People across the European Union, including those in Ireland, are preparing for the annual switch to daylight saving time. This year, clocks will move forward by one hour in the early hours of Sunday, March 29, bringing longer and brighter evenings.
The change comes as many are weary of winter’s cold mornings and long, dark nights. From Sunday, sunset in Ireland will be around 8 pm, with evenings continuing to stretch out in the weeks ahead. By April 18, sunset is expected to be close to 8.30 pm, and by the end of April, around 9 pm.
This year’s time change comes a day earlier than last year, when clocks moved forward on March 30. Smartphones and smartwatches will update automatically at 2 am on Sunday, but manual clocks will need to be adjusted. While the shift means losing one hour of sleep, it is generally welcomed for the extra daylight in the evenings.
All EU member states continue to follow this seasonal adjustment, which was introduced to make better use of natural daylight as the Earth moves around the sun. Although a 2019 public consultation showed most EU citizens opposed changing the clocks, plans to end the practice were delayed. The European Commission has since said it does not plan to bring forward new proposals.
Clocks will go back again by one hour on Sunday, October 26. Meanwhile, for those following the astronomical calendar, March 20 marks the spring equinox, signalling longer days and the gradual return of brighter evenings.