Irish residents gain longer Sunset evenings as clocks move forward

Millions of people across Ireland will get darker mornings but longer, brighter evenings when sunset pushes toward 8pm after the clocks change. Sunday, March 29 at 1: 00 a. m. ET the clocks will spring forward to 2: 00 a. m., triggering Daylight Saving Time and extending evening daylight.

Sunset times in Ireland will push evenings toward 8pm

From the March 29 clock change, the sun in Ireland will not set until almost 8pm, a shift that brings more usable daylight for outdoor plans and evening activities. By mid-April, sunset is expected to move later—around 8: 30 p. m. —and by the end of April it will be approaching 9: 00 p. m., giving residents longer evenings to spend outdoors.

Ireland’s clock change on March 29 moves devices at 1: 00 a. m. ET

The seasonal adjustment begins after the spring equinox: the meteorological calendar marks Friday, March 20 as the start of spring, and at the end of March clocks will advance by one hour. On Sunday, March 29 at 1: 00 a. m. ET devices that update automatically will jump to 2: 00 a. m.; traditional clocks must be adjusted manually.

European Commission and the 2019 vote leave timing unchanged for now

The clock change affects all EU member states, which will also move their clocks forward at the end of March. A 2019 EU vote had aimed to stop twice-yearly clock shifts, but implementation was delayed by the Covid pandemic and EU institutions have not advanced a new proposal, meaning summer and winter time remain in place for the foreseeable future. The clocks are scheduled to fall back one hour on Sunday, October 26.

Still, the timing of this year’s spring shift differs slightly from last year: the move falls one day earlier than in 2025, when the clocks advanced on March 30, so residents gain extended evening light a bit sooner this year.

Yet the change comes with a short-term cost: households and workers should expect the loss of one hour of sleep the night of the switch. For those using smartphones or smartwatches, the change will be automatic at 1: 00 a. m. ET on March 29; anyone relying on analogue or manual clocks will need to set them forward by one hour to match official time.

For people tracking daylight specifically, the later sunset will be noticeable within days, providing more daylight for commuting, recreation and retail hours. The later evenings follow the astronomical pattern tied to the spring equinox and the gradual lengthening of days.

If the European Commission or other EU institutions present a new proposal to end seasonal clock changes, the schedule of spring and autumn shifts could be revisited; more details expected later in the year.