Tag Archives: Willie Daly

Lisdoonvarna Matchmaker Willie Daly could be facing an unusual challenge in September. A Kerry bachelor farmer, convicted of driving with excess alcohol, will not be put off the road until he has an opportunity to “find a nice woman” at the Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival, who could drive him around. John O’Shea, aged 60, of Derrinadin, Mastergeeha, had previously pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol at Tarmons, Waterville, on July 25, 2014. Mr O’Shea’s  solicitor John O’Dwyer, son of the famous Mick O’Dwyer, reminded the court in Cahersiveen that “football had been his downfall on the day.” On the date of the offence, he had gone to Waterville for animal feed for his cows and ended up talking about Kerry’s performance in the Munster Final, forgetting to eat and drinking too much, hitting the ditch on the way home in what was a single vehicle accident. The blood-alcohol reading was 198mg so the offence carried a three-year penalty, the court …

A FORMER UK boxing promoter is to attend the Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival this September, just months after completing a sex-change operation. Kellie Maloney is a well-known transgender person and was formerly known as Frank Maloney, before completing her transition 16 weeks ago. As Frank, she managed Lennox Lewis to the world heavyweight title. Kellie, 61, heard about the festival last year when she was in Dublin for an interview on The Late Late Show. “I tried to get accommodation but there were no hotels available. This year I booked a small cottage, where I can bring my dogs with me,” she said. Kellie is heading to Lisdoonvarna from September 25 to October 4 and also plans to attend the LGBT festival, The Outing. “Now I have completed my journey, I have to decide whether I want a partner or companion. I am going to go to as many events as possible and see what happens. I will throw the dice …

Lisdoonvarna looks set to attract even more visitors to its annual matchmaking festival this September after its most famous son featured in the New York Times recently. The North Clare Spa town, by all accounts, attracted record tourist numbers during the five-week festival last year. However, one local hotelier says interest is already surging, from the United States in particular, following Willie Daly’s extensive coverage in the well-known paper. “This article appearing in the New York Times certainly is a bonus for us. Usually, interest in the festival really gets going in May and June but this is worldwide coverage and getting into something like the New York Times, a well established and world-famous paper, is amazing. That type of press coverage will definitely help Lisdoonvarna this year,” said Marcus White of the White Hotel Group, of which the Hydro Hotel, the Imperial Hotel and the Burren Castle Hotel are all part. The socio-economic demographic of NY Times readers increases …

North Clare matchmaker, Willie Daly has been invited to New York for St Patrick’s Day, following the recent publication of an interview with him in one of the best-known newspapers in the United States. The Lisdoonvarna man was invited to the city by a group of publicans in Brooklyn, to conduct a matchmaking weekend there, after an article about him appeared in the New York Times on February 3. “I was invited off the back of the article but, really, I always have St Patrick’s Day at home with my grandchildren and we always participate in the Ennistymon parade, so I have to weight it up against that,” he said. Last year, following national headlines made by whistleblowers, Willie and his family entered the parade as the tin whistle blowers. “I have suggested to the people who have invited me that maybe April 1 or May Day might be alternative times for a matchmaking weekend. St Patrick’s Day is busy …

An American “celebrity” mother and daughter will be hoping that cupid’s arrow strikes next month during the 157th Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival. According to one of Ireland’s last traditional matchmakers, Willie Daly, the duo joked they would consider hooking up with an Irish father and son during the festival. Mr Daly insists the two Americans are quite “famous and well known in the acting industry” and would be regarded as a “celebrity” couple. However, he isn’t at liberty to disclose their identity at this point in time. He said the mother who was well off and married previously but was keen to find an Irish man who was willing to marry her. They will be part of two large separate groups of Americans travelling from NewYork, MIllapolios and Chicago who will be looking for love on from September 12 to 17 and September 20 to 20th. While Americans are frequent visitors to the Spa town for the matchmaking festival, the third …