Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
Oh Lisdoonvarna
It's all about love as the first day of the Lisdoonvarna matchmaking festival begins
The final weekend of the festival is dedicated to the LGBT market.
THE LISDOONVARNA MATCHMAKING Festival is Europe’s largest singles event and it kicks off today.
It’s been around for 157 years and is now a month long event that spreads across five weekends.
Fourth generation matchmaker, Willie Daly, will be in demand during the festival. He has set up around 3,000 marriages in the past 45 years.
He will be at the matchmaking festival with his 150-year-old ‘lucky book’ that has been passed down to him from his father and grandfather. He said:
If you touch the book you’ll be married and in love inside of six months. If you are already married, you will recreate the honeymoon period you first had.
This year’s festival theme is ‘It’s All About Love’ and the final weekend of the festival is dedicated to the LGBT market.
The Outing Lisdoonvarna is on from October 3 to October 6. It was held for the first time last year and was deemed a huge success.
Drag High-Queen of Ireland, Panti Bliss, said “The first LGBT weekend in Lisdoonvarna was SO much fun last year so I am really looking forward to doing it all again this year.
Who’d have thought bringing a bunch of gays down to a small country village in the West of Ireland would have been such great craic?! Oh that’s right… everybody.
After last year, Lisdoonvarna residents and local business owners voiced their enthusiasm for what they see as a welcome new twist on the generations-old festival.
Speaking about The Outing Lisdoonvarna, Willie Daly said that he feels ready to bring some new couples together again this year.
He said,”Matchmaking has always been about love”.
have your say