The quiet town of Lisdoonvarna (population: 1,000), nestled along the rugged coastline of the Wild Atlantic Way in western Ireland, comes alive every September, bursting with upwards of 60,000 visitors all looking for the same thing: love. The Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival, which runs for the whole month, brings singles not only from Ireland, but also countries far and wide, including Germany, the U.S. and Russia.
The first and only time I've used dating apps was in the spring of 2021. I'd just moved to Los Angeles and wanted to see more of the city. But I soon grew tired of the actors, musicians and DJs who hounded me to attend their events; not to mention I didn't feel safe with total strangers and I'm particular about hygiene.