This week I learned that Good Friday is NOT a bank holiday

[BlackAmericanoNoSugar]

My whole life I thought it was, everyone behaves as though it is, but officially it isn't. Came up in a discussion, I was insistent that I was right but when I Googled I was wrong. I'm very peeved about being wrong.

@minniep

I hear you. In our case it had already been delayed to enable Dad's brother get home from Philadelphia, so it had to happen.

As it turned out, the "non Mass" was actually quite moving. Priest allowed poems and recollections of Dad's life together with his favourite bible readings and prayers. That would not have happened at a formulaic Mass. May they all Rest in Peace, bless em.

I get good Friday off now (public sector) but never did when I worked in industry. I think getting good Friday off is a Dublin thing as I don't know anyone who gets it off.

At least these days TV consists of more than tkd passion of Christ. When I was a child and we only had the one channel, RTE played the passion of Christ every year. It was dismal. And then the hours and hours of religious stuff in the church. It was major progress when the shops only closed during the actual passion (12-3) as opposed to all day.

Once I got to drinking age (and left home obviously as it wouldn't have been tolerated at home), I always felt a moral obligation to have a few on good Friday. It's not the same now it's legal.

I learnt the terrible fact that Good Friday was a bank holiday and not a public holiday 20 years ago when I confidently made arrangements to go away only to discover (on the Wednesday) I was expected to work (was in an office job). I was not happy and still haven't got over it.

@JurasicPerks

Isn't this semantics in the modern world? There is no observable difference between a public holiday and a bank holiday any longer.

Well I get a bank hol off work. I did it get last Friday off work. Imagine my surprise when a work phone call came in and I thought we were on a bank hol.

I moved to Ireland from England 20 odd years ago. I still haven't got over being expected to work on Good Friday, it just doesn't feel right. But this year for the first time we were all given the day off, which was nice.

@Daphnedot

Do civil servants still get a half day for Maundy Thursday?

No - but it depends …..

Originally in the MoD I had leave plus 2.5 privilege days
Over the years I worked up to the maximum of 30 days leave plus 2.5 privilege days

The 2.5 were:
the afternoon of Maundy Thursday
an extra day during Christmas (date would vary)
Queens official birthday - a choice between Friday or Tuesday around the May spring bank holiday

With civil service reform in 2013 they were changed. The Queens birthday was provided by the queen, so the government were not able to withdraw it without consulting her - and they didn’t so that one day remains

The other 1.5 were contractural terms in the employment contract so new staff don’t get them.
Existing staff had them as part of employment terms so they were changed to leave. However on promotion the contract changes with the pay increase so they get removed

I was last promoted before the change, so I now have 31.5 days of leave plus 1 privilege day
My job changes since have been at the same grade so I have retained them. If I get promoted I will have 30 days plus 1

The difference is that I can now have the converted 1.5 days whenever I want rather than on specific dates
But I have a long Xmas, so it’s irrelevant as to whether it’s leave or converted privilege day.
In the old days most people would take half days leave to avoid going to work for half of maundy Thursday. I would normally work it nowadays, and planned to work for last weeks, but it was a very quiet week so I took the full day off for a longer weekend

Across the UK the bank/public Hollidays balance out but there are some differences for Scotland & Northern Ireland

Under employment law the minimum days leave in any job takes into account bank/public holidays, so that means you may or may not work on specific days but get them in your allowance
Some jobs are leave plus BH/PD, others include it in the leave total

And of course jobs in service industries could be busier