Lavalife, c. 1850

I have read theories that the rise in popularity of internet dating sites like Lavalife, and match-making events like speed dating, is due to our increasingly busy lives – singletons just don’t have enough time to find that special someone.

However, a 150-year-old Irish festival held in Lisdoonvarna every year shows that “putting yourself out there” is an age-old tradition.

It started out as a small event for farmers to find brides and grooms for their children, but has since grown, attracting visitors from across Ireland, the UK and beyond. There is an official Matchmaker (whose father and grandfather before him held the same title) who sets up introductions between potential partners during the festival.

I could find no statistics as to the number of people who hook up at Lisdoonvarna (or on Lavalife) and how many actually stay together for the long term – I wondered if the antiquated Irish festival was just as good as internet dating for finding your soul mate…

The fact remains, though, that both the festival and websites like Lavalife serve the same purpose for participants: they act as that friend in real life who facilitates the meeting of potential partners: The web designers for Lavalife are to the dating website as the Matchmaker is to the Lisdoonvarna festival. And when a singleton has run out of friends with other friends to introduce, they have to step outside their circle and dip into other pastures (pardon the farming metaphor).

Personally, I have yet to be convinced to try any kind of dating service. Perhaps this is because I haven’t run out of friends with other friends yet. Or maybe my life isn’t busy enough. Or maybe I’m just happy watching the cows in my pasture…