Lisdoonvarna’s matchmaker wants to make a good LGBT match

Lisdoonvarna love doctor Willie Daly admits that so far he hasn't had much luck finding matches at the LGBT matchmaking festival in County Clare, The Outing.

Lisdoonvarna love doctor Willie Daly admits that so far he hasn't had much luck finding matches at the LGBT matchmaking festival in County Clare, The Outing.

He may have conjured up thousands of lasting relationships and marriages over his 60-year career as Ireland's last surviving traditional matchmaker.  But Lisdoonvarna love doctor Willie Daly has admitted his attempts at creating romance among single members of the LGBT community haven't been quite as successful. 

Cupid Daly will once again be bringing his tried-and-tested dating techniques to this year's The Outing festival, which takes place later this month.  And the 77-year-old father of eight, who first started matchmaking at just 15 years of age, said he's now set his sights on conjuring up his first gay marriage. 

The third-generation matchmaker said, "I haven't been as successful with members of the gay community. I've made a number of introductions, and some of those may lead to marriage in the future.

 “But as yet there haven't been any marriages. I do hope this changes, and I'll be working on it at the Outing.

" Three-times Eurovision winner Johnny Logan will be the headline act at this year's Outing, which takes place in the grounds of plush Dromoland Castle for the first time. "

Meanwhile, Daly is busy working his magic at the month-long Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival. And speaking about his lifelong involvement with the love-fest, which is Europe's biggest singles event, he told how he'd no plans to retire anytime soon from playing Cupid. 

The part-time farmer, who still uses a tatty, 160-year-old love ledger to make his matches said, "There's a magic about Lisdoonvarna which you don't get anywhere else in the world, and being involved with it is the highlight of the year for me. "I'm looking forward to making many more introductions, and hopefully seeing many fellas getting down on bended knees and proposing over the next few weeks." 