The Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival will make a welcome return this year with singles from all over the world set to descend on Ireland’s love town this September.
Live music and entertainment will ring out from bars and venues all over the village, including the Ritz, the Rathbaun, the Royal Spa, the Ravine and the Roadside Tavern for the month-long festival of music and dancing.
Music and dancing will take place in bars from 11am in the morning to the wee hours of the night. However, festival organisers said that live music events at the Marquee and Pavilion theatre will not be going ahead this year, due to rising operational costs.
The tiny village has been hosting Europe’s largest matchmaking festival for over 160 years and boasts its own third generation matchmaker Willie Daly, who will be in attendance at this year’s event.
The veteran matchmaker, who has made over 3000 matches in his 50 years in the role, is looking forwhe festival.
He said: “The festival will be a wonderful release of emotions that have been lying dormant for the last few years due to covid. Love, friendship and companionship is never more needed than now. People are love- starved and many marriages are on the cards for this year’s festival.”
The Matchmaker Bar makes a long awaited return this September also with long-time favourite bands Out of Diesel, Blue Ridge Country, Bernies & Robbie. The Matchmaker Bar will be open each weekend throughout September.
Last year, a new US film called ‘As luck would have it’ which was inspired by the festival resulted in a huge amount of interest from the American market.
For more information on this year’s festival click here.