Lisdoonvarna looks set to attract even more visitors to its annual Matchmaking Festival this year, after an extraordinary weekend that saw four separate film crews descend on the North Clare village to capture the festival in action.
Film crews from CBS News, Netflix, the feature film ‘West the Road’ and a crew from Oddarts Media, who are a making a feature length documentary film called, ‘The Last Matchmaker’.
Organisers say it’s the biggest concentration of media interest the festival has ever attracted in a single weekend — a sign, they believe, of an even bigger festival to come next year.
Gerry Quinn, Managing Director of the Fiddle + Bow Collection said: “Media interest this year has been unprecedented. Netflix, CBS News, a major feature film and an independent documentary crew — all here, in the same weekend. Coverage like this reaches people we could never reach ourselves, and if the past is anything to go by, it translates straight into visitors when people start planning their trip for next year’s festival.”
The Netflix-funded documentary, Changing the Algorithm, follows Finn Daly learning traditional matchmaking from his grandfather Willie and premieres at Sheffield Docfest in 2027.
Oddarts Media, the London and Los Angeles production company founded by Kara Welker and Nathan Kloke, has started filming The Last Matchmaker, a feature documentary about Willie Daly and the matchmaking tradition his family has carried for more than 160 years. The film is named after Daly’s 2010 memoir and will continue filming through the festival and beyond.
A crew from ‘West the Road’ spent the weekend shooting exteriors outside the Matchmaker Bar and The Ritz — putting two of the town’s best-known locations on screen. The film follows a group of women travelling the Wild Atlantic Way with a donkey named Thatcher, searching for the daughter their childhood friend was forced to give up at 15. The film is produced by Cowtown Pictures and Stigma Films, it stars Imelda Staunton, Charlie Murphy, Philippa Dunne, Genevieve O’Reilly and Charlene McKenna.
The festival, which continues for two more weeks, launches some new events this weekend — including Club Soda’s speed-walking event on Saturday from 10:30 to 12:30, a fresh take on speed dating that starts with coffee at the Hydro Hotel, moves into a stroll along Lisdoonvarna’s heritage trails with rotating partners, and finishes back at the hotel with live music. Also new is “The 30+ Club,” a dance event for over-30s at the Hydro Nightclub is on Saturday, September 19th, from 7pm to 11pm.
On the festival’s final weekend, a brand new speed dating event launches at the Hydro Hotel, on Saturday 26th September. Organised by Met Through Friends and Mary Timby, it will be the largest multi-age speed dating event the festival has ever had, accommodating up to 100 people, with singles registering by age group; 20s and 30s through to 60+. Each person will have up to 10 five minute dates with people in their age groups. Check in starts at 8pm with speed dating from 8.30 to 10pm. Entry to the night club is included in the ticket price.
Mr Quinn added: “There’s a real appetite for new singles events and different ways for people to meet, connect and socialise. We’re delighted with the response to this year’s events and are already looking at how we can build on this and bring even more to the festival next year”
The festival, runs for two more weeks until September 30th with live music and dancing in all venues. For more information and for tickets go to: www.matchmakerireland.com