MORE DAYS OUT. LESS SPENT.
Family days out & school holiday savings
Free museums, parks and mid-term events, the cheapest way to book the big attractions, and every 2026/27 school break in one place.
Reviewed · Republic of Ireland · How we check
School holidays 2026/27 and 2027/28
The Department of Education sets these breaks for every primary and post-primary school, so you can book days out and annual passes around them now.
| Break | Days off | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Halloween mid-term | Mon, 26 Oct – Fri 30 Oct 2026 | All primary and post-primary schools. |
| Christmas holidays | Wed, 23 Dec – Tue 5 Jan 2027 | Last school day Tuesday 22 December; schools reopen Wednesday 6 January. |
| February mid-term | Mon, 15 Feb – Fri 19 Feb 2027 | Post-primary: 15–19 February. Primary: 18–19 February, which many schools extend to the full week. |
| Easter holidays | Mon, 22 Mar – Fri 2 Apr 2027 | Last school day Friday 19 March; schools reopen Monday 5 April. |
| Halloween mid-term | Mon, 25 Oct – Fri 29 Oct 2027 | All primary and post-primary schools. |
| Christmas holidays | Thu, 23 Dec – Wed 5 Jan 2028 | Last school day Wednesday 22 December; schools reopen Thursday 6 January. |
| February mid-term | Mon, 21 Feb – Fri 25 Feb 2028 | Post-primary: 21–25 February. Primary: 24–25 February, which many schools extend to the full week. |
| Easter holidays | Mon, 10 Apr – Fri 21 Apr 2028 | Last school day Friday 7 April; schools reopen Monday 24 April. |
Summer holidays aren’t standardised. Each school sets its own end date, but post-primary classes finish by Friday 4 June 2027 at the latest. Schools also add a few discretionary days, and bad-weather closures can shorten the February and Easter breaks, so check your school’s own calendar before paying for anything non-refundable.
Source: Department of Education Circular 0018/2026 (circular PDF). Checked 8 October 2026.
Free days out around Ireland
Every place below has free entry. The “watch for” line covers the catch: parking, closures or paid extras.
20 free places
National Museum: Archaeology
Free admission. Families don’t need to book.
Watch for: Industrial action has cancelled some museum events; check before you travel.
Official visitor infoNational Museum: Collins Barracks & Dead Zoo Lab
Free admission, including the Dead Zoo Lab while Merrion Street’s Natural History museum is closed.
Watch for: Closed 10–11 October 2026; more short-notice closures are possible.
Official visitor infoNational Gallery of Ireland
Free permanent collection, with free drawing materials in the atrium.
Watch for: Some temporary exhibitions are ticketed.
Official visitor infoIMMA
Free general admission and most exhibitions; the grounds are free too.
Watch for: Closed Mondays except bank holidays. Parking is paid.
Official visitor infoSeamus Heaney exhibition, National Library
Free, no booking. Monday–Saturday 10:00–16:00.
Watch for: Closed bank holidays, so not on mid-term Monday.
Official visitor infoPhoenix Park Visitor Centre
Free admission, gardens and playground.
Watch for: Some facilities can close at short notice.
Official visitor infoNational Botanic Gardens
Free gardens and glasshouses, open year-round.
Watch for: Guided tours are €5.
Official visitor infoPearse Museum & St Enda’s Park
Free museum and parkland.
Watch for: Groups should book guided visits.
Official visitor infoCastletown parklands
Free parkland walks year-round.
Watch for: House tours cost extra (family €25) and end on 4 November 2026.
Official visitor infoKilmacurragh Botanic Gardens
Free admission.
Watch for: Free guided tours stop in mid-October.
Official visitor infoWicklow Mountains National Park
Free park. The Laragh car park is free 08:00–20:00.
Watch for: Visitor-centre and Upper Lake car parks charge at busy times.
Official visitor infoAltamont Gardens
Free gardens.
Watch for: Parking is €2.
Official visitor infoHeywood Gardens
Free gardens, open 08:30–17:00 in winter.
Watch for: Limited accessibility.
Official visitor infoKillarney National Park
Free park, free park car parks (Muckross, Ross Castle) and a free Killarney House exhibition.
Watch for: No parking at Killarney House itself.
Official visitor infoFota Arboretum & Gardens
Free gardens next to Fota Wildlife Park.
