Shifty First Dates – The Her.ie Guide To Dating In Ireland: What Are You Up To?

In this weekly feature, Her.ie goes behind enemy lines to see what it’s really like to be single in Ireland. From speed dating to making speedy escapes, our no-holds-barred blog will follow our attempts to venture into the dating jungle, play the field and share any wisdom that we finds along the way.

---

What are you up to? Dating can be a confusing and lonely business at times and while most of us are in it together, it can often feel a bit like you're the only Bridget Jones left in the country. So, it's always interesting to find out exactly what the rest of the country has been up to when it comes to matters of the heart. Radio station SPIN 103.8 recently carried out a sex and relationship survey, questioning 1,000 people on their dating rituals and views on love and marriage. We were surprised with someone of the findings... to say the least! While online dating is becoming more and more common, only 40 per cent of those surveyed had used a dating app, with 86 per cent saying that they had never had a meaningful relationship through this method. However, that doesn't mean that the Irish are leaving techonology out of their bedroom business as 48 per cent admitted to sending naked photos via their phones. The survey also revealed that 72 per cent of is have had unprotected sex but a worrying 80 per cent of people said they don't carry condoms at all – with 100 per cent of women saying they don’t! Now ladies, there's just no excuse for this one! Condoms were legalised in Ireland in the 1970s and carrying a johnny in your purse does not make you a Loose Linda, a Easy Elaine or signify in any way that you're going to sleep with the first guy that comes along. Think about it this way. Which is more embarrassing - carrying a condom or having to call up your ex-partners after realising you picked up an STI during that sneaky one-night stand? Case closed. One in three people have admitted to cheating on their other half, with the majority of those being male. However, 89 per cent have admitted to a strong belief in marriage, mirroring the female figure of 90 per cent. Getting down to business, only 24 per cent of males have admitted to participating in a threesome, while porn still plays a part in current relationships with 51 per cent of people saying that they watch it with a partner. You often hear that romance is dead but it appears not, as 60 per cent of guys still want to celebrate Valentine's Day and 84 per cent still believe in love. HALLELUJAH! Over half (54 per cent) lost their virginity between the ages of 17 and 19, while two per cent were over 34 years of age. Only five per cent said they had slept with over 30 sexual partners, with 31 per cent of people saying they are into role play. Fifty per cent of those surveyed said that they had tried anal sex and sent naked photos, with 39 per cent of women and 64 per cent of men admitting to sleeping with someone on the first meeting. We've said it before, we'll say it again... CONDOMS!!! That's all for this week:) We want to hear your dating stories! Email us hello@her.ie or find us on Twitter @Herdotie!