THE ancient Irish tradition of matchmaking has come to Scotland, thanks to the launch of a new business by Irishwoman Laura Smyth.
A former headhunter and recruitment consultant, the 34-year-old established the agency after watching her single friends struggle through the dating world and go down blind alleys on dating apps looking for love.
Inspired to bring the Irish tradition to Scotland, Laura launched Match Made In Scotland and now meets singles from Glasgow to Inverness and Edinburgh to Inverness to understand their values and ambitions and help set them up with prospective partners.
“The idea has really taken off and interest is increasing incrementally month on month,” Laura explained. “People are realising that the ease of swiping and the vast choice out there online does not necessarily add up to tangible success, particularly among men.
“They account for 85 per cent of online dating app users in the UK and one study showed they only get a match 0.6 per cent of the time.
“Matchmaking starts with a personal consultation, so I have a really good idea of their personality, their ideals and standards, and I will know if someone on our books will be a good match.
“Many of our clients are established business professionals. They come to us because they are seriously engaged in looking for a suitable partner and happy to invest in their love life. They don’t believe that their ideal person would be on an app and they are attracted to the agency because there is a greater element of safety as we vet applicants, check their photographs are truly representative and confirm their single status. For us—and them—it’s not about screens or algorithms, it’s about authenticity, honesty and integrity.”
With Scots flocking to make the most of the old Irish approach, Laura’s service has seen numerous couples formed—and can give no stronger recommendation than to point to her own love life. Having reconnected with a former boyfriend through Match Made In Scotland she is now engaged and planning her own wedding.
With so many signing up to give the traditional method a try, Laura is now looking to recruit a new matchmaker to meet the demand. With the role requiring empathy, intuition and honesty, she hopes the opportunity can breathe new life into the old ways with the right candidate.
“Our clients don’t have the time nor the inclination to use online dating apps,” she said. “This role of professional matchmaker is to make the matching process run as smoothly as possible and provide excellent customer service. It’s a fantastic opportunity for someone to help shape the future of our business and the needs of our growing client list.”
