How to Meet Someone in Ireland

Co-authored by Maya Diamond, MA

Last Updated: June 5, 2025 References

The Irish people are legendary for their love of conversation, so even as a new arrival it's not too challenging to meet people. Whether you're looking for friends or a potential romantic partner, things in Ireland usually start with casual get-togethers and shared activities. Explore Ireland's many opportunities for outings and events with an open mind, and you'll set yourself up for passion and excitement in your future.

1

Get to know people at the pub.

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Both friendships and relationships often begin here. A long, relaxed chat at the pub is the prime way to fit into local culture. Even if you don't have friends or colleagues to go with, sit at the counter and you'll generally find people are happy to talk to you.^{[1]
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Research source} If you're looking for a date, it's also common to start with a few casual group visits to the pub before you suggest more formal, one-on-one plans.^{[2]
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- It's standard etiquette for each person in a group to take a turn buying a round. Don't feel pressured to accept a drink every time, but definitely offer when it's your turn if you want to make friends.^{[3]
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- Smaller, independent pubs tend to be a bit better for meeting strangers than large chain pubs.^{[4]
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  Research source} Try another place if you're not having any luck—chances are you won't have to walk far.

2

Join a sports club.

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It shouldn't be hard to find a local sports club, especially if you're interested in the traditional Irish team sports of Gaelic football, hurling, association football, and rugby.^{[5]
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Research source} Ireland's large immigrant population also makes it fairly easy to find people interested in just about any sport, and most of them have national directories online to help you find a place to play.^{[6]
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3

Explore the countryside with a walking group.

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Whether you want a gentle stroll or a weekend-long hike, you can find like-minded company. This activity leaves plenty of time for conversation, and complimenting locals on their island's undeniable beauty is not a bad start to making friends. Start making plans at https://www.getirelandwalking.ie/join-a-walking-group or one of the many local rambling and walking clubs.

4

Meet people who share your interests at social clubs and events.

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Organize meetups with online resources, or join an existing group. Whether you're looking for friendship or romance, a common interest is a great foundation. New arrivals often look for like-minded people on the website Meetup, or the Ireland-specific alternative https://bffinder.ie/. If you don't have a specific hobby in mind, join a community organization like a Lions Club, Rotary Club, or Arch Club.^{[7]
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- Looking for something new? Sign up to learn Irish traditional music or dancing, or stop by during a pub session for a more casual commitment.

5

Join a volunteer effort.

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If you're feeling listless and out of place in a new country, volunteering can help you feel useful and grounded in a community. You also tend to meet a wide variety of people that you might otherwise never run into. Whether you want to work on a farm or put on a theater performance, you can look for opportunities in the national Ireland database at https://www.i-vol.ie/advanced-search/. If you're in or near Northern Ireland, check out https://www.volunteernow.co.uk/volunteering-opportunities/ as well.

6

Date online.

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Online dating is common for all types of people in Ireland. While this wasn't true even ten years ago, dating apps and websites are now extremely common and no longer carry the stigma they once did.^{[8]
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Research source} You can browse through dozens of apps to find one that suits your situation and desired level of seriousness. Bumble, POF, Tinder, and Match.com all have plenty of Irish users. Hinge markets itself toward more serious daters, while Lumen is strictly for the over-50s.^{[9]
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- A successful approach to online dating takes honesty about what you're looking for, hard boundaries for your deal-breakers, and maybe a capacity for eye-rolling and moving on.

7

Find a date at the Lisdoonvarna matchmaking festival.

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This is one of Europe's largest events for single people. All through September, tens of thousands of people looking for love attend this festival in a small town on Ireland's west coast. The odds are in your favour with those numbers, if you enjoy finding partners over drinks and dancing.
- The town will be filled with partiers all month long, but you might need to buy a ticket for some of the weekend concerts.^{[10]
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  Research source} And since it's a small place, it's probably a good idea to arrange your accommodation well in advance.
- If you're planning to go in 2021, check the website to keep up to date—the organizers will decide in July whether the festival is on this year.^{[11]
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- This festival recently inspired an annual LGBT+ matchmaking festival, The Outing. Its 2022 event starts on the 11th of February in Dromoland.^{[12]
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8

Look online to find local LGBTQ+ communities.

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You can find LGBTQ-friendly events and places in most Irish cities. Ireland has become a much safer and accepting place, and the scene in Dublin is especially thriving.^{[13]
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Research source} To find your way into this community, look for LGBTQ+ events in your city on sites like Meetup, or search for LGBTQ-specific websites for your city.
- You can start with the message board Gaire.com and the news outlet GCN.ie, which cover all of Ireland.

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Tips

Chatting with strangers is much more common in Ireland than it is on the neighbouring island. Go ahead and strike up a conversation on a train or with someone waiting at the bus stop. Of course, strangers usually stick to light topics like the weather, not any personal details or fraught topics like politics.^{[14]
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Research source} This rarely leads to friendships, but it doesn't hurt to mention you're new in town and interested in getting to know the area.

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Irish people tend not to share personal details too quickly. Go slow and keep the conversation casual the first few times you meet someone.^{[15]
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