Irish people believe the next Bank Holiday brought into the Irish calendar should be named after Michael Collins.
The revolutionary war leader came on top of a public survey by Lottoland which asked people what iconic deceased Irish cultural figure they thought deserved to be on the next list for Bank Holiday consideration.
The polls were done in the wake of St Brigid's Day being named as the new permanent Bank Holiday from 2023 onwards, a move which means that Imbolc joins Samhain, Bealtaine and Lughnasadh as a public holiday to celebrate the four Gaelic festival dates.
A third of respondants (33%) believe the legendary Cork rebel and politician should be next on the Bank Holiday consideration list.
Coming in at second was Padraig Pearse, with Daniel O'Connell and Oscar Wilde also joining the Rising leader with 11% of votes.
10% of people want a Father Ted Day - with Dermot Morgan polling well.
At the other end, Charlie Haughey and Ian Paisley won't be getting a red letter day any time soon, as they finished bottom of the poll carried out by the online lottery company Lottoland.
The survey also asked the Irish public whether it is right for a Bank Holiday to be introduced for St Brigid and an overwhelming two thirds agreed (66%), although perhaps surprisingly one in five said they didn’t care (20%) and one in six said they didn’t agree with it all (15%)!
The much-loved broadcaster Gay Byrne and legendary playwright Wilde received over twice as many votes from females than their male counterparts, to have a Bank Holiday called after them.
Graham Ross from Lottoland Ireland said "Our latest survey may not have raised too many eyebrows by revealing that most Irish people were all for the new March Bank Holiday for Saint Brigid but the comprehensive backing by the Irish public of a Michael Collins Day may well see the ghosts of our Irish Civil war past rest a little less easy.
"The rich heritage of Irish history and popular cultural is clear in our survey results and while Lottery icon Ronan Collins may have been a shock omission from the list, there are clearly many worthy names that the Irish Government can consider when they are next framing a much-needed public holiday for an enthusiastic Irish public."
With St Brigid now getting her own Bank Holiday, what iconic deceased Irish cultural figure do you think should be next on the Bank Holiday consideration list?
- Michael Collins Day 33%
- Padraig Pearse Day 11%
- Daniel O’Connell Day 11%
- Oscar Wilde Day 11%
- Fr Ted/Dermot Morgan Day 10%
- Wolfe Tone Day 9%
- WB Yeats Day 9%
- Fionn McCumhail Day 7%
- CuChulainn Day 7%
- Seamus Heaney Day 5%
- John Hume Day 5%
- Gay Byrne Day 5%
- Charles Stewart Parnell Day 5%
- Martin McGuinness Day 5%
- Eamon de Valera Day 5%
- Rory Gallagher Day 5%
- Phil Lynott Day 4%
- George Bernard Shaw Day 3%
- Brendan Behan Day 3%
- Ernest Shackleton Day 3%
- Ian Paisley Day 2%
- Charlie Haughey Day 2%
- Gerry Ryan Day 2%
