How to turn four annual leave days into ten with March double bank holiday

Many people will have planned their annual leave around the incoming St Patrick’s Day festivities as celebrations return after a two-year hiatus.

Following the government’s decision to drop nearly all Covid measures in Ireland, now is a better time than any to extend your upcoming break.

Whether you’re well organised and have your scheduled days off in the bag or have yet to think about it, it’s easy to secure a lengthy break with one key trick.

As a way to thank those who worked on the frontline amid the pandemic, officials organised a one-off extra bank holiday to land next to St. Patrick’s Day this year.

If you get in before everyone else in your job, you can turn four days into a whopping ten-day break by making use of St. Patrick’s and the newly added day off.

How to get a ten-day break with just four annual leave days this month with double bank holiday (Getty)

Here’s how:

St. Patrick’s Day is traditionally a Bank Holiday in Ireland when festivities and parades take place across the country.

Now, with the added benefit of the ‘extra’ Bank Holiday the following day - Friday, March 18 - you can easily stretch 10 days out of 4 days leave.

If you book Friday, March 11 you’ll have the weekend off - depending on your area of work.

Then get Monday, March 14 to March 16 off - so that is your four days booked.

Then St. Patrick’s Day followed by the bonus day off will lead you into the following weekend.

So by sacrificing just 4 days of annual leave you will have managed to nab a 10 day holiday for yourself from March 11 until March 21 to enjoy the Springtime weather and stretch in the evenings.