When Rena Maycock and Feargal Harrington were introduced by the latter’s brother one night, little did they know they would end up getting married and setting up a dating agency.

After going out for a little while, the pair got talking about how difficult it can be to meet someone who is genuinely interested in a serious, long-term relationship. With this in mind, they went on to establish Intro Matchmaking Agency.

Intro differs from other agencies, in that it offers a quality over quantity approach to dating. There is a huge focus on setting you up with the right person, as opposed to someone who is simply accessible, explains co-founder Feargal.

“Profession, age and willingness to travel are the three biggest things that we make sure all of our Intro members are open to. That they are willing to travel a little bit to meet the right person, that they are realistic in terms of age and that they are not pre-judging someone based on what they do for a living.”

The team at Intro only takes on clients that it has a chance of making a successful match for, ie what someone is looking for in a partner is realistic. Initially, there is a small assessment and after that a detailed consultation, where an Intro profile based on your hobbies, likes, dislikes and what you are looking for in a partner is set up.

This profile is then entered into a database and a shortlist of potential matches is generated. The Intro team hand selects who it feels is the best possible match for you. Membership at Intro allows you to go on five dates and if there is a spark on your first date, you can pause your membership for up to three months.

Confidentiality is a pillar of Intro, outlines Feargal: “An awful lot of people in Ireland are very conscious about other people knowing their business. Of upmost importance is privacy and confidentiality. So we make sure that no one gets surnames, photographs or phone numbers and that nothing ever goes online.”

Even though Intro is based in Dublin, it takes a nationwide approach to its business. Consultancies take place at the office in Dublin, along with locations in Limerick, Cork, Galway and Kerry, among others. As a result of the professional and realistic approach, Intro has proven to be popular with the farming community and it has a large database of farmers, male and female, from around the country.

Each week Intro organises 100 dates across the 32 counties and at present is matching people from the ages 21 to 85. Of the dates it sets up, one in four end in a long-term relationship. With a third of Intro’s business coming directly from word of mouth, people considering contacting the office can rest assured that they will be provided with a proven, successful service.

www.intro.ie