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The couples who found love on First Dates Ireland

Updated / Monday, 27 Apr 2026 15:44
Ginine and Andrew
Ginine Andrew

We all love a good love story; it's part of why we get so invested in shows like First Dates Ireland.

From the nervous energy and awkward greetings at the beginning to the simmering chemistry and possibility of a kiss goodnight at the end, watching potential soulmates find their spark makes for excellent entertainment.

Of course, the part we most look forward to is the end of the show when the producers reveal which daters have survived outside of the restaurant, going on to enjoy second and third dates without the presence of cameras.

But what happens next? Which couples go the distance?

In honour of the 10-year anniversary of the show, we have rounded up just some of the lovebirds that have stood the test of time after they left the restaurant.

Jess and Ger from Season 5 - Married

Jess and Ger

Despite having a connection and going on a second date to Dublin Zoo, Jess and Ger decided to stay friends following their appearance on First Dates Ireland.

When their episode aired, the two reconnected and found themselves once again chatting for hours on end, building a friendship that was as much about leaning on each other in the worst of times as celebrating the best of times.

During the pandemic, Jess moved in with Ger, who lived just 20 minutes away from her parents' home in Navan. While living together, they realised it was love and ultimately tied the knot in 2024.

"We spent every waking minute together, and a big thing for us was dancing in the kitchen to the music we would listen to when we were younger," Jess told RTÉ Lifestyle. "Friday nights became our nights out by staying in, and it was just so lovely."

"I don't know how we didn't see it before," she adds, laughing, "it took an entire pandemic and a production team to put us together."

Ciara and Shannon from Series 5 - Engaged

Ciara and Shannon

Ciara from Monaghan and Shannon from Dublin were the first engagement that First Dates Ireland ever celebrated - all the way back in 2019.

In a video shared on Twitter (now X), Shannon got down on one knee and asked Ciara to be her bride.

After they became engaged, the DJ played the classic track Maniac 2000, which they bonded over during their time on the show.

Carla & Shez from Series 6 - Married with a baby

Shez and Carla

Carla Maria and James Gerard 'Shez' Sherry were the first couple from First Dates Ireland to tie the knot, and on 2023, they became the first to welcome a baby into the world.

The pair first appeared on our screens in 2020 when they were matched for a date in the First Dates restaurant, where they immediately hit it off.

Shez popped the question in June 2021 and the pair had initially planned to get married in November 2022 at Corick House Hotel in Tyrone, but the couple announced that they'd gotten hitched earlier than planned as soon as they learned they had a baby on the way.

Named after Carla's late father, Frankie, their daughter is the first ever First Dates Ireland baby!

Avril & Shane from Series 6 - Engaged

Avril and Shane

Viewers will remember their sweet encounter, with mum-of-one Avril arriving in a floor-length sparkling gown and dazzling onlookers, and Shane opening up about his brain injury 14 years ago that changed everything for him.

Their connection was instant and moving to see, a truly perfect match.

The two met between lockdowns, having their first date, Shane says, days before the second lockdown of 2020 kicked in. As restrictions set in once again, their spark was fanned by WhatsApp messages and video calls, before they finally made it official on Valentine's Day.

Shane hadn't dated for 14 years, he recalls, saying, "I was on my own for a long time. I didn't want to be on my own all my life."

Gabrielle "Gaye" & John from Series 6

John and Gaye

John, a semi-retired, 63-year-old Shamrock Rovers groundskeeper from Dublin, signed up for First Dates in the hopes of meeting someone special. A widower with three grown-up kids, he told producers that he was tired of coming home to an empty house.

He was paired with 60-year-old Gaye, a fellow Dub, who was looking for a "nice gentleman".

The two proved that love is timeless when they connected over dinner. They are still seeing each other.

Ginine & Andrew from Series 7 - Engaged

Ginine and Andrew

IT worker Ginine and Garda Andrew were set up on First Dates in 2021, and announced their engagement in 2025. Andrew popped the question during a hike on Noary mountain, four years after their first date.

Announcing the news on Instagram, Ginine gave a well-deserved shout out to the match-makers working behind the scenes of the show.

"Also huge thanks to our first dates producer @lauragreenetvcomedy . As Andrew said on the date "Whoever put us together knew what she was doing."'

Alan & Jay from Series 7 - Married

Alan and Jay

Sparks flew across the table during Donegal man Jay and Monaghan man Alan's first date in the restaurant.

Old-fashioned romantic Jay knew he was going up against the odds trying to find a date like him in a world of Tinder hook-ups and multiple dating apps to peruse.

Luckily for him, though, Alan was more than ready to leave the apps - having been catfished twice" - to find love offline.

Their chemistry led to a second date before bringing them all the way to romantic Paris, as they made their relationship official after filming. They went on to tie the knot in 2025.

James and Fayth from Series 11 - Expecting a baby

Fayth and James

Unashamedly 'looking for a wife', larger-than-life site foreman James entered the restaurant with buckets of confidence, insisting that his appearance on the dating show was "the talk of building sites around Dublin".

The 23-year-old Clondalkin native told the cameras that he was a romantic at heart and was ready to find his soulmate: "As soon as that girl walks through the door, I'll know straight away."

Enter, Fayth, a 21-year-old Health Care Assistant from East Wall, looking for someone her mother would approve of.

Within seconds of meeting, James had Fayth in stitches, leading the two to discuss their upbringings, careers, past relationships, their thoughts on therapy, and even their hopes for children.

Before they had even left the building, the two had made plans for "a fancy" second date followed by a trip to the zoo for their third date.

Happily, it seems that the dates continued, with the two Dubs going on holiday, getting matching tattoos, and starting a family together!

Their little bundle of joy is due in July, 2026.

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