Good Friday in Ireland is an important religious day for Irish Christians and commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Golgotha. With Christianity being the largest religion in Ireland, Good Friday is observed annually with great honor and regard by Irish Christian devotees of Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant churches.
People of Christian faith in Ireland observe Good Friday by remembering Jesus Christ’s crucifixion. It is a somber day in Ireland, that is spent with prayers and mourning. This article here covers all you need to know about Good Friday in Ireland: Good Friday in Northern Ireland and Good Friday in the Republic of Ireland, including dates, holiday schedule, observances, customs, and traditions.
Good Friday in Ireland: Date & Time Calendar
Good Friday in Ireland is usually celebrated between the months of March and April. The day commemorates the execution of Jesus Christ by crucifixion. As Christianity is the main religion in Ireland, so Good Friday is one of the most celebrated days in the nation, observed with great honor by the majority of the Irish Catholic population.
Good Friday in Ireland is the Friday before Easter, which is calculated in different ways in Orthodox and Roman Catholic Christianity. The Good Friday in Ireland will fall after the Paschal Full Moon, and before the Easter Sunday that follows the Paschal Full Moon.
As per the exact calculations, Good Friday in Ireland will fall on Friday, 15 April .
| Year | Weekday | Date | Name | Holiday Type | Country |
| Friday | 19 April | Good Friday | Bank Holiday | Ireland | |
| Friday | 10 April | Good Friday | Bank Holiday | Ireland | |
| Friday | 2 April | Good Friday | Bank Holiday | Ireland | |
| 2022 | Friday | 15 April | Good Friday | Bank Holiday | Ireland |
| 2023 | Friday | 7 April | Good Friday | Bank Holiday | Ireland |
| 2024 | Friday | 29 March | Good Friday | Bank Holiday | Ireland |
| 2025 | Friday | 18 April | Good Friday | Bank Holiday | Ireland |
| 2026 | Friday | 3 April | Good Friday | Bank Holiday | Ireland |
| 2027 | Friday | 26 March | Good Friday | Bank Holiday | Ireland |
| 2028 | Friday | 14 April | Good Friday | Bank Holiday | Ireland |
Good Friday in Ireland: What is it?
Good Friday in Ireland is one of the most important religious days for Irish people of Christian faith. The day is observed by around 4 million Christians in Ireland, on which everyone remembers the time when Jesus went through unjust trials and sentenced to crucifixion.
Good Friday in Ireland is also called: Holy Friday Ireland, Black Friday Ireland, Great Friday Ireland, Holy and Great Friday Ireland, and Aoine an Chéasta.
Good Friday is part of the Holy Week in Ireland, And also a part of the Easter Triduum in Ireland (the three days liturgical period that includes Holy Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday).
Good Friday in Ireland usually falls between March 20th and April 23rd every year. Easter Sunday, which commemorates the Resurrection of Jesus following his crucifixion, falls on the Sunday after Good Friday.
Not long after having his Passover supper, known as Jesus’ Last Supper, Jesus was betrayed by his disciple. He was captured and was ordered to be crucified over allegations that professed to be the Son of God. Although Christians today trust Jesus as the Son of God, the chief priests of his time said this was blasphemy that deserved crucifixion.
Good Friday In Ireland: Why do Irish Christians celebrate this day?
The Irish Catholics celebrate Good Friday because it is one of the holiest days for the believers of the Christian faith. On this day, the Irish Catholics remember the Passion and Crucifixion of Jesus. Here’s a brief overview of what happened on Good Friday which will surely give you a clear understanding of why Ireland celebrates Good Friday annually.
Jesus was in Jerusalem to celebrate the festival of Passover. He received a warm welcome by the general population there and was given so much respect. To know more about Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, please read: Palm Sunday (Jesus’ Entry Into Jerusalem)
Jealous of Jesus’ huge following and the ‘King-like‘ respect given to him by the people, the Pharisees and chief priests of that time decided to end his life. Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus’ disciples, also agreed to betray Jesus and hand him over to the religious leaders for some money.
Shortly after having his Passover meal, known as the Last Supper, Jesus was captured from the Garden of Gethsemane by the Roman soldiers. He was passed through unjust trials and the rulers of the land saying Jesus is guilty of blasphemy, sentenced him to crucifixion. Although Christians today believe that Jesus is the Son of God, the priests of his time said this was blasphemy which deserved the death penalty.
Jesus’ Crucifixion was carried out in the most painful way. He was beaten by the Roman soldiers so mercilessly, that he could barely stand on his own. With his hands and feet nailed to the cross, Jesus was forced to carry his cross far up a mountainous place today called the Calvary or Golgotha. Bleeding and in pain, Jesus took his last breath after remaining nailed on the cross for six hours.
According to Christian scholars, the crucifixion of Jesus occurred on Friday in the year 33 AD. The entire of his suffering and crucifixion is today remembered in Ireland as Good Friday or Holy Friday.
How it is celebrated today in Ireland?
Since Ireland has a greater part of the Catholic populace, Holy and Great Friday in Ireland is celebrated with great privilege and honor for Jesus. A majority of the bars and pubs remain closed in recognition of this somber holiday. On this day, the Irish Catholics recollect the events of Jesus’ crucifixion and shed tears in His remembrance – the extreme pain and suffering which Jesus confronted just to pardon the sins of his people.
A majority of the Catholic population in Ireland will observe a fast on Good Friday . People here don’t meat and it’s a tradition to walk barefoot on this day. No wood will be burned, no animals will be slaughtered, and no nails will be driven on Ireland Good Friday.
