Core Research Finds 2 in 5 People will Celebrate Valentine's Day in Ireland

Over the past number of years, the pandemic and the rise of digital has impacted all corners of our lives – and dating and relationships are no exception. Valentine’s Day in 2023 is a return to normality compared to previous years but how do Irish people feel about the day itself?

According to new research conducted by Core, Ireland’s largest marketing communications company, the majority of adults (c. 60%) believe it is nice to be romantic on Valentine’s Day, however, just under half of adults say they never celebrate the day of romance.

Four in five people feel that Valentine’s Day has become too commercialised, with three in five believing that the day itself is too focused on “loved up” couples.  While many restaurants will be booked out on Tuesday night, seven in ten adults say they prefer staying in rather than going out on a date.

While nearly a third of all adults say romantic relationships are more important than friendships, almost half of adults believe the opposite is true. In particular, women are more likely to believe friendships are more important than romantic relationships, while men are more likely to feel the opposite is the case.

Commenting on the results Stephen Mooney, research project manager at Core said, “While Valentine’s day traditionally marks all things 'loved up', it’s clear from this research that romantic relationships are only one part of our more extensive social relationships.  A forthcoming report from Core will explore the benefits, importance and influence of social and platonic relationships.” 

The report will explore why almost half of adults believe social media and messaging makes it easy to maintain friendships but half of adults also believe that it is becoming more difficult to meet new people.

Single adults in particular say meeting people is becoming a challenge. While almost half of the nation say they “sometimes feel lonely.” One in five people state they do not have enough time to maintain their friendships.

The report from Core will also explore how people are meeting in a post-pandemic and often digital world. Register your interest in the report here.

Image source: Core