Carlow singles go swipe-mad as county named one of Ireland's biggest dating hotspots

Carlow has been named one of Ireland’s biggest online dating hotspots, with new figures showing the county ranks second nationally for dating-related searches in the run-up to Valentine’s Day.

New analysis of Google search data shows singles in Carlow are turning to dating apps and websites in big numbers every February as people look to line up dates, meet someone new or give online dating another go ahead of February 14.

The study, compiled by Virgin Media Ireland, found that Carlow recorded 1,001 dating-related searches per 100,000 people during February across the past three years, placing the county second in Ireland behind only Dublin.

The figures show a clear spike in online dating activity in Carlow around Valentine’s season each year, as locals dust off dating apps and start swiping again in the hope of finding a match.

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With a busy nightlife and a compact town centre, Carlow is seen as a county where online connections can quickly move from messages to real-life meet-ups, with plenty of pubs, cafés and restaurants offering easy first-date options.

Dublin topped the national rankings, with Carlow coming in second, followed by Waterford, Longford and Leitrim.

The analysis looked at Google searches for terms including “dating apps”, “dating sites” and “online dating” across the month of February from 2023 to 2025, when interest in dating is typically at its highest due to Valentine’s Day.

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it appears plenty of Carlow singles are already getting back on the apps, hoping to line up a date or see where a match might lead.