The clocks will spring forward by one hour on Sunday, March 29, marking the start of Daylight Saving Time, and Ireland will enjoy nearly 8pm sunsets and longer evenings from that date onwards
04:00, 07 Mar 2026Updated 13:53, 07 Mar 2026
Enjoying the sunshine at Bray Head, Co Wicklow(Image: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin)
Ireland’s dreary weather over recent weeks has many yearning for brighter evenings – and fortunately, they’re not far off.
According to the meteorological calendar, Friday, March 20, represents the official beginning of spring. The spring equinox heralds the gradual return of extended days, lighter evenings, and, with any luck, some welcome sunshine.
Alongside the seasonal shift comes another change to watch for – the clocks. At the end of March, they’ll spring forward by one hour, signalling the commencement of Daylight Saving Time.
This year, the clocks advance on Sunday, March 29, which means the sun won’t set until almost 8pm – that’s merely three weeks away. From that point, evenings will continue to lengthen.
By April 18, sunset is anticipated around 8.30pm, and by month’s end, it will be approaching 9pm, reports the Irish Mirror.
Notably, this year’s clock adjustment falls a day earlier than in 2025. Last year, the clocks moved forward on March 30, so this year we’ll benefit from that additional daylight slightly sooner.
Whilst the transition means sacrificing an hour of sleep, it also delivers longer, brighter evenings to savour outdoors.
If you own a smartphone or smartwatch, on Sunday, March 29 at 1am, your device will automatically spring ahead to 2am. However, traditional clocks will require manual adjustment.
Clocks (stock)(Image: Getty)
It’s not just Ireland reaping the benefits of the additional daylight. All EU member states will do the same, as this seasonal adjustment was initially introduced to maximise natural light during Earth’s orbit around the sun.
In 2019, the European Union voted to potentially scrap Daylight Saving Time after 2021, following a survey that revealed most people would rather not adjust their clocks twice annually. However, the decision was postponed due to the Covid pandemic.
EU institutions have yet to make headway on implementing the decision, and the European Commission has stated it doesn’t intend to present a new proposal on the issue to Parliament, indicating that no changes to summer and winter time are anticipated in the foreseeable future. Later in the year, the clocks are set to fall back one hour on Sunday, October 26.
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