The changing of the clocks: Springing forward

Whatever the merits or otherwise of retaining the twice yearly changing of the clocks, ‘springing forward’ on Sunday morning isn’t just about losing an hour’s sleep.

While summer does not actually start until May, putting the clocks forward gives it a bit of a kickstart and is our annual wake-up call to the joys of the months to come.

It heralds new beginnings, safe in the knowledge that the dark, dreary days of winter are finally behind us.

The pity of it is that the official name of this time of year is Irish Standard Time, while residents of Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK refer to it by the much cheerier British Summer Time.

Still, whatever we call it, we can now look forward to shorts, bare legs and flip-flops, and dining al fresco — even if it’s raining. Forget the telly and the laptop and get outdoors.

Put away that Christmas scarf, dump those furry boots and gloves, kick those kitten heels, and embrace the future — or at least the next six months.

Above all, wear a smile. It can be gloriously infectious.