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Share | 2010/2011 Scheduled School Holidays | | Dates to Note - Further details on these events available on our Schools Event Guide |
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| September | Schools throughout the country re-open during the last week in August and the first week in September (Visit our Back-to-School Section) | | Junior Certificate Results Issue Mid September
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| October | October Mid-Term All Schools close from Monday 25th October to Friday 29th October inclusive with Halloween falling on Sunday 31st October | | Children’s Book Festival - October (series of author readings, illustrator workshops, storytelling sessions, competitions, quizzes taking place in libraries, schools, bookstores and art-centres) RDS Science Live Demonstration Lecture Series commences th October |
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November | Schools re-open Monday 1st November after the mid-term break | | Science Week - 8th – 15th November (series of events & lectures for students on the role of science & engineering in everyday lives) |
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| December | Christmas Holidays Schools close Thursday 23rd December for the Christmas holidays | | |
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| January | All schools re-open Monday 10th January | | BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition, RDS -12th – 15th January |
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| February | February Mid-Term Secondary Schools closed 21st – 25th Feb incl Primary schools close either on 21st – 22nd Feb or 24th -25th Feb with the option to use 3 discretionary days to extend the break to 5 days – check what your school is doing. | | Closing Date for CAO – 1st February Engineering Week -14th – 19th February (a range of FREE interactive engineering-related activities in counties across Ireland) Find out more |
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| March | St Patricks Day - 17th March | | Seachtain na Gaeilge –2 – 17th March ( a festival of Irish Language & Culture with events held in schools throughout the country.) |
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| April | Easter Holidays All schools are closed from Monday 18th April for 2 weeks - All schools re-open after May Bank Holiday. | | |
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| May | May Bank Holiday – Monday 2nd May | | |
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| June | Secondary schools finish by 3rd June to facilitate start of state Junior & Leaving Certificate Results June Bank Holiday – Monday 6th June | | Junior & Leaving Certificate Examinations commence on Wednesday 8th June |
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Extract from Circular M21/04
Religious Observance and standardisation
The above arrangements are agreed without prejudice to closure on specific days, within the overall requirement of 167 days at post primary level and 183 days at primary level, dictated by religious observance that is required in schools under the patronage of different denominations or faiths.
In the absence of an adequate number of discretionary days a school authority may choose to utilize a religious observance day for non-tuition purposes when planning the school year.
Extent of flexibility
It was not a requirement of this agreement that the commencement or end of the school year either at primary or post primary level should be standardised. However while schools may use their discretionary days, where available, to determine the precise start and end of the school year, it is recognised the commencement of Certificate examinations will mean that post primary schools will not be open for tuition beyond the Friday preceding the June bank holiday in any year. The expectation is that in order to meet the overall requirement of a minimum of 167 at post primary level or 183 days at primary level the school year will normally commence in the week that 1st September falls.
The arrangements may provide some limited flexibility to schools on certain other days outside of the defined periods. The scheduling of such days must not be used to extend or modify the periods set out above in respect of mid-term and Christmas and Easter breaks save where religious observance requirements of a school under a particular patronage make this necessary.
Source: Dept of Education Website