St. Brigid's Day: Child Custody & Access Schedules
Because St. Brigid's Day is Ireland's newest public holiday, many co-parents are unsure how to handle custody and access that weekend. Even if you're following a custody and access schedule successfully, it may not address this day.
You are free to agree on any arrangement. Find ideas below.
Keep in mind that, although the saint's feast day is 1 February, her public holiday is the first Monday in February — or the first Friday when that happens to be 1 February. This is when your child's school will be closed.
Possible co-parenting schedules for St. Brigid's Day
Give the weekend parent the extra day
If you use a weekend-based schedule, you can give the holiday to the parent who will already have the child that weekend. This will cause minimal disruption to your usual schedule.
For instance, if one parent has access every weekend ending Sunday evening, they might keep the child until Monday evening for St. Brigid's Day.
When the public holiday falls on a Friday, their access time could start on Thursday evening.
Split the long weekend
If you both want to see your child over St. Brigid's Day weekend, you can split it. To decide who should get which days, consider each parent's work schedule over the holiday.
You don't have to split the weekend exactly evenly. Prioritise what is convenient for everyone, not the number of hours each parent will get with the child.
Alternate yearly
A common solution is to alternate which parent will have the child for St. Brigid's Day each year. You can alternate the long weekend or just the public holiday (Friday or Monday).
Ask the court to decide
Try your hardest to reach an agreement on custody and access for St. Brigid's Day (and for all holidays and occasions). If you need help, a mediator can guide the negotiations.
If you have no success, you'll have to go to court so a judge can decide for you. Bring recommendations so the judge has something to work from. A well-presented proposal can be quite convincing.
The easiest way to make a custody schedule for special occasions
There's a lot to think about when you build a holiday schedule. You'll want it to address weekend and midweek holidays, reflect occasions unique to your family (like birthdays) and work for years to come.
The Custody X Change app makes it easy. Just open your Custody X Change calendar and follow our steps to make a holiday schedule.
To make a custody and access schedule quickly and affordably, turn to Custody X Change. In no time, you'll have written and visual versions that include the holidays and occasions you care about.