Anyone out there recall an obscure 90's Janeane Garofalo film called "
The Matchmaker?" Well, it was based on the real thing, alive and well in County Clare. The
Matchmaking Festival is a fabulous annual tradition during September & October in the tiny spa town of Lisdoonvarna. Just a short drive from Galway, you can base yourself in either town to explore the wealth of historic and cultural sites in County Clare.
The 2002 festival starts August 30th and lasts through October 6th. Most of the activities center around the weekends, but there's also music & dancing to be had during the week.
Matchmakers were traditionally the dealers who attended street fairs. Since they knew the farmers with eligible sons and daughters around the country, they invited farmers from all over the country to attend the festival the following September. They were also the ones who collected the dowries when a successful match was made. Just two matchmakers still practice in County Clare: Willie Daly, a horse dealer who runs the riding center outside Ennistymon & James White, owner of the Imperial Hotel in Lisdoonvarna.
Willie Daly is one of very few true matchmakers still at work in Ireland, you can contact him with inquiries of the following nature, 1) Matchmaking in the area. 2) The number of different nationalities who come here for the festival & what their intentions are. 3) Other relevant details in relation to matchmaking. Email him at:
williedaly@eircom.net or for general information contact:
info@matchmakerireland.com
The
Whites Hotel chain has several in Lisdoonvarna, see their
site for more information:
Hydro Hotel
Int'l Tel 00 353 (0)65-7074005
Int'l Fax 00 353 (0)65-7074406
King Thomond Hotel
Int'l Tel 00 353 (0)65-7074444
Int'l Fax 00 353 (0)65-7074721
Imperial Hotel
Int'l Tel 00 353 (0)65-7074042
Int'l Fax 00 353 (0)65-7074428
Burren Castle Hotel
Int'l Tel 00 353 (0)65-70 74344
Int'l Fax 00 353 (0)65-70 74152