St. Patrick’s splurge: Long weekend drove 13% rise in consumer spending
European-licensed bank Revolut, which has more than three million customers in Ireland and over 70 million globally, saw a St. Patrick’s weekend surge in its consumer spending data across the weekend of 14-17 March in Ireland.
Revolut was recognised with three FS Awards in 2025, including winning the Innovative Banking Product Award for its credit card, the FS Challenger Award, and the Grand Prix prize
Outlays increased by almost 13% compared to the same four-day period in 2025, as over €260 million in card payments and nearly 11 million transactions were made.
Expectedly, hospitality businesses such as bars, cafes, restaurants, and nightclubs saw the biggest increase in payments, taking in over 15% more this Tuesday, on St. Patrick’s Day itself, compared to 2025’s Monday celebrations.
Sales of store-bought beer, wine, and liquor across the St. Patrick’s weekend dropped again this year by over 8% compared to 2025 – a similar fall to the previous year – suggesting a preference among Irish consumers to head out and celebrate the holiday, rather than staying in.
Spending on public transport and taxis supports this theory, with 8.5% and 4.5% more transactions recorded for these expenditures this year, respectively.
Revolut Business customers also saw an increase in revenues over the St Patrick’s weekend compared to 2025; those in the ‘food, beverages or tobacco’ industries recorded a 14% rise.
“The sheer scale of payments activity we’ve witnessed this St Patrick’s weekend is a clear indicator that we’re increasingly the payment method of choice for Irish consumers,” commented Malcolm Craig, general manager at Revolut Bank – Irish Branch.
“With almost 11 million transactions processed, it’s evident that Revolut has become synonymous with how the Irish public interacts with the economy during national events.
“Customers enjoy the ease of use of our app, clear visibility over their transactions, and the ability to budget.
“As we continue to grow our presence here, our aim is to continue providing the seamless, high-quality banking experience that millions in Ireland now expect.”
Revolut was recognised with three FS Awards in 2025, including winning the Innovative Banking Product Award for its credit card, the FS Challenger Award, and the Grand Prix prize.
Revolut was also recognised by the Bonkers.ie Awards as Ireland’s ‘Best consumer business’ in 2024, and named Ireland’s ‘Best current account’ two years running (2024 and 2025). Revolut also routinely places in the Top 20 of the Ireland Reputation Index, ranking 15th in 2025.
For more information, visit: www.revolut.com/en-IE.
