Dating in 2025 can feel like navigating a minefield - where a swipe, an algorithm, or even your answer to “the perfect Sunday” prompt can decide your fate.
On Lunchtime Live, Anna Daly was joined by three very different singletons to explore how each of them navigates the search for ‘the one’ in the age of online dating.
Spin 1038’s Katie Gallagher confessed that she’s yet to go on a first date, admitting she worries about “wasting an evening.”
She told Anna that disrupting her nightly routine is a challenge:
“I like going home and watching The Housewives. I don’t know if I’m willing to text somebody on an app and pretend I care about their day,” she said.
Katie said she only opens the apps when she’s mindlessly bored on a Sunday evening.
“I might have a look… and then I’m depressed again,” she said.
“I just can’t fancy someone off an app.”
Dating apps
However, Newstalk’s Ciara Treacy sees it differently - describing online dating as “window shopping”.
“I’m just looking for a bit of craic,” Ciara explained.
“We’ll go out for a drink and even though I know this isn’t my future husband sat across from me, I just know it’s a bit of fun.”
Ciara said she wants to make the most of her youth by meeting new people, enjoying post-work pints and having a laugh.
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Actor and comedian Conzo focused on the financial strain that casual dating can put on men.
He told the show that “dinner on Dawson Street every night of the week” takes a serious toll on his bank account.
In today’s dating landscape, he believes men are expected to have “the full package” - a stable job, a good car, and financial security.
The 35-year-old also argued that dating apps, much like social media, can be “just as destructive to society at large,” and the mentality that “the next person could be even better” is making him lose hope on the love front.
Ciara added that she’s always “happy to split the bill,” as she “doesn’t like the idea of a man paying for me,” while Katie said that although she prefers to pay her own way, she still enjoys the “romantic gesture” of a man picking up the cheque on a first date.
The discussion highlighted that dating in 2025 is a highly personal experience, with no one-size-fits-all approach.