Watch for: Parking is €3; Fota House is separate.
Official visitor infoBurren National Park
Free park; park for free in Corofin.
Watch for: No facilities at the trailheads, and the summer shuttle has finished.
Official visitor infoConnemara National Park
Free park, visitor centre and parking.
Watch for: Visitor centre open Wednesday–Sunday; trails close in orange or red weather warnings.
Official visitor infoNational Museum: Country Life
Free admission, no booking for families.
Watch for: Formal groups book ahead.
Official visitor infoWild Nephin Ballycroy visitor centre
Free visitor centre; dark-sky viewing sites are open year-round.
Watch for: The free summer shuttle has finished.
Official visitor infoGlenveagh National Park
Free park and exhibitions.
Watch for: Shuttle €5 adult / €4 youth; castle family ticket €30. Both free with a Heritage Card.
Official visitor info
No places match both filters. Try “Anywhere” or “Any”.
Free Wednesday at OPW sites
On the first Wednesday of every month, participating OPW heritage sites are free for families and independent visitors, including Cahir Castle, Castletown and Glendalough. You can’t book it online and entry depends on capacity.
Forests and your library card
Coillte’s 200+ recreation forests are free to walk; some forest parks charge for parking, and a €50 annual pass covers parking at eight of them. Library membership is free at any age (under-18s need a parent’s permission), with free children’s e-books on BorrowBox.
Free Christmas activities confirmed for 2026
These three Waterford ideas were checked against the official Winterval 2026 programme on . Free entry does not include food, travel or ticketed rides. This is a small verified selection; other counties’ Christmas programmes have not been checked here.
The Christmas Market at Winterval
Winterval operating dates, 13 November–23 December 2026
Listed as free entry. Food, gifts, transport and paid attractions cost extra. Check the selected festival date before travelling; the overall season is not a promise of daily opening.
Official programme and selected dates ↗Winterval Illuminates
Winterval operating dates, 13 November–23 December 2026
Listed as a free festival event. Check the organiser’s selected-date programme for show times, access and weather changes. No paid Santa or skating ticket is included.
Official programme and selected dates ↗Santa’s Giant Disco Postbox
Winterval operating dates, 13 November–23 December 2026
Listed as free on all festival dates. Check current opening times and any access arrangements on the organiser’s programme. We have not established a booking requirement.
Official programme and selected dates ↗
The organiser describes weekend operation from 13 November to 23 December, with some events on other dates. Do not assume the market or shows operate every day in that range. Individual hours, closures and booking requirements are not established by the season dates; check the selected date before travel. The list retires after 23 December.
For indoor winter plans, the free museums above remain useful, but check each venue’s Christmas closure notice. A normal weekly opening pattern is not a confirmed holiday schedule. For gifts, see delivery, returns and unconfirmed Christmas deadlines.
Is an OPW Heritage Card worth it?
The Heritage Card gives a year of unlimited entry to OPW-managed heritage sites from the day you first use it. It costs €40 for an adult, €30 for 60+, €10 for a student or a child aged 12–18, and €90 for a family of two adults and up to five 12–18s. Under-12s already get in free, so younger families usually only need adult cards, or none at all.
Work out your own year
Add your household and how often you’d visit each site in 12 months. We compare single tickets with the cheapest mix of cards.
Uses single-ticket prices. Some sites sell family day tickets (Kilkenny Castle €20, Cahir €13) that may cover your group for less. Parking and guided-tour upgrades aren’t included.
Two adults, two young children
One visit each to the five sites above costs €72 for the adults; the children go free. Two adult cards at €80 only pay off if you add one more visit, such as a second trip to Kilkenny Castle (€88 in total).
Two adults, two teenagers
Individual cards cost €40 + €40 + €10 + €10 = €100. The €90 family card saves €10, and it also covers Glenveagh’s castle tour and shuttle bus.
Heritage Card prices and terms ↗ · Site prices from each OPW visitor page, checked 8 October 2026. Cards are named and non-refundable; book a free ticket where a site takes bookings.
