• Question: Why do the clocks go forwards and backwards an hour each year

    Asked by Einstein123jnr to Áine, Ciarán, Eoin, Lydia, Victoria on 7 Nov 2014.
    • Photo: Ciarán O'Brien

      Ciarán O'Brien answered on 7 Nov 2014:

      That’d be the daylight savings scheme. Basically, the whole country just pretends it’s an hour earlier/later than it really is, so that the working day has more daylight in it. It’s important to farmers and other outdoor workers so that they can get as much work done in the winter as possible before it gets dark.
      Not every country bothers with it. In countries around the equator, the day length doesn’t really change between summer and winter, so they don’t need to do anything with their clocks.

    • Photo: Lydia Bach

      Lydia Bach answered on 9 Nov 2014:

      Hi!

      Arghhhh! Good question – I ask myself that when I have to get up an hour early in spring every year!

      The change in clocks in October and March is called ‘day light saving’. That should give you an idea: essentially we are all trying to make more of the little light we get in winter, that’s why the clocks go back one hour! When we have more light in spring we switch the clock around again.

    • Photo: Áine Broderick

      Áine Broderick answered on 10 Nov 2014:

      It was done so that farmers and workers would be able to get their work done before it was dark. Although, I am not a huge fan of it, but we adapt quickly to it.

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