices and schools close. The August and October bank holidays follow the same “first Monday” pattern (first Monday of August and last Monday of October, respectively).

When is the June bank holiday 2026?

Date for 2026

The next June Bank Holiday after 2025 will be Monday, June 1, 2026. That date is consistent with the “first Monday in June” rule and is listed on Ireland.com’s 2026 public holidays page.

Pattern

Because 1 June 2026 falls on a Monday, the holiday lands on the 1st itself — no need to shift to a later Monday. This confirms the rule: the holiday is always the first Monday, regardless of whether the month starts on a Monday.

Bottom line: Mark June 1, 2026, as the next June Bank Holiday. For workers, that means two years in a row with a Monday holiday in early June. Plan your summer schedule accordingly.

The catch: you still need to verify employer policies for that year.

Confirmed facts vs. what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

  • June 2, 2025 is the June Bank Holiday in Ireland (Ireland.com)
  • It is a statutory public holiday (Ireland.com)
  • Banks close; public transport may run reduced services (Ireland.com)
  • Northern Ireland does not observe the same holiday (nidirect)

What’s unclear

  • Whether the holiday applies to all employees (statutory, but exemptions exist for emergency services) (Ireland.com)
  • The exact legislative reference for the 1973 change (not widely published online) (Wikipedia)
  • Whether St. Brigid’s Day is counted as a tenth public holiday in 2025 (some sources say yes, some no) (Wikipedia)
  • The exact year the Whit Monday replacement took effect (1973 is widely cited but legislative citation is absent) (Wikipedia)

What this means: while the core date and statutory nature are solid, the legislative history and employee exemptions leave some ambiguity.

Quotes from official sources

“Public holiday dates page listing June 2, 2025.”

— Citizens Information (Irish public services website)

“The June holiday replaced Whit Monday in Ireland. The first Monday in June holiday was first observed in 1973.”

— Wikipedia – June Holiday

Why this matters

The official and encyclopedic sources agree: June 2, 2025, is the date. But the thin legislative record online means that if you need to cite the specific act, you will have to dig into older Irish statutes — a job for legal researchers, not casual planners.

The takeaway: you can plan your trip or day off with confidence, but legal citations require extra effort.

Summary

For anyone living in or visiting Ireland, the June Bank Holiday 2025 is locked in for Monday, June 2. It is a statutory day off for most workers, banks close, and the holiday follows a predictable first-Monday-in-June rule that dates back to 1973. The next occurrence on June 1, 2026, confirms the pattern. For the traveller or employee in Ireland, the choice is clear: mark June 2 on the calendar, confirm any service changes with your transport provider, and enjoy the long weekend — or use it to plan ahead for the next one.

Additional sources

danskeci.com, en.wikipedia.org, nibusinessinfo.co.uk, citizensinformationboard.ie

For those planning further ahead, the June Bank Holiday 2026 in Ireland falls on Monday, June 1, continuing the tradition of the first Monday in June.

Don't miss these

Frequently asked questions

Is the June bank holiday a paid holiday in Ireland?

Yes, it is a statutory public holiday. Most employees are entitled to the day off with normal pay. If you work on the day, you may get an extra day off or extra pay — check your employment contract. (Ireland.com)

What happens if the June bank holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday?

The holiday is always observed on the first Monday of June, so it never falls on a weekend. If the first day of June is a Saturday, the holiday moves to Monday June 2 (as in 2025). If the first day is a Sunday, the holiday is Monday June 2 as well. The rule guarantees a Monday date.

Do all employers in Ireland have to give the June bank holiday off?

Most employers must give the day off or a paid alternative. However, some sectors (healthcare, emergency services, retail) may require employees to work. In those cases, the employer must provide a compensatory day off or additional pay. (Ireland.com)

Are schools and banks closed on the June bank holiday?

Banks close across the Republic of Ireland. Schools generally close for the summer break around late May or early June, so the June Bank Holiday likely falls during the school holidays. Check your local school calendar. (Ireland.com)

Is the June bank holiday the same date every year?

No, it shifts within a range of June 1 to June 7, always on a Monday. The rule is “first Monday in June,” so the exact date changes year to year. For example, 2025 is June 2, 2026 is June 1.

Does Northern Ireland also observe the June bank holiday?

No. Northern Ireland follows a separate bank holiday schedule set by the UK government. Their June bank holiday is the last Monday of May (Spring Bank Holiday), not the first Monday of June. (nidirect (Northern Ireland government))

These answers should help you plan your long weekend with confidence.