Dies festi de praecepto
Holy days of obligation 2024 Ireland
Besides every Sunday, the Church in Ireland keeps six holy days of obligation. In 2024, four of them bind on a weekday: Catholics go to Mass that day, or at a vigil Mass the evening before.
- Saturday 6 January
The Epiphany of the Lord
Kept on 6 January whatever the day of the week.
- Sunday 17 March
Saint Patrick, Bishop, principal patron of Ireland
Falls on a Sunday of Lent this year; in recent such years it has been kept on the Sunday itself.
- Thursday 15 August
The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Friday 1 November
All Saints
- Monday 9 December
The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Falls on a Sunday of Advent this year, so the solemnity is kept on Monday 9 December; the Sunday Mass is of obligation as always, the Monday is not.
- Wednesday 25 December
The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)
Not holy days of obligation in Ireland
- The Ascension: on the Seventh Sunday of Easter since 1996.
- The Body and Blood of Christ: on the Sunday after Trinity Sunday since 1996.
- Mary, the Holy Mother of God (1 January), Saint Joseph (19 March) and Saints Peter and Paul (29 June): not days of obligation.
How the rules work
Canon law names ten holy days for the whole Church and lets each bishops’ conference move some of them to a Sunday or lift the obligation, so the list differs from country to country. Some conferences also move a holy day that falls on a Saturday or a Monday to the Sunday beside it, or keep the feast but lift the obligation that year.
When the calendar itself moves a holy day — the Immaculate Conception off a Sunday of Advent, Saint Joseph off a Sunday of Lent or out of Holy Week — the Dicastery for Divine Worship ruled in January 2025 that the obligation does not move with it.
Dioceses can grant their own dispensations in a particular year; your parish will say. See also the liturgical year 2024 and the ranks of celebrations.