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Clocks to change earlier this March as Ireland welcomes epic 8pm sunsets

Ireland will 'spring forward' for Daylight Saving Time later this month bringing longer, brighter evenings.

[Enjoying the sunshine at Bray Head, Co Wicklow]

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Enjoying the sunshine at Bray Head, Co Wicklow(Image: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin)

Ireland's gloomy weather in recent weeks has left many of us dreaming of brighter evenings - and the good news is, they're just around the corner.

According to the astronomical calendar, Friday, March 20, marks the first day of spring. The spring equinox signals the gradual return of longer days, lighter evenings, and, hopefully, some much needed sunshine.

With the change of the seasons comes another shift to look out for - the clocks. At the end of March, they will spring forward by one hour, marking the start of Daylight Saving Time.

This year, the clocks move forward on Sunday, March 29, meaning the sun won't set until nearly 8pm - that's just three weeks away. From there, evenings will continue to stretch. By April 18, sunset is expected around 8.30pm, and by the end of the month, it will be nearly 9pm.

Interestingly, this year's clock change comes a day earlier than in 2025. Last year, the clocks went forward on March 30, so this year we'll gain that extra daylight a little sooner.

While the change means losing an hour of sleep, it also means longer, brighter evenings to enjoy outdoors.

If you have a smartphone or smartwatch, on Sunday, March 29 at 1am, your device will automatically jump ahead to 2am. However, decorative clocks will need to be manually changed.

It's not just Ireland benefiting from the extra sunlight. All EU member states will follow suit, as this seasonal shift was originally implemented to make the most of the natural light as Earth orbits the sun.

The European Union voted in 2019 to potentially end Daylight Saving Time altogether after 2021, following a survey showing most people would prefer not to switch clocks twice a year. However, the decision was delayed due to the Covid pandemic.

EU institutions have not made progress on implementing the decision, and the European Commission has said that it does not plan to submit a new proposal on the matter to the Parliament, meaning that no changes are expected to summer and winter time in the coming years.

Later in the year, clocks are due to go back one hour on Sunday, October 26.

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