Most people drink only water and just consume one meal of fish toward the evening, eating just two small portions of plain food like bread in the first part of the day and night.
As it is a somber holiday in Ireland, so people here refrain from all sorts of entertainment and parties and functions. Some people even quit watching television, and try to do as many good deeds as they can such as spending money in charity and distributing food among community members.
Hot cross buns are traditional Irish sweets for Good Friday. The cross on top of the buns represents Jesus Christ. These hot buns are loaded up with dried fruits and chocolate and are sold in large amounts on Good Friday and throughout the Holy Week in Ireland.
At the Ireland Good Friday mass the Station of the Cross is held, amid which a cross is carried around the church to the 12 stations or stages of Jesus’ Crucifixion story.
Another custom observed on Good Friday in Ireland are the Holy Friday processions in Irish towns and villages. Special wooden crosses are made for this day and Jesus’ statue is depicted as he was nailed to the cross. There are passion plays and reenactment of the Passion of Christ, that portray the execution of Jesus. A choir accompanies the processions, singing Holy Friday sorrowful hymns and cursing the Romans of the cruel act. Along with Cross Processions in Ireland, many people also purchase small crosses with Jesus’ depiction for decoration and commemoration of the sacrifice made by the Messiah Jesus.
Besides a day for worship services and asking for forgiveness, Good Friday in Ireland is also a day for buying new outfits for Easter Sunday and getting a haircut. Most people head out to the markets at Good Friday night to purchase celebrational items for Easter Sunday.
Good Friday In Ireland: Information on Public Holiday, Bank Holiday, School Holiday, Office Holiday, Post Office Holiday
Good Friday is an important Christian religious holiday in both: Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Although the observances are same in both the regions, there’s a slight difference in their holiday schedules and holiday timetable for Good Friday.
Read Good Friday Holiday Details Here:
Good Friday is a Holy Day of Obligation in the Catholic Church (which means the Irish Catholics are required to attend Mass and abstain from servile work).
Although a religious day, Good Friday will not be a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland. However, Good Friday will be a bank holiday in the Republic of Ireland, which means banks, educational institutes, and government businesses may be closed or have shortened hours. Private businesses, shops, and restaurants will probably be open on this day.
In Northern Ireland, Good Friday will be a public holiday. There used to be a total shutdown in the past years, but this time there will be a few shops opened with reduced hours.
Even after the lifting of Good Friday pub ban in Ireland, most pubs remain closed as it is against the Catholic beliefs to sell or consume alcohol on Good Friday.
As Good Friday is a bank holiday in the Republic of Ireland, so post offices will also remain closed and the delivery of posts will also be suspended until Easter Monday.
Good Friday in Ireland: Symbols & Icons
Just like many other religious days in Ireland, there are different symbols and signs attached with Good Friday in Ireland. The main symbol is the cross, on which Jesus was crucified and made the way of salvation for us all. The black color is widely used on Good Friday which signifies grief and mourning.
Good Friday Ireland : Answering all your Questions
Every year on Good Friday, there are lots of different questions searched by Irish Christians on Google. Below is the list of most frequently asked questions about Good Friday Ireland , answered by the team at DayFinders.com
Are banks open on Good Friday in Ireland ?
Good Friday will be a bank holiday in the Republic of Ireland.
Are pubs open on Good Friday in Ireland?
Yes, pubs are allowed to open on Good Friday in Ireland. But even then most pub owners keep their pubs closed and a majority of the population refrain from buying alcohol on this day.
Is Good Friday in Ireland a bank holiday?
Good Friday is a bank holiday in the Republic of Ireland.
Are off licenses open on Good Friday Ireland?
The Irish government lifted the 90-year pub ban in Ireland. So, off licenses just like pubs will be allowed to remain open and sell alcohol this Good Friday .
What’s open on Good Friday in Ireland ?
Pubs are open, restaurants are open, shops are open, schools and offices are closed or may work for shortened hours.
Is post delivered on Good Friday in Ireland?
The Good Friday in Ireland will be a bank holiday. So there is no post delivered until Easter Monday in Ireland.
Are post offices open on Good Friday in Ireland?
Good Friday Ireland will be a bank holiday. But post offices will remain open on this day. For this purpose, our team at DayFinders spoke to Ireland’s official post: AnPost, who verified that Post Offices will remain opened on Good Friday. In fact, mail deliveries are open throughout the Holy Week excluding Easter Monday and the weekends.
Here’s a screenshot of our team’s member conversation with Ireland Post Office regarding mail deliveries on Good Friday and throughout the Holy Week:
Are bars and pubs open in Dublin on Holy Good Friday ?
Yes, bars and pubs are permitted to be open this year, this doesn’t really imply that they are. Normally every bar can choose themselves if they wish to open or not so some may stay shut in observance of Good Friday.
Good Friday in Ireland – Quick Facts
Good Friday in Ireland will be celebrated this year on April 15, Friday,. The day commemorates Jesus’ crucifixion and is a somber day in Ireland. According to an estimate, Good Friday in Ireland will be celebrated by over 4 million Catholics.
Date: Friday, April 15
Significance: Commemoration of Jesus’ Crucifixion
Observances: Good Friday Mass, Good Friday Worship Services, Good Friday Processions, Symbolic Decoration, Fasting
Observed by: Irish Catholics, Irish Christians, and most people living in cities like Dublin and Cork
Also called: Aoine a Chéasta in the Irish language
So this was all you need to know about Good Friday in Ireland. Liked the info? Do share it with your Irish friends, and let them know each and every bit of detail about Holy Friday in Ireland.