Clocks Go Back This Weekend: Extra Hour in Bed as Ireland Returns to Winter Time
Clocks go back at 2am Sunday 26 October. Extra hour in bed for most, extra hour awake for parents of small children. Check those manual clocks.
We'll gain an extra hour of sleep this Sunday morning as the clocks go back, marking the end of Irish Summer Time and the return to Greenwich Mean Time.
At 2:00 AM on Sunday, 26 October 2025, clocks will move back one hour to 1:00 AM, giving everyone an extra 60 minutes. The change means brighter mornings but earlier sunsets, with darkness arriving noticeably sooner in the evenings.
The biannual clock change has been a fixture of Irish life for decades, though it remains a source of debate across Europe. While most modern smartphones, computers and internet-connected devices will update automatically, traditional clocks, car dashboards and kitchen appliances will need manual adjustment.
For parents of young children, the time change can disrupt sleep routines, as little ones may wake an hour earlier by the clock. Gradually adjusting bedtimes by 10 to 15 minutes over several days can help ease the transition.
The darker evenings also bring increased road safety concerns, particularly during the evening commute. Motorists are reminded to be extra vigilant for pedestrians and cyclists who may be less visible in the gathering gloom. Hi-visibility clothing and working lights on bicycles become essential as darkness falls earlier.
In Cork, Saturday's sunrise will occur at 8:15 AM with sunset at 6:20 PM. After the clocks change on Sunday morning, sunrise will be at 7:17 AM and sunset at 5:18 PM, bringing an extra hour of morning light but losing that precious evening brightness. By Monday evening, darkness will have settled in well before six o'clock.
Ireland has followed daylight saving since 1916, though the practice faces ongoing scrutiny. The European Parliament voted in 2019 to end mandatory clock changes, but implementation has stalled. EU institutions have not made progress on the matter, and the European Commission has indicated it does not plan to submit a new proposal, meaning no changes are expected to summer and winter time in the coming years.
For now, we can look forward to that precious extra hour this Sunday morning. Just remember to check your manual clocks before heading out.
