A 2015 study conducted by the Irish Journal of Occupational Therapy revealed that only 1 in 10 people who lived in Ireland were on Tinder. Nowadays it’s much more mainstream for most single people to have a dating app on their phone at some point.
While online dating apps — and other sites for long-term relationships — were once met with skepticism by people in Ireland, that stigma has decreased year after year.
Online dating success stories have proven that dating sites can legitimately work. Curious about which sites work best for people in Ireland? Here are the most popular options today.
eharmony
- Relationships: Casual Dates, Deep Relationships
- Match System: Personality test suggests matches
- Our Experts Say: Accounting for 2% of U.S. marriages, eharmony’s compatibility-based system and commitment-minded user base are ideal for those seeking a serious relationship. Our Review »
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The dating site eharmony isn’t just popular in the United States — it’s also well known in Ireland. The site is quick to note that dating can be especially difficult for singles today — especially when also factoring in the high cost of living in Ireland.
“An Ireland dating site is a good way to find new singles in your area you wouldn’t typically encounter in your day-to-day life,” eharmony states. “It also lets you date from anywhere for free, so you can economize on time. And the best part is everyone on free dating sites in Ireland is open to some form of romance.”
The platform’s focus on building real relationships is one of the many reasons why it’s so attractive to Irish singles. It also happens to be completely free to set up a profile and take the personality quiz. The user-friendly features make it easy for those who may not be as technologically inclined to start making connections. The site depends on its compatibility matching system to spark love stories, and its formula is based on psychological principles of relationships.
- Relationships: Hookups, Casual Dates, Affairs
- Match System: Search by age, location, appearance, and more
- Our Experts Say: With its massive user base and advanced privacy features, Ashley Madison is the #1 site for discreet hookups, dates, or relationships. Our Review »
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While Ashley Madison has a reputation for supporting discreet relationships and clandestine liasons in the dating scene. Dating is not a one-size-fits-all situation, and it’s true that many Irish residents are looking for companionship without commitment.
Browsing Ashley Madison is especially worthwhile for women, who can chat for free. The website originated in 2001 and is the first dating website to welcome married people. It’s been a helpful resource for polyamorous couples and individuals looking for secret relationships or unconventional connections. To quote the motto of the Ashley Madison team, “Where discretion meets desire.”
3. OkCupid
OkCupid is a great platform for singles of all kinds. The app strives to make matches based on mutual compatibility and uses an abundance of survey questions to narrow down a user’s selection of candidates. It’s not afraid to ask big questions if it ensures a better match for its users.
According to its internal statistics, OkCupid makes over 91 million connections every year, and is responsible for setting up about 50,000 dates per week.
Created by Harvard graduates, OkCupid has always been a data-driven platform. It was also the first dating site to roll out an app to help daters pursue matches and conversation anywhere they go. OkCupid doesn’t put mile-radius restrictions on users, and it’s possible for an Irish person to use the platform to chat with European singles, American singles, and other singles around the world.
4. Bumble
Last but not least, Irish singles should consider downloading Bumble, which has been growing in popularity for years — especially in Ireland. The company ran a user analysis that found its membership base included a slew of new Irish singles looking for a relationship. Overall, Bumble saw over 1 billion matches and nearly 7 billion messages sent via the app during 2020.
Oddly enough, the online app has also attracted plenty of fans of the zodiac. The team says, “In Ireland, people who added their star sign to their profile last month saw a 66% increase in average number of matches than those who did not.” So Bumble isn’t just good for Irish people — it’s good for Irish Libras hoping to find Irish Leos.
FAQs: Is Match a Good Dating Website for Irish Singles?
Match launched in 1995 as the first popular dating service to offer online matchmaking. Though it began in Texas, it has since expanded to 50 countries, including Ireland.
- Relationships: Friends, Dates, and Relationships
- Match System: Browse by zip, age, appearance, more
- Our Experts Say: Match has facilitated the most dates and relationships of any dating site, and its large audience and high success rate make it our top review. Our Review »
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Match is an excellent choice for Irish singles. While it may be more well-known in the United States and Canada, Match still has a sizable number of users from Ireland (and all around the world) who have active profiles. If you’re Irish but currently living in the United States and are looking for a diverse match, don’t worry — you’ll have plenty of profiles to peruse.
What Are the Best Dating Sites for Gay Men in Ireland?
While many popular websites are LGBTQ-friendly, there are a few specific sites that are especially good choices for gay men in Ireland. Grindr is a popular gay dating app that naturally comes to mind. The swiping app is known for facilitating local matches that often lead to hookups.
If you want to keep things really casual, MenNation is a hookup site for men only. MenNation has a huge following and touts itself as the largest gay hookup site in the world. The website allows posting nude photos and erotic content, plus it has a video streaming section where men leave little to the imagination.
- Relationships: Daters & Hookups
- Match System: Search by age, zip code, more
- Our Experts Say: MenNation is a well-established gay dating and hookup brand, having been founded in 1996. It’s totally free to join, view profiles, receive matches, and flirt. Our Review »
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SCRUFF is another gay dating app commonly used by gay, bisexual, and queer men. The app has been steadily gaining popularity, with over 20 million profiles and counting. Irish men can download SCRUFF and use the local matching or travel feature to connect with potential dates all over the world.
It’s important to note that none of these apps and sites perform background checks, so you’ll want to be extra careful in how you share your information and vet matches.
Is There an Irish Dating App?
Single people living in Ireland should consider downloading Swanned, which was created specifically for British and Irish expats. The app offers a helpful solution for people who’ve moved overseas and want to find a community or companion with a similar background. Swanned is populated by people who understand the struggle of being far away from friends and family. Even if you don’t find true love, you may find a wonderful social network and new friends for life.
Irish People Can Find Romance & Love Online
Online dating is very much an international affair, and many popular apps have a robust following in European countries like Ireland. The Irish dating sites on this list have millions of members and countless success stories to back their matchmaking features.
It doesn’t cost anything to download a dating app or create a profile on a dating website, so it’s worth a shot to see who’s out there. Even if you don’t immediately find love, online dating can be a great way to be more social and find like-minded communities you may not have connected with otherwise.
