Grandparents day 2025 ireland

Grandparents hold a cherished place in Irish families, embodying wisdom, love, and tradition. In 2025, Grandparents Day in Ireland offers a special opportunity to honour these pillars of our communities. Whether they’re tucking little ones into bed with bedtime stories or sharing cups of tea and life advice, Irish grandparents have long played a central role in family life. Grandparents Day isn’t just about giving thanks — it’s about recognising a legacy that spans generations.

When is Grandparents Day 2025 in Ireland?

In Ireland, Grandparents Day is typically celebrated in schools during Catholic Schools Week, which usually falls in late January or early February. While it doesn’t have a fixed national date like Mother’s or Father’s Day, in 2025, Grandparents Day will likely be marked during the week of 26th January to 1st February, with many schools observing it around Wednesday, 29th January 2025.

Though not a public holiday, Grandparents Day has grown significantly in popularity, especially through schools and parishes across the country.

The Origins of Grandparents Day

While Ireland’s celebration of grandparents is relatively recent, the idea of honouring grandparents has roots in other parts of the world. In the United States, Grandparents Day was officially established in 1978, thanks to the efforts of Marian McQuade, who wanted to promote the contributions of older generations. In the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis have both emphasised the importance of grandparents in transmitting faith and values, with the Church even instituting a World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, celebrated on the fourth Sunday in July.

Ireland’s Grandparents Day evolved out of both Catholic tradition and a broader societal recognition of grandparents’ vital role in families and communities.

The Importance of Grandparents in Irish Life

In Irish culture, grandparents are often seen as the cornerstone of the extended family. Many Irish people have fond memories of visiting their nana or granddad, especially in rural areas where multigenerational households were once common. Grandparents often take on key roles in child-rearing, especially as more parents work full-time.

They are:

• Storytellers, preserving oral histories, folklore, and family tales.

• Caregivers, helping with school runs, babysitting, and day-to-day parenting support.

• Wisdom keepers, offering advice based on years of experience.

• Faith guides, often being the ones who instil values and religious traditions.

• Cultural ambassadors, passing on language, music, recipes, and traditions.

In Ireland, where identity and heritage are deeply important, grandparents serve as living bridges between the past and present.

How is Grandparents Day Celebrated in Ireland?

In Ireland, Grandparents Day is most prominently celebrated in primary schools, especially Catholic primary schools during Catholic Schools Week. Here’s how the day is often marked:

1. School Assemblies and Masses

Many schools invite grandparents to attend special assemblies, plays, or Grandparents’ Masses. These events often feature readings, music, and reflections written by students, thanking their grandparents for their love and support.

2. Classroom Activities

Children may engage in activities such as:

• Drawing portraits of their grandparents.

• Writing letters or poems to them.

• Creating family trees.

• Sharing stories they’ve heard from their grandparents.

These exercises help children appreciate the generational links that shape their identity.

3. Visits to Schools

When possible, grandparents are invited to classrooms to speak with the children, share stories about “when they were young,” and sometimes even show old photos, currency, or toys. It becomes an intergenerational learning opportunity that benefits everyone involved.

4. Gifts and Cards

Some children craft handmade cards or small gifts to give their grandparents. These personal tokens — often imperfect but heartfelt — are treasured.

5. Parish Involvement

In many Catholic parishes, the local clergy may hold special blessings or Masses for grandparents. Church bulletins might include prayers or messages of gratitude for the elderly.

Grandparents in Modern Ireland

Ireland, like many countries, is experiencing demographic changes. People are living longer, and families are more geographically spread out than in previous generations. Despite these shifts, the role of grandparents has arguably become even more important.

In recent decades, many Irish grandparents have stepped in to provide childcare, particularly after the 2008 financial crisis, when parents had to work more to support their families. Even in 2025, with the cost of living high in urban areas, grandparents often play a crucial support role.

Modern Irish grandparents are not just passive figures — they are active contributors. Many are tech-savvy, travel, volunteer, and stay connected with their grandchildren through WhatsApp, FaceTime, and social media.

Why Celebrating Grandparents Matters

With a growing emphasis on youth and speed in today’s world, it’s easy to overlook the value of older generations. Grandparents Day is a reminder of the importance of slowing down, listening, and appreciating the people who have shaped our lives.

The celebration also:

• Promotes intergenerational bonding.

• Encourages empathy and respect for the elderly.

• Helps preserve cultural heritage.

• Fosters gratitude and emotional connection.

A Prayer for Grandparents

In many schools and churches, this popular “Prayer for Grandparents”, written by Pope Benedict XVI, is recited:

“Lord Jesus,
You were born of the Virgin Mary,
the daughter of Saints Joachim and Anne.
Look with love on grandparents the world over.
Protect them!
They are a source of enrichment for families,
for the Church, and for all of society.
Support them!
As they grow older, may they continue to be for their families
strong pillars of Gospel faith, guardians of noble domestic ideals,
living treasuries of sound religious traditions.
Make them teachers of wisdom and courage,
that they may pass on to future generations the fruits
of their mature human and spiritual experience.”

This prayer captures the deep gratitude and reverence felt toward grandparents in Irish Catholic tradition.