Lisdoon’s love doctor takes to the high seas
Matchmake r hired by cruise f irm
A CARIBBEAN cruise ship is about to be turned into a Love Boat after the hiring of Lisdoonvarna’s most famous resident.
Ireland’s last traditional matchmaker, Willie Daly, is to play Cupid onboard a luxury liner next January during a two-week cruise of the Caribbean.
The third-generation matchmaker said: ‘It’ll be my first time on a cruise and I’ve been asked to try to create a bit of romance with the single passengers.
‘I don’t know what to expect but it’s happening in January and it’s been organised with a company in the US.
‘I think it’ll be a bit of craic. I’ll be doing the matchmaking, but I’ll also be telling the passengers some stories and I’ll be bringing my tin whistle and guitar along to entertain them.’
In the meantime, Willie is preparing to introduce hundreds of couples at the annual North Clare matchmaking festival, which kicked off on Friday.
And speaking last week ahead of the six-week love fest in Lis- doonvarna, Co. Clare, the 73year-old farmer said he believes his old-fashioned methods offer a far better chance for singletons to find lasting romance than dating sites and high-tech apps.
The love doctor, who still insists on being present to introduce couples on their first date, said: ‘I don’t go near the internet myself and I’m certain the old way of matchmaking is far better than any computer.
‘The best part of it is when I introduce a couple for the first time. I’ll sit down with them, introduce them and maybe have a cup of tea.
‘I’m there to stop any awkward moments and I can usually see straight away if there’s a spark there and if it’s going to work out. There isn’t a computer that could do that.
‘There’ll always be a place for this type of matchmaking in the west of Ireland, because there’s so much rural isolation and still a lot of lonely bachelors out there.
‘I’ve probably introduced around 1,500 people over the past 12 months, many of whom would be in their 50s, 60s and 70s. But I’d like to hear from more young people who are looking to meet someone. It’s far more effective to touch a person than the keys of a computer.”
Willie, who still uses the family’s 100-year-old ledger to conjure up romances, said he expects this year’s festival to be the busiest in years.
He said: ‘There’s been huge interest in the past couple of weeks. It’s been a bad summer and I think people are looking forward to letting their hair down.’