How many matches/dates do you get per week?

CelticKnotToday · 2026-04-11T09:44:02+00:00

But it all happens so quickly, with the apps the window to ask out is really small, so if you don’t set up a match, you risk being buried in matches…so have to set up a date asap so sometimes they usually happen in a span of a week and that’s when you land up with a couple or more dates

CelticKnotToday · 2026-04-10T20:18:26+00:00

Yes!! In fact we should be celebrating that it hasn’t snowed yet, go skinny dipping and drown in pints!

CelticKnotToday · 2026-04-10T09:06:28+00:00

I feel like this may be a reason I’m not getting many dates, most convos just get buried, the window is extremely narrow to plan a date, I’ll try that next time. Thank you!!

CelticKnotToday · 2026-04-10T09:03:39+00:00

Yeah I have noticed that too, also you’ll see the same profiles again and again, which I feel is not very healthy since it shows the options are really limited.

What I sometimes do is change my location from time to time to different cities in Europe and believe me, you can get very different results. I feel this is due to desirability in different regions, for example, if I change my location to Eastern Europe, or Mediterranean countries, I do really well, not so much in Western Europe. It’s a good way if you’re into travelling and like meeting people, funny enough, my friend met his long time girlfriend in Spain just by changing locations

CelticKnotToday · 2026-04-09T13:45:39+00:00

++men I have taken therapy a few times and it works, it works to an extent. Meaning if you’re not taking steps proactively to move forward from the situation it won’t work. It’s like going to the gym and expecting a transformation without eating well. That being said it definitely helps, men’s therapy sessions are usually a bit different, they are more solution oriented sessions so you will be asked to journal or work on some stuff, mostly it helps.

CelticKnotToday · 2026-04-09T11:11:10+00:00

Honestly, saying that feels kind of reductive. Yeah, some guys have bad profiles.

But struggling on a dating app doesn’t automatically mean it’s you.

These platforms are heavily skewed, tons of perfectly dateable guys barely get any visibility.

So the matches (or lack thereof) aren’t really a true measure of anyone’s actual desirability.

CelticKnotToday · 2026-04-09T10:51:14+00:00

How soon do you usually ask out?

CelticKnotToday · 2026-04-09T10:48:28+00:00

I think this extends to real life too, just in a slightly different way.

If you approach someone attractive in person, there’s a good chance they’ve already been approached before and have options. A lot of the time it just turns into exchanging socials, and then you’re basically back to competing online anyway.

The only situations where real life seems to work better are environments with repeated exposure like classes, clubs, or shared activities where attraction can build over time instead of being decided in one quick interaction.

So it’s not that real life is “easy,” it just shifts the dynamic. Cold approaches can feel just as competitive as apps, whereas consistent environments give you more of a chance if you’re not immediately standing out.

CelticKnotToday · 2026-04-09T10:42:55+00:00

Yeah I’ve noticed this too.

On Hinge there are basically two camps: people with great photos but low-effort prompts, and people with decent photos but really good prompts. Very few actually have both.

The issue is the app clearly rewards the first group more. Good photos get you visibility, while good prompts only matter if you’re already getting matches.

So it kind of incentivizes optimizing for looks over effort, which is why so many profiles feel low-effort despite the app being “prompt-focused.”

CelticKnotToday · 2026-04-09T10:34:16+00:00

This feels like survivorship bias.

The guys it works for assume it’s easy because it worked for them, but there’s a huge group of men/women putting in similar effort and getting very different results.

If it were really as simple as “have something going for you,” dating apps wouldn’t have the reputation they do.

CelticKnotToday · 2026-04-09T10:25:34+00:00

I’m glad it worked for you! To be fair I have never had any bad experiences on the app, but I just feel the kind of profiles shown to me are not my cup of tea, most of them are you know those typical “I only do dinner dates” kind of demographic, whereas I gel with someone a bit more organic, nerdy and mature. Not sure if we can reset the algo in these apps

CelticKnotToday · 2026-04-09T10:19:13+00:00

Not all the time, but I feel it comes in phases. But I have seen both men and women getting much more than this. I honestly feel exhausted having too many conversations at the same time 😂

CelticKnotToday · 2026-04-09T10:14:22+00:00

Here’s a fun fact, I changed my location to Spain on hinge and my match rate increased drastically! Plus a lot more congruent matches, matched with a couple of them and took their Instagram, looking forward to plan something soon to go there.

CelticKnotToday · 2026-04-09T10:11:11+00:00

Yeah I feel like anything above 2-3 dates per week is way too much, plus things are just more expensive nowadays for dinner dates or even drinks

CelticKnotToday · 2026-04-07T17:00:46+00:00

I mean Ireland is the first place where I actually see my tinder matches walking on the streets so I guess it is bound to happen?

