On a recent driving trip around Ireland, we passed through Lisdoonvarna, population 800, the site of the photo featured on this week's Sepia Saturday. Banners announcinhg "Matchmaking" events were being removed from the streets. Later we read that Lisdoonvarna hosts the world's largest match making festival; as many as 40,000 people from all around the world descend on the place looking for love. Matchmaking is one of Ireland's oldest traditions and for the last couple of hundred years, a good deal of it has taken place in Lisdoonvarna during September and early October.
Here's a link to a video about the event and an interview with one of the famous matchmakers, the third generation of his family in the business. He's made 3000 matches and claims if you lay both hands on his magic book, you'll be in love within 6 months.
Match Maker Ireland
Stretching my imagination to the absolute limit (I can hear it creaking), perhaps there's a link between Lisdoonvarna's matchmaking activities and our photo. Could this disgruntled old lady be a match maker and could these people be looking for love?
On second thought, setting aside all far-fetched romantic notions, I think this grumpy looking woman is renting out the clothes piled in a heap behind her. The hapless group of men and woman could be bird watchers (two of them are holding something - binoculars or martinis?) dumped out here for the day only to find themselves totally unprepared for the muddy weather. Instead of being a helpless old woman on the verge of eviction, is she an opportunistic entrepreneur ignoring their pleas for help (the turned face) and raising the price of the clothing rental as the velocity of the rain increases?
For more ideas about this very strange encounter, grab your bumbershoot and visit
http://sepiasaturday.blogspot.com/
Unbelievable...all of it! Mostly that you've actually been there.
ReplyDeleteAnd Matchmaking???? I thought you meant making matches to light cigarettes with. It couldn't possibly be the other kind of matchmaking...but alas!!!!! Shall I book a flight? Nah!
Barbara
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ReplyDeleteHmm, the Sepia Saturday photo prompt hardly looks the part where matchmaking would be happening. It is a very curious photo indeed. Lisdoonvarna must look very different today.
ReplyDeleteIf the lady in the SS prompt is a matchmaker, I'm sure there will be many divorces in Ireland :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a neat place! Better than Reno or Las Vegas, where you can just get married.
ReplyDeleteI liked your interpretation of the old woman, too funny.
Kathy M.
Oh, this sounds like the Amy Adams movie "Leap Year." If I weren't already matched, I would be tempted if for no other reason than to enjoy the atmosphere of a lovely Irish village.
ReplyDeleteI's read that about matchmaking too but I don't think the lady attendant at the well would be in the running!
ReplyDeleteI don't think the matchmaker has to be good looking or young so the old woman could be. However, I doubt it ;-D
ReplyDeleteI guess it had to happen - one of us was bound to have been at the scene of our prompt photo. The Matchmaker Bar does a roaring trade it seems. Looks fun if a liitle late for me.
ReplyDeleteI think this is the most interesting of stories and I'm curious to find out more! I'm thinking there may not be much luck for our dear old lady!
ReplyDeleteOops, I meant to say thanks for including that fabulous link as well!
ReplyDeleteBy very great coincidence, I picked up a DVD of an Irish/American comedy entitled, "The Matchmaker" at my local thrift store on Saturday. It takes place in a fictitious town called "Ballinagra" (translated from the Gaelic, it means "Town of Love") and tho' I've seen it once before, and can't recall, I'm betting it's shot in Lisdoonvarna!
ReplyDeleteP.S. I should have said that I was on my HONEYMOON in Lisdoonvarna in 1994.
ReplyDeleteInteresting interpretation and very beautiful old photo.
ReplyDeleteCiao Helen. :)
I enjoyed this twist. Still thinking about the guy in the video that said "I don't drink. I do my own laundry. What more could you want?" Ha ha
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