Date and time notation in Ireland
Date
In Ireland, the date is written in the order "day month year", with the separator as a slash, dot, hyphen, or just left blank. Years can be written with two or four digits. Examples:
- 31/12/1992 or 31/12/92;
- 31.12.1992 or 31.12.92;
- 31-12-1992 or 31-12-92;
- 31 12 1992 or 31 12 92;
"31 December 1992" is also used, or in Irish "31 Nollaig 1992".
When dates are spoken, they are generally given in "day month year" order: "the 31st of December 1992".
The week is generally considered to begin on Monday in Ireland (Sunday being "the seventh day"), although some people consider the week to start on a Sunday.
Time
The 24-hour notation is more commonly used in text (e.g., timetables, newspapers, etc.) and is written "14:05" or "14.05". Whenever 12-hour notation is used, it is written the same way, as "2:05PM" or "2.05PM". "AM" or "PM" can be written as either "AM/PM", "A.M./P.M.", "A.M/P.M", "am/pm", "a.m./p.m.", or "a.m/p.m". It can be written directly after the time (e.g., 2:05PM) or one space after (e.g., 2:05 PM).
When talking about the time, it is usually said in traditional 12-hour format.
Examples:
- 14:00 is said as "two o'clock", "two", or "two (o'clock) in the afternoon". In Irish it is "a dó a chlog".
- 14:01 - 14:14 and 14:16 - 14:29 is said as "... past two". In Irish it is "... tar éis a dó".
- 14:15 is said as "a quarter past two". In Irish it is "ceathrú tar éis a dó".
- 14:30 is said as "half past two" or "half two". In Irish it is "leathuair tar éis a dó".
- 14:31 - 14:44 and 14:46 - 14:59 is said as "... to three". In Irish it is "... chun a trí".
- 14:45 is said as "a quarter to three". In Irish it is "ceathrú chun a trí".
In addition to this, the system of saying the exact time (e.g., 14:55 is said as "fourteen fifty-five") is also widely used.
People in Ireland commonly use both systems of time.