Forget about Internet dating that often produces a deeper loneliness when clicking on anonymous photos. At the Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival, it's the chemistry of a face-to-face introduction that can turn wishful thinking into a possible mate. Add in non-stop dancing with flowing Guinness (and racing hormones since the men outnumber the women) and it's no wonder the festival has lasted for about 150 years.
One of Ireland's oldest traditions is matchmaking. And it's done openly in Lisdoonvarna for five weeks in the fall and for multitudes of singles. The village is located in County Clare, with a population around 750 people. When the festival starts in September, that number swells to the thousands with visitors from around the world. Single men, both young and old, still arrive from the surrounding farms looking for a mate. The event is looked upon as a local folk festival despite the numerous outsiders. Typically, people age 50 and up populate the mid-day and early-evening events; younger ages jam the venues until 3:00 a.m.
The History of Lisdoonvarna
Once the harvest was in and with dowry in hand, landowners brought their daughters into town looking for a potential husband. By the early 1900s, matchmaking was still in vogue and Lisdoonvarna famous for the therapeutic value of its sulphur-and-iron well water found here in the 1700s. A spa was built on the site where many bathed in the water; however the spa area closed recently. A euro will buy a glass of well water.
The Daly Matchmaking Family
Willie Daly acquired his matchmaking skills, done for 40 years, from his father and grandfather. He has seven children, is divorced, a farmer by trade and owner of a horse farm with a riding school. He's also the star attraction at the festival. Every night around 8:00 p.m., he holds court in a small front room at The Matchmaker Bar. He sits at a table with a 100-year-old, family-owned matchmaker's ledger with some of its pages curled from age, others are stuffed with poems, photos and recent love-seeker applications. Women can sign up for free; men pay around 20 euros. Most of Willie's "matches" are made after the event, although he might corral a potential couple onto the dance floor the same night they sign up.
"If you find love and happiness, it's like finding a gold mine," Willie said at last year's festival to filmmaker Peter Kinvara. "But love is more important since gold is cold and love is warm." He's a great believer in opposites that attract and believes some of his matches turned into marriage. Married or not, many couples who met at the festival return each year to celebrate their good fortune.
Marie Daly has joined ranks with her father as his apprentice, which carries the matchmaking skill into the fourth generation. Daughter Grainne is creating the Lisdoonvarna Singles Directory for the technically savvy who want more than the festival as a love-match base.
Where to Stay and Dance at Lisdoonvarna
The village has one main street. The three-star Hydro Hotel has 110 en suite rooms within its 1800s-style architecture. The Imperial is home to The Matchmaker Bar, which is the festival's epicenter. The Ritz Hotel is located at the main square. To get away from the buzz, head for the 12-room Ballinalacken Castle Country House located on a peaceful hilltop with lovely views of the Cliffs of Moher and the Aran Islands.
If a love match isn't made at Lisdoonvarna, the dancing is worth the trip. Non-stop music begins at noon and continues throughout the night at 17 music and dance venues. Men are not shy about asking a partner to dance. Women also dance together to keep the dance floor hopping. "Irish men are dancing fools," one local said while watching his friends dance at the Hydro Hotel during the 2009 festival. "We practice all year with the cows."
Getting There and Being Cautious
Lisdoonvarna is located in Co. Clare on Ireland's West Coast and 45 minutes from Shannon Airport. It's a three-hour drive from Dublin. Nearby Ennis and Galway are served by rail. For more information, contact the Tourist Board of Ireland. It's important to be aware that the occasional unsavory character, married men out for the night, farmers who need to bathe and some thievery are present at the festival.
The Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival represents hope, joy, fun and great dancing. If a mate, or even a potential one, isn't found, the huge number of attendees of all ages attest to the fact that they are not alone looking for love. At the festival's end when the last dance is made and the lights go out in Lisdoonvarna, Willie Daly and his family are culling through the applications to continue matching singles throughout the year and planning the next year's event.
Judith Glynn - I've written travel articles for years. See more and my novel about romance and travel at www.facebook.com/judglynn
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