The Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival returns this September, with the iconic Hydro Hotel back in the line-up for the first time in seven years.
Thousands of visitors from Ireland and overseas are expected in the village for the month-long festival, which will be a welcome boost for businesses across North Clare.
Previously run for generations by the White family, the Hydro Hotel has long been at the heart of the Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival. The hotel was purchased by the Fiddle + Bow Collection earlier this year and is returning to the festival programme, with live music, social dancing and speed dating planned throughout September.
Gerry Quinn, Managing Director of the Fiddle + Bow Collection, said:Â “The Hydro Hotel has an incredible history and was once the beating heart of the festival. There’s real excitement about what’s to come this September, with over 70 acts confirmed and live music every day throughout the month.”
He is also keen to manage expectations, stressing that this year is about listening and learning rather than rushing change. “We are taking a measured approach to the festival this year — seeing what works, keeping the traditions people love, and introducing new ways for people to experience the festival. We’ll be listening closely to visitors and the community, and what we learn in 2026 will shape how we grow in 2027.”
The impact, he adds, will be felt well beyond the festival itself. “Economically, we know how important the festival is not only to Lisdoonvarna but to North Clare and beyond, benefitting all businesses including hotels, restaurants, bars and shops.”
The reopened hotel has already created 60 jobs, with additional casual staff being recruited to support the festival throughout September.
Lisdoonvarna has hosted the festival for more than 160 years and remains home to Ireland’s last practising traditional matchmaker, Willie Daly. With more than 3,000 matches under his belt, the veteran matchmaker is now passing on his knowledge to his grandson, Finn. The pair are also at the centre of a new Netflix backed documentary, Lisdoonvarna: Changing the Algorithm, which follows Finn as he learns the matchmaking craft from his grandfather. The film will premiere at Sheffield Doc Fest in 2027.
Also returning is Mary Timby, the American whose trip to Lisdoonvarna last year made international headlines after she discovered the festival on an episode of Schitt’s Creek. Mary met Clare man Jay Mangan at the Matchmaker Bar, and her TikTok of the trip went viral, racking up more than two million views. This year, she’s back helping to promote the festival and spending the summer with Jay.
Julie Carr, PR for the festival, added: “It’s wonderful to see the festival building momentum again. What makes Lisdoonvarna so unique is the sense of community — the locals, the dancers, the musicians and the familiar faces who return year after year.”
“The festival brings people into the town, supports local businesses and creates a real buzz throughout the village. That sense of continuity is so important, and it’s something we want to build on for the next generation.”
The festival runs throughout September across multiple venues in the village, including the Hydro Hotel, the Matchmaker Bar at the Imperial Hotel, The Ritz Hotel The Rathbaun Hotel, The Ravine Hotel and The Roadside Tavern with live music and social dancing at all venues.
Lisdoonvarna developed into a tourist centre between the 1840s and 1850s, after a leading Limerick surgeon discovered the beneficial effects of its mineral waters, rich in iron, sulphur and magnesium and reputed to relieve conditions such as rheumatism and glandular fever.
The Royal Spa Hotel became the centre around which the village grew. From the West Clare Railway’s Ennistymon station opening in 1887 until the advent of the motorcar, tourists travelled to “The Spa” by pony and trap.
It was the popularity of the mineral springs that gave rise to the matchmaking tradition, with September — after the harvest — becoming the peak month for bachelor farmers to seek a wife. Now known as the Matchmaking Festival, the event spans four weekends.
