Waterford ranked one of Ireland's top dating hotspots ahead of Valentines Day 2026
The mix of city buzz and seaside settings in Waterford makes it a popular spot for those hoping their find their online match
Ahead of Valentines Day 2026, Waterford has been named one of Ireland’s biggest online dating hotspots in Ireland.
New figures show that Waterford has ranked third nationally for dating-related searches in the run-up to Valentine’s Day.
New analysis of Google search data shows singles in Waterford 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.
Data compiled by Virgin Media Ireland, found that Waterford recorded over 1,000 dating-related searches and 793 searches per 100,000 people.
As Ireland’s oldest city, Waterford has centuries of romantic history behind it, from Viking love stories to modern-day Valentine’s dates along the coast.
The mix of city buzz and seaside settings makes it a popular spot for those hoping their online match might turn into something more.
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 Waterford singles are already getting back on the apps, hoping to line up a date or see where a match might lead.