Over 60s dating in Dublin: company, conversation and maybe more

Dublin is a city where people still stop to chat, and that makes it a good place to meet someone later in life. Yet plenty of Dubliners in their sixties and seventies find themselves single again after a long marriage, a divorce or years of caring for family, and are not sure where to begin. Over 60s dating in Dublin does not have to mean late nights in town. It can be a walk under the trees in the Phoenix Park, a coffee in a gallery café or an afternoon among the palms in Glasnevin, with someone who also wants good company.

What is over 60s dating in Dublin like?

Over 60s dating in Dublin is mostly a daytime affair. People tend to meet for a walk, a light lunch or a visit to somewhere they have meant to see for years, and the city has an unusual number of free places that suit exactly that. Many singles over 60 in Dublin also have grandchildren, a garden, a choir or a weekly golf game, so a first meeting usually fits around a full week rather than replacing it.

Where a dating site helps is in knowing who is free and looking. At a club or a parish event you can never be sure who is single, let alone who would welcome a date. On Forever Match Senior every member is there to meet someone, each profile states plainly whether the member is after friendship, company or a relationship, and the daily suggestions start with people from Dublin and the surrounding counties.

Where else can you meet people over 60 in Dublin?

You can meet people over 60 in Dublin through the clubs and groups that already fill many retired people's weeks. Active Retirement Ireland is a national network of local Active Retirement Associations that run outings, social events, classes and sport, and there are associations right across the city and county. Dublin City Council's age-friendly work also points to Men's Sheds, where men meet to work on projects together, and to Walk and Talk groups.

Groups like these are lovely for friendship and they keep your diary full. They are less reliable for romance, because most people there are not looking for a partner. Plenty of Dubliners do both: a weekly group for the social life, and Forever Match Senior to see who would like to meet one to one.

Getting around Dublin for a date over 60

Getting to a date in Dublin is cheap once you are 66. Everyone aged 66 and over who lives permanently in Ireland can use the Free Travel Scheme, which covers Dublin Bus, the DART, the Luas, Irish Rail and Bus Éireann, though not the Airlink buses, with no restrictions on the time of day. You need an in-date Free Travel Public Services Card to use it. From 70, everyone is entitled to a companion card as well, so a friend or partner can travel with you free of charge. Most of the places above are a short walk from a Luas or bus stop, and the Botanic Gardens and the Phoenix Park are served by several bus routes.