Term 2 School Holiday 2025: Ireland Date

If you’re trying to plan ahead for school holidays in Ireland, you’ve probably noticed that dates vary between the Republic and Northern Ireland — and between primary and secondary schools. This guide pulls together confirmed term 2 dates for 2025 from official sources, including the October mid-term, February half-term, Easter holidays, and Christmas break.

October mid-term break 2025: 27–31 October 2025 ·
Christmas break 2025–2026: 19 December 2025 – 5 January 2026 ·
February mid-term break 2025 (Northern Ireland): 13–14 February 2025 ·
Easter holidays 2025 (Northern Ireland): 17–25 April 2025

How many weeks are there in term two 2025?

Term 2 in Irish schools generally runs from early January after the Christmas break until the Easter holidays. For most primary and secondary schools in the Republic of Ireland, this stretches about 14 weeks. In Northern Ireland, term 2 2025 started after the Christmas break and ended on 17 April 2025 (Easter holiday start), giving roughly the same length.

• Republic of Ireland: Early January 2025 to Easter (dates vary by school, but generally mid-April 2025)
• Northern Ireland: Early January 2025 to 17 April 2025 (Department of Education (Northern Ireland))

The 14-week span includes a February mid-term break (two days in NI, up to one week in many RoI schools) and the Easter closure. Official school calendars set these dates at national and local level.

What determines the length of term 2?

• The school year in Ireland is divided into three terms, typically each lasting 12–14 weeks.
• Term 2 starts after the Christmas break and ends at Easter, so its length depends on the date of Easter Sunday. In 2025, Easter Sunday falls on 20 April, placing Easter holidays in mid-to-late April.
• The Department of Education in Northern Ireland publishes fixed holiday dates; schools in the Republic of Ireland follow a framework from the Department of Education but set specific dates.

How does term 2 length compare to other terms?

• Term 1 (September to Christmas) is roughly 15 weeks.
• Term 3 (Easter to summer) is about 9–11 weeks for primary (ending late June) and 7–8 weeks for secondary (ending late May/early June).
• Term 2 is the middle-length term. (Homeschool.ie)

How many days is October half term?

In the Republic of Ireland, the October mid-term break in 2025 runs from Monday 27 October to Friday 31 October — a full week. This is confirmed by multiple sources including Citizens Information and Everymum.

• Republic of Ireland: 27–31 October 2025 (5 days)
• Northern Ireland: No designated October week-long break; instead, Halloween holidays are listed as 30–31 October 2025

So while Northern Ireland pupils get two days for Halloween, the Republic enjoys a full five-day mid-term break in October.

Are there variations by region?

• In the Republic, the October break is a standard school holiday period observed by nearly all primary and post-primary schools.
• Northern Ireland schools use a different pattern — they take a February half-term instead of an October break.
• This difference reflects the separate education systems and school holiday frameworks in each jurisdiction.

The implication: Families living near the border may need to plan around two different October school calendars depending on which side their children attend school.

Does Ireland have a February half-term?

Yes, but it’s more common in Northern Ireland than in the Republic. In Northern Ireland, the February mid-term break for 2025 was a two-day closure on 13–14 February 2025, as listed by the Department of Education (Northern Ireland). In the Republic of Ireland, many schools schedule a February mid-term break, but the dates vary. According to Everymum, most schools closed from Monday 17 February to Friday 21 February 2025. Primary schools in particular often close on Thursday and Friday (20–21 February), with an optional extension to the full week (Homeschool.ie).

• Northern Ireland: 13–14 February 2025 (2 days)
• Republic of Ireland (most schools): 17–21 February 2025 (5 days) — but check your school’s calendar

What are the February mid-term dates in Northern Ireland?

• The Department of Education NI sets a uniform two-day closure for all grant-aided schools. For 2025, those dates are 13 and 14 February.
• For the 2025/2026 school year, the NI mid-term holidays are 12 and 13 February 2026

Do schools in the Republic of Ireland have a February break?

• Many do, but it’s not mandated centrally. The Department of Education in the Republic provides a framework of 183 teaching days, and schools have autonomy to set their own mid-term dates.
• The result: some schools take a full week in February, others take just a day or two, and a few don’t have a February break at all.

The catch: If you’re planning a February family holiday, confirm dates directly with your child’s school rather than relying on a single national calendar.

What are all the holidays in October?

October in Ireland packs a public holiday, a school break, and Halloween into one month. The school mid-term break in the Republic runs 27–31 October. In addition, the last Monday of October is the October Bank Holiday (28 October in 2025). Halloween on 31 October is not a public holiday but schools are already on break for the Republic; in Northern Ireland, Halloween holidays are 30–31 October.

What this means: For families in the Republic, the week of 27–31 October is a complete break from school, bookended by the bank holiday on Monday. In Northern Ireland, the Halloween closure is just two days, so October is a shorter school month.

Is February 2, 2026 a holiday in Ireland?

February 2nd is not a public holiday in Ireland. St. Brigid’s Day (Imbolc) is celebrated on 1 February, but it is not a public holiday. The first public holiday of the new year after Christmas is St. Patrick’s Day on 17 March. For schools, the February mid-term break in 2026 falls on 12–13 February for Northern Ireland, but 2 February is a regular school day.

• February 2 is a regular school day in both the Republic and Northern Ireland
• No public holidays in February 2026 in Ireland
• Next public holiday after Christmas: St. Patrick’s Day (17 March 2026)

The school calendar in the Republic of Ireland provides a framework of 183 teaching days, and schools have some flexibility to set their own term dates.

— Citizens Information (official Irish public services information)

Schools can operate on listed non-operational dates at their own discretion to suit individual circumstances.

— Department of Education (Northern Ireland) (government body)

The two blockquotes above capture a key theme: while national calendars provide structure, local variation is common — especially in the Republic. For families, this means double-checking school-specific dates remains essential.