During our 2022 Musical Tour of Ireland, we visited Lisdoonvarna, a small village in County Clare on Ireland’s west coast. Despite its population of fewer than 1,000 residents, the town is internationally renowned for its annual Matchmaking Festival, held each September.

Dating back to 1857, the festival is one of Europe’s largest matchmaking events, drawing more than 40,000 hopeful romantics, bachelor farmers, and fun-loving revelers each year.

The matchmaking tradition is celebrated in the song “Catch Me If You Can,” which we had the pleasure of performing with Irish musician Pat Dowling in the town square of Lisdoonvarna.