The big attractions: book online and save
For the major paid attractions, the biggest easy saving is booking online instead of paying at the gate. The table shows the published family prices.
| Attraction | Family price | You save |
|---|---|---|
| Dublin Zoo ↗ Dublin. Children 3–15; under-3s free. Annual Family Pass €245 pays off on visit four. Read our Dublin Zoo guide → | 2 adults + 2 children: €62.50 online · €75 gate | €12.50 online |
| Fota Wildlife Park ↗ Co. Cork. Children under 16. Parking €3. The €245 Conservation Pass pays off on visit five. | 2 adults + 2 children: €61.10 online · €65.50 gate | €4.40 online |
| Emerald Park ↗ Co. Meath. Book before midnight the night before. Under-3s free but need a ticket. Four-person membership €500. | Four All Access tickets: €176 in advance · €216 on the day | €40 in advance |
| AquaZone, National Aquatic Centre ↗ Blanchardstown, Dublin 15. Two-hour sessions, book ahead, no re-entry. Under-8s need 1 adult per 2 children. Free parking. | 2 adults + 2 children or 1 + 3: €61 | Family vs single tickets: €11 |
| EPIC, The Irish Emigration Museum ↗ Dublin 1. Family ticket includes a free return within 10 days. Tesco Clubcard: €5 of vouchers gives €10 off. | 2 adults + 2 children: from €57 | €9 vs single tickets |
| Galway Atlantaquaria ↗ Salthill, Galway. Ages 2 and under free. | 2 adults + 2 children: €45 online · €48 walk-up | €3 online |
| Wild Ireland ↗ Burt, Co. Donegal. Free parking. Tesco Clubcard: €0.50 of vouchers gives €1 off. | Family ticket: €64 online · €74 gate | €10 online |
Annual passes pay off faster than you’d think. At the online family price, Dublin Zoo’s €245 Family Pass beats day tickets on the fourth visit, and Fota’s €245 Conservation Pass on the fifth. Emerald Park’s €500 four-person membership beats three advance visits (€528). A Dublin Zoo pass also includes Fota.
Getting there for less
Free and cheap public transport
- Under 5: free on TFI services, no card needed.
- Ages 5–8: free with the dedicated Child 5–8 Leap Card. An ordinary child Leap Card doesn’t unlock free travel.
- Ages 9–18: €0.65 for a Dublin TFI 90-minute fare, capped at €1.95 a day and €7.80 a week. Cork city buses are €0.55.
Leap fares and caps ↗. Child fares rise to €0.75 in January 2027.
Trains, coaches and ferries
- Irish Rail family return: 1–2 adults and up to four children aged 5–18. Wexford–Bray is €46 for a family day return, against €72.40 for four single-person tickets.
- Aircoach: 10% off online for two adults and two children aged 4–13, applied automatically.
- Stena Line day trips: foot-passenger returns from €10 an adult with children half price, Dublin–Holyhead or Rosslare–Fishguard. Everyone, children included, now needs a passport or passport card.
Rainy-day cinema and Clubcard swaps
Kids’ cinema clubs
IMC Kids Club runs reduced-price screenings at participating cinemas. At IMC Carlow, adults and children both pay €5 (plus €1 per ticket online). The Light House in Dublin sells a family matinee ticket for two adults and two under-12s at €42, €5 less than four singles. Omniplex Kids Club prices vary by cinema, so check your local listing.
Tesco Clubcard rewards for days out
€2.50 of vouchers takes €5 off Beyond the Trees Avondale (one code per family ticket). €5 gets €10 off EPIC, and €0.50 gets €1.50 off Aillwee. €3.50 gets an ODEON child, student or senior ticket. At Milano, €1 of vouchers is worth €3 of dine-in food, kids’ menu included.
More ideas: browse things to do in Ireland for dated deals from Groupon Ireland, or see our Dublin Zoo savings guide.
Help with school costs
A day out is easier to afford when the school bills are covered. These state supports are worth checking:
- Free schoolbooks: primary and post-primary pupils in the Free Education Scheme get schoolbooks and core classroom resources at no cost. A post-primary school can ask for a deposit of up to €50, which you get back when the books are returned. Some stationery may still be on the list.
- Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance: €160 per eligible child aged 2–11 and €285 aged 12–22 in second-level education. The 2026 scheme opened in June and closed on 30 September.
- Child Benefit: €140 per child per month in 2026.
Free Schoolbooks guidance 2026/27 ↗ · MyWelfare allowance ↗ · Citizens Information 2026 rates ↗
Got a teenager? Our student discounts guide explains which student deals secondary pupils can actually get.