We are well and truly into the grips of winter now as the evenings get shorted and the clocks go back by one hour.
From this bank holiday weekend, the mornings will be a bit darker and sunset will happen a lot earlier. Once we hit December, sunset will happen at around 4pm.
But when do the clocks go back and why do we do it every year? Does it happen worldwide or just in Ireland? Here's everything you need to know about the clocks going back.
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When does it happen?
The clocks will go back an hour at 2am on Sunday, October 30.
Does this happen just in Ireland?
Clocks go back across all EU member states on the last Sunday in October and forward on the last Sunday in March. In North America, Daylight Savings Times (DST) starts on the second Sunday in March while clocks go back on the first Sunday in November.
Meanwhile, in Australia, the clocks go back on the first Sunday in October.
Why do we do it?
The clocks change so we can make the best use of natural light. The countries that are further from the equator, like Ireland, get more hours of darkness from the clock changing.
Aren't the EU ending the practice?
In 2019, the EU Parliament voted to stop DST from 2021 onwards. This was based on an EU-wide survey that showed 70% of respondents wanted the practice to stop. The last clock change was due to take place in Spring 2021, but the proposal was put on the back burner while the world coped with the Covid-19 pandemic.
One Cork senator has said that foregoing daylight savings time could mean a "huge impact" on the energy crisis affecting households and businesses across the country. Fine Gael politician, Tim Lombard, has said that not changing the clocks this October could take the pressure off the grid during peak evening times.
With the clocks due to go back on October 30th, Mr Lombard said that foregoing daylight savings could be a "practical solution" to the energy crisis.
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