The Love Algorithm

Travel Guide

International Financial Services Centre

I’m born and reared in Dublin and somehow the city always seems to permeated its way into my writing! The IFSC is the Irish Financial Services Centre and it’s exactly the type of workplace I envisaged my two leading characters, Iris and Kim to work. They’re both actuaries and as I walked around the IFSC soaking up the atmosphere, I could just imagine the two of them working away in such a high octane, pressured workplace, set in the very heart of Dublin’s burgeoning Fintech hub. It’s so fancy there, full of coffee shops that charge €6 for a latte – perfect, overpriced location for a fictitious  actuarial company, I thought!

Spencer Hotel

The Spencer hotel is very close to the IFSC and a super-chill hotspot with a bar that’s always hopping, even on a weeknight! I wanted a location where Kim and her gang of work colleagues would all congregate for a drink after work, mainly so they can bitch about Iris, their much derided boss!

Sophie’s at the Dean Hotel

Oh, I love Sophie’s at the Dean! It’s exactly the sort of place you’d adore to be taken to on a promising first date, which is exactly what happens to Kim. It’s an achingly hip rooftop bar and restaurant that serve the best pizza in town and that offers up the most stunning (and romantic) sweeping views all over the whole city. It’s magical at night – trust me! I’m always recommending it to people and no one is ever disappointed.

Pyg restaurant

SO Pyg is actually a really popular after work destination for drinks or a bite to eat, whatever takes your fancy. The reason I used it as a location is because the outdoor dining area is on a very busy laneway where it often happens that you could be sitting at an outdoor table, only for someone you know to stroll past and come in for a chat. Which is exactly what I needed for the scene that plays out here – Kim is waiting patiently for one date to show up, when an ex happens to spot her from the street. And no, I’m not telling you any more!

The Trocadero

Literally my favourite restaurant in the whole world. It’s a hugely popular restaurant with theatre folk and the maitre d’, Robert, is the nicest man in the whole world. Every theatrical name in the country has their photo on the wall (I’m so proud to say, me included) and if you ever get to go there, please tell them I sent you and that you’d like the chocolate fondant for desert – you will die and go to heaven!