Before clocks were standardised, time in Ireland and Great Britain was determined by region. Only in 1916 did the Time (Ireland) Act come into force, unifying Irish time with Greenwich Mean Time.
Recently, the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly to end seasonal clock changes across Europe; however, individual countries will ultimately decide whether or not they change the time of day.
Dublin Mean Time
No matter if you live or just plan on visiting Ireland, time zones vary slightly from those found in England. Ireland generally follows the same timezone as the UK (including Northern Ireland): in summer that means GMT+2, or Irish Standard Time; during winter that means GMT+1 – British Summer Time.
Since 1916, Ireland has observed GMT through The Time (Ireland) Act. This act standardised Ireland’s time zones to bring it in line with Britain, who at that point used Greenwich Mean Time. Unfortunately for Irish nationalists who viewed this move as yet another attempt by Britain to control and dismantle Ireland’s sovereignty further.
The Act altered Ireland’s time zone as well as when clocks went forward and back each year and daylight savings dates, making its time zone consistent with that of Europe – which is defined by the International Date Line.
At first, most people in Ireland and Britain would set their clocks according to sunrise; but with the advent of train timetables and telegraphy it became necessary to standardise time across both nations. In 1880 the House of Commons passed legislation to do just this and set GMT time zone in Great Britain with Dunsink Observatory having its longitude adjusted by 25 minutes 21 seconds from GMT time zone in Ireland.
This arrangement continued until autumn 1916 when the Time (Ireland) Act instituted Greenwich Mean Time as legal time in Ireland to bring it in line with British Summer Time and Greenwich Mean Time. One of the leaders of Easter Rising and leading figure in Irish struggle for independence Countess Markievicz protested this measure bitterly in a letter written to JH MacDonnell, an attorney known for their strong republican sympathies.
Summer Time
Ireland operates under GMT/UTC time zone, meaning its sunrise and sunset times vary with each season. Due to Ireland’s northern latitude, summer can often see prolonged daylight well into evening hours – an experience many will treasure forever!
Ireland is an ideal travel destination in all four seasons, but spring and summer tend to be especially popular times of year for visitors due to the pleasant temperatures – warm without being unbearably hot – of which temperature vary by region – though inland/western areas often remain cooler during winter months than coastal ones due to more rainfall at Valentia Island in the west than at Dublin in the east!
On the Gaelic calendar, spring begins on Bealtaine (May 1) and summer ends with Lughnasa (August 1). Summertime in Ireland is perhaps its most beloved season with plenty of festivals, events, and sunny days; daylight reaches its maximum on Summer Solstice with up to 17 hours of daylight available! Temperatures remain mild making this an excellent opportunity to explore Ireland by foot or bike.
Summer is an excellent time to visit the island, but visitors should plan ahead and pack clothing and equipment suitable for both rainy conditions along the coast and sunny weather during their visit. Rain showers may occur on occasion during this season; however, this makes summer holidays perfect for exploring both its natural splendor as well as cities and towns.
As with any practice, changing clocks twice annually has both advantages and disadvantages for any region or country. While changing time zones might give people more daylight in the mornings, it can also disturb sleep cycles leading to less energy and greater fatigue – not to mention possible increases in break-ins when clocks change!
Individual countries ultimately decide whether or not they wish to adhere to the tradition of seasonal clock changes, although Ireland as part of the European Union follows this practice by setting their clocks ahead to GMT+1 during summer months, before switching back at the end of October to GMT+0.
Winter Time
Winter in Ireland can be cold, damp and grey with occasional snowfall – an ideal time for exploring its many natural landscapes, such as national parks and forests, and experiencing popular attractions with lesser crowds.
Though winter technically begins in December, Gaelic traditions recognize its arrival beginning in February when wildflowers and baby lambs begin appearing across Irish countryside. February marks an ideal time to stroll, cycle or mount up an Irish mountain and hillscape!
March marks the beginning of spring in Ireland, even if temperatures remain quite cold. Days lengthen slightly, making March an excellent month to go walking or touring – although even though weather tends to remain dry most of the time, you should still bring along warm clothing as an emergency backup plan.
April is an amazing month with long, sunny days. Average highs tend to reach 13degC while lows average 4degC; making April an excellent month for hiking, exploring and beach lounging.
May is another beautiful month with sunny and warm temperatures averaging in the low teens with lows averaging around 5degC – perfect weather to explore all of Hawaii’s beaches and sample its delicious cuisine!
Ireland experiences hot and humid summer temperatures between 20degC and 25degC, providing a perfect setting to visit its many festivals and events, take cruises or kayak trips through Dublin and Galway’s islands, or go cruising or kayaking through them.
Autumn in Ireland is truly beautiful, when its landscape becomes an explosion of vibrant reds and oranges as leaves change color from green to vibrant hues. Autumn also offers great food and drink offerings from Ireland as it becomes less crowded during this season than during its summer counterpart. If you want a truly special visit experience during autumn visit Ireland now – don’t wait until next summer arrives!
Ireland falls within GMT +0 time zone. Clocks change every four months starting in March and finishing up again by October due to being located relatively northerly latitude; as a result, Ireland sees sun movement differ by about 17 minutes when compared with countries located closer together in latitude.
Daylight Saving Time
As we change back our clocks this weekend (October 29th), we will gain one extra hour of restful slumber before it becomes dark. Unfortunately, however, turning back the clock also presents certain disadvantages: during its lead-up there are often an increase in break-ins at shops and businesses due to criminals knowing more people will be out late at night making them easier targets.
As Ireland adopted DST for the first time in 1916, rural agricultural communities expressed strong reservations. Their concerns included disruption of daily sleep patterns, work hours and eating patterns; making their children late for school each morning; leading to academic problems for some pupils; as well as delays to work and play when their fingers indicated the time for each task or activity. Irish daily newspapers attempted to convince Irish citizens to comply with DST – with editorials like one found in The Irish Times which read: ‘Just set your clocks an hour earlier – work, play, sleep when your fingers indicate the appropriate moment’ – in an effort to convince Irish society of DST being welcomed with open arms by all sides despite strong resistance. The Irish Times published an editorial reading: ‘Just put on your clocks an hour earlier and work, play, sleep when your fingers indicate the appropriate moment.’.
DST was instituted after World War I as a way of saving energy. This allowed more light during winter days when darkness arrived early, and more evening sunlight on summer evenings. Farmers also took advantage of this as they could harvest crops before it got too dark to harvest them safely.
However, some critics of DST argued it was ineffective and harmful to health, using too much energy and resources by regularly changing clocks twice annually; furthermore it created inconvenience for travellers, particularly those travelling between Europe and North America.
In 2019, the European Parliament voted in favour of ending seasonal clock changes across EU nations and having them remain on one time zone all year round, an initiative supported by 4.6 million EU citizens who participated in an online public consultation. Irish senator Tim Lombard from Fine Gael noted this could bring transformational changes for Ireland’s economy and society.