Resignation letter sample for Ireland: two notice letters to copy
A resignation letter in Ireland needs four things: the job you are leaving, your last working day, a thank you and an offer to hand over. Copy either sample below, fill in your details, send. The letter is a formality. The notice period is the part that matters: your contract sets it, and the legal minimum is one week.
Standard resignation letter
The safe, professional default for any job.
Dear Ms Walsh, Please accept this letter as formal notice of my resignation from my position as Retail Supervisor at Dunnes Stores, Galway. In line with my contract, my last working day will be Friday, 18 September 2026. I want to thank you for the opportunities I’ve had over the past three years. I’ve learned a great deal and enjoyed working with the team. Over my notice period I’ll do everything I can to hand over my responsibilities smoothly, including training up whoever takes over the weekly rosters. I wish you and the team every success for the future. Yours sincerely, Aoife Kelly
Short and simple
Perfectly acceptable. You owe notice, not an essay.
Dear Mr Byrne, I am writing to resign from my position as Sales Assistant at Penneys, Galway. My last day of employment will be Friday, 18 September 2026, in line with my two weeks’ notice. Thank you for the opportunity to work here. I’m happy to help with the handover during my notice period. Yours sincerely, Seán Ó Briain
How to write a resignation letter, line by line
- Date and greeting. Today’s date, then “Dear” and your manager’s name. Not HR, not “To whom it may concern”.
- The resignation sentence. “Please accept this letter as formal notice of my resignation from my position as [job title] at [employer].” One sentence, no reason required.
- Your last working day. Count the notice period in your contract from the day you hand the letter in, and name the exact date. “In line with my contract, my last working day will be Friday, 18 September 2026.”
- Thank you and handover. One or two sentences. What you learned, and what you will do to hand over before you go.
- Sign-off. “Yours sincerely” (you named the person), your full name, and your signature if it is on paper.
Before you hand it in: a 5-minute checklist
- Date and last day. Name the exact final working day. Vague notice causes payroll rows later.
- Tell your manager first. Face to face or a call before the letter lands. Nobody should read it cold.
- Annual leave. Check your remaining days. They’re either taken during notice or paid out with the final payslip.
- Keep it warm, keep it short. Ireland is a small place. The manager you leave today interviews you somewhere else in five years.
- Get it in writing back. Ask for written acknowledgement of your notice and final date.
How much notice do I have to give in Ireland?
Check your contract first. Whatever notice period it names is what you owe, and one month is common. If your contract says nothing, the legal minimum for an employee is one week under the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Acts 1973 to 2005. The one exception: if you have been there less than 13 weeks and the contract sets no notice period, no notice is legally required (source: Citizens Information, leaving your job).
Hand the letter to your manager directly or email it, keep a copy, and confirm your last working day in writing. Unused annual leave must be paid out with your final payslip. Once notice is given, you can only withdraw it if your employer agrees.
Moving somewhere new? Get your CV ready with our free Irish CV builder, and read how references work before you ask your current manager for one.
Questions people ask
How do I write a resignation letter in Ireland?
Four lines do the job: the position you are resigning from, your last working day (counted from your contract notice period), a short thank you, and an offer to help with the handover. Address it to your manager by name, date it, sign it "Yours sincerely" and keep a copy. Either sample above can be copied as it stands.
How much notice do I have to give in Ireland?
Whatever your contract says. If the contract is silent, the statutory minimum for an employee is one week under the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Acts 1973 to 2005. If you have worked there for less than 13 weeks and there is no notice period in your contract, you do not have to give notice at all, though a week is still the decent thing to do.
Can I email my resignation letter?
Yes. An email with the same wording counts as written notice. Tell your manager in person or by phone first, then send the email so there is a dated record, and ask for a written acknowledgement of your last day.
Do I have to give a reason for resigning?
No. "Please accept this letter as formal notice of my resignation" is a complete sentence. A reason is optional and usually best left for the conversation, not the letter.
What happens to my unused annual leave when I resign?
Your employer must pay you for any annual leave you have built up and not taken by your last day. Some employers let you take the days during your notice period instead; that has to be agreed, it is not automatic.
Sources
Sources and method
The CV builder runs entirely in your browser. What you type is laid out into the standard Irish format (contact details, profile, work history newest first, education, skills, referees on request) and turned into a Word or PDF file on your own device. Nothing is uploaded, so there is no account, no upload and no copy on our servers. Close the tab and the draft stays only in your browser storage.
The format follows what Irish recruiters and the public employment service ask for: no photo, no date of birth, two pages at most. The builder does not screen your CV, match you to jobs or send it to employers. For the rules on what an employer may and may not ask, and for help with a job search, use the sources below.
- Citizens Information: finding a job, CVs and applications
- JobsIreland: the public job vacancy service
- gov.ie: Intreo, the public employment service
- Workplace Relations Commission: employment equality in recruitment
Page rebuilt 22 September 2026.
Elsewhere on this site
From the same workshop: a Harvard referencing generator, a redundancy calculator and a free invoice generator.