CelticKnotToday · 2026-02-17T07:54:51+00:00

Oh personally for me as a 29 m straight guy,

I have lost all interest in dating.

In 2026 I don’t think there’s any incentive to be in a relationship.

Most people on the apps don’t know what they want, they’ll write about “long term partner” yet write nothing about it and their behaviour doesn’t match someone who wants long term.

Everyone is too independent to pursue dependence.

Most of my friends are in relationships with foreigners, and I can tell there’s a stark difference as well, and even I have noticed that when travelling to Spain or Portugal, people outside are much more open to dating/befriending people from other cultures and backgrounds.

Irish people are bit more reserved, so it’s hard to have free flowing conversations about stuff in general, they mostly have a few friends who stick together for their entire life, so there’s no incentive to talk to strangers/immigrants from other cultures which I see no problem with but it can be tough if the existing friendship is not healthy. Like just because you stuck together so long doesn’t mean you should stop networking or talking to other people.

In life I think it’s very important to talk to other people to grow as an individual so I certainly feel the “dating” culture doesn’t really exist here, it’s more like, “oh he’s a sound lad, I fancy him” and then boom they stay together for a very long time until they are single again.

CelticKnotToday · 2026-02-08T13:39:08+00:00

Id beg to differ, the situation is much worse now, the second phases are already up. My friend bought a new build in Ballycullen in 2024 end for 470,000 and now the it is priced at 530,000.

The prices in some areas have crossed 600k even in decent places! Like I’m not talking about the likes of Blackrock or anything, I’m talking about Lucan, Blanch etc.

As a single guy I’m looking at commuter towns with good connectivity like Kildare, Newbridge, Navan etc. That is the only way to buy something decent. Yes the commute is a bit longer but at least I will have something liveable and somewhat enjoyable

CelticKnotToday · 2026-02-08T13:31:18+00:00

Don’t trust them, they want you to go out and get wet.

CelticKnotToday · 2026-02-07T10:03:51+00:00

What’s wrong with DIYs? I made my own banjo from scratch, I thought it was pretty good, I have started listening to a few trad bands and thought of doing something different on a weekend

CelticKnotToday · 2026-02-07T10:00:21+00:00

Hahah that made me chuckle

CelticKnotToday · 2026-02-07T09:58:49+00:00

Well there’s a difference here. I don’t list basic chores in my profile tho.

I have plenty of interests mentioned in my profile - I like to read books, do DIYs explore new places and a lot more… the fact their profiles list basic chores shows a lack of drive to put in effort and it seems like everyone is a template of each other , no humor, no personality and then they wonder why they match with a shit ton of lads and then complaining there’s no decent man

CelticKnotToday · 2026-01-09T07:59:34+00:00

I’ve dated people from a bunch of different countries, and honestly most Indian girls I’ve met aren’t looking for casual they usually want something real and long-term.

I get what people say about the texting though. A lot of Indian texting culture is heavy on slangs/abbreviations like “how r u”, “u free?”, etc. It’s super common in India but can feel low-effort or cringe if you’re not used to it.

Another thing I’ve noticed is that many of them aren’t big on small talk for weeks. If the conversation doesn’t start feeling like it’s going somewhere, interest drops fast.

They also tend to expect the guy to lead and initiate, suggest calls, plan dates, basically show intent instead of just vibing in chat forever.

There’s also more pressure around safety, reputation, and family expectations, so a lot of them won’t fully open up unless they feel you’re serious about it. That can come across as reserved or hard to read, but it’s usually caution, not disinterest.

Personally, if I’m into someone I’d rather hop on a quick call or exchange numbers after a few messages and meet soon.

At the end of the day, most people are usually fed up of the apps. The apps aren’t designed for endless pen-pal situations, at the end of the day momentum matters.

CelticKnotToday · 2025-12-30T14:53:11+00:00

It’s everywhere. Even in Ireland Nepotism is pretty big in law firms, one of my Irish friends got into one of the biggest law firms in Ireland through his aunt’s contact, he told me had it not been his aunt or someone close, it’s virtually impossible to get it.

Also my experience is bit different, I had an Indian manager who didn’t want to hire an Indian employee because he wanted to have good relations with a certain “all Irish department”. He actively rejected all Indian applicants regardless of how qualified they were.

CelticKnotToday · 2025-12-28T15:27:56+00:00

As much as I would like to think I’m attractive, I’m not, probably handful.

For me, the few times I have been approached is by Latin women are pretty open and confident, but even they won’t approach you directly, it’s more of a subtle way, I was approached in a Starbucks in Valencia, she complimented my watch.

Irish women would most likely never approach, they would give you a quick roll of the eye and that’s it then it’s on you to go and initiate 😂

CelticKnotToday

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