October Mid-Term Break 2026: Irish school holiday dates

Primary and secondary schools in Ireland close for the October mid-term (Halloween) break from Monday 26 October 2026 to Friday 30 October 2026 inclusive, and reopen on Monday 2 November 2026.

Coverage: These dates apply to recognised primary and post-primary schools in the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland publishes a separate school calendar.

Last day of school Friday 23 October 2026
Secondary schools closed Mon 26 Oct – Fri 30 Oct 2026
Primary schools closed Mon 26 Oct – Fri 30 Oct 2026
Schools reopen Monday 2 November 2026

Add these dates to your calendar

Add October Mid-Term Break 2026 to calendar Full 2026/2027 school-year calendar

Downloads an .ics file you can import into Google Calendar, Apple Calendar or Outlook.

Frequently asked questions

When do schools reopen after the october mid-term break 2026?

Schools reopen on Monday 2 November 2026. The last day of school before the break is Friday 23 October 2026.

Do primary and secondary schools have the same october mid-term break dates?

Yes. For the october mid-term break, both primary and secondary schools are closed for the same period (Mon 26 Oct – Fri 30 Oct 2026) and reopen on Monday 2 November 2026.

Do all schools in Ireland follow these dates?

These are the standardised dates set by the Department of Education in Circular 0018/2026, and all recognised primary and post-primary schools follow them for the main breaks. Individual schools still set a small number of their own discretionary closure days (for staff training, etc.), so always confirm with your child's school. You can find your school and its contact details in our directory.

Are Gaelscoileanna and DEIS schools different?

Gaelscoileanna, DEIS schools and Gaeltacht schools all follow the same standardised school-year breaks. Only the handful of discretionary days each school controls can differ, so check the individual school for those.

More on the 2026/2027 school year

Free and cheap days out during the break

Free museums, national parks and gardens, when a Heritage Card pays off (under-12s already go free), and which attractions are cheaper booked online.

Planning a birthday during the break?

Holiday weeks book out first. Compare venues by price per child, minimum group size and age range.

Verified against DoE Circular 0018/2026 on 26 July 2026. Source of truth: gov.ie standardised school year circular.