Europe's largest matchmaking festival takes place in Ireland
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E-mail CNTV, September 11, 2012
Europe's largest matchmaking festival is taking place in the small town of Lisdoonvarna on the west coast of Ireland. It's an annual festival that takes place throughout the month of September.
Now in its 120th year, the festival is drawing crowds from across the world hoping to find love.
Matchmaking may be one of Ireland oldest traditions. Lisdoonvarna is a small town on the west coast of Ireland with a population of less than 1,000.
It attracts over 40,000 single men and women looking for love. Their desires may have changed but the application remains the same.
It's more natural than going on line. You don't know who the hell your talking to. Doing a bit of walcing and jiving. You find out how many acres they have. Basically we are looking for a woman with land.
Curious people flock here from all corners of the world.
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Europe's largest matchmaking festival is taking place in the small town of Lisdoonvarna on the west coast of Ireland. |
Malaysian Tourists said, "I think this is their tradition since before that I didn't know anything about and I think that for certain people, it's really nice for their annual festival to meet new people and I think their happy about this."
Dancing and music form a big part of the festival. With many saying dancing is the way to their soul. One couple this worked for is Sarah Cummins and Pj Considine who meet at the festival 8 years ago today. And are still very much in love.
Sarah Cummins said, "He just asked me to dance, got my phone number and we meet the following week. He was playing golf and we meet here the following week and we've been together since."
For those not lucky or brave enough to find love on their own. Willie Daly, a third generation matchmaker, known as Ireland's cupid, is happy to help. Having successfully matched over 3,000 couples, his bible of love can tell many a story. And his motto is it's never too late for love.
Sexton said, "This book I believe has made many a match over the years, can you tell me about the book."
Willie Daly, matchmaker, said,"This book is called the lucky book, if you touch it now and your single. and if you touch it with both hands you'll be in love and married inside of six months. It never fails so that constantly happens. So if you're looking for marriage, you leave both your hands on the book. And you'll be married and in love. And if you are already married, it brings you back that honeymoon period again which is nice."
And he feels the personal touch is still important in modern times.
Willie Daly said, " If you take a computer, it doesn't have feeling's or emotions. Whereas when I introduce someone to a fella, they might take them out for a dance and they have their arms around each other or they might shake hands."
Part of the reason, Willie gets requests from around the world, including China.
Willie Daly said, "We've had 10 correspondences between my daughters and myself with Chinese girls. Last weekend, 4 Chinese girls came down here. And just like that they signed up. I introduced them to people. I can't say what will happen you know. They have beautiful brown eyes. When Irish men see them, they like it. Most Irish women have blue eyes. They fall for them. Sexton: Absolutely opposites attract. "
While the internet has changed how matchmaking is done forever the old traditional form of matchmaking is still very much alive and working here.
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