Real Life Friends Club

Meet new people. Try new things. Fall in love with where you live.

At the heart of Real Life Friends Club are our Speed Friending sessions — curated spaces that spark genuine connection, one conversation at a time. A coffee, conversation and local experiences that remind you life’s still good right here.

Every gathering is part of something bigger — a growing Friends & Finds Guide to local gems, cosy spots, and connection-based experiences that help you belong where you are. Think of it as your local guide to connection — not just what’s on, but where to belong.

💫 Our Mission

Founded in Wexford, Ireland, Real Life Friends Club is on a mission to bring real-life connection to communities everywhere.

Less screen time. More face time — in real life.

“When I moved here, that first Irish winter felt like a weight. I missed sunshine, warmth and connection. So I made a promise — if I can’t have the sun, I’ll be the sun. This is how Real Life Friends Club was born.”

Tickets for our next Speed Friending event - 28 November 25 @ 10:30am - The Coffee Pod, Gorey Town Park

Buy tickets
Speed friending: Group of diverse young people sitting on the grass under a canopy at an outdoor event, some talking and smiling.
Speed friending: A group of people sitting on the grass under a white canopy in a park, participating in a discussion or workshop, with some standing nearby and others sitting on pink bean bags, surrounded by trees and additional groups.
Speed friending: Group of young people sitting on the grass in a park, engaging in conversation. Some are seated on blankets, with trees and other groups of people in the background on a sunny day.
Speed friending: A young woman with short dark hair smiling and talking with a person whose back is facing the camera. They are outdoors, possibly in a park or schoolyard, with trees and a blurred background.
Speed friending: A young woman with glasses and blonde hair sitting outdoors on grass, wearing a striped shirt and beige pants, engaging in conversation with another person with reddish-brown hair.
Speed friending: A group of women sitting in chairs facing each other in a waiting area of a cafe or lounge, engaged in conversation, with a large window letting in natural light on their right side.
Speed friending: Group of women sitting at a long wooden table in a cozy, warmly lit restaurant or cafe, with paintings on the wooden wall and large windows in the background.
Speed friending: People socializing at a restaurant or cafe with wooden tables, glasses of water, and menus, with a dark ceiling and hanging lights.

What is Speed Friending?

Speed Friending is designed to spark genuine connections — not just small talk.

✨How it works

💬 You’ll have a series of quick, fun one-on-one chats (about 5 minutes per round)
When the bell rings, you’ll move on to chat with someone new

Using Kalina Silva’s Big Talk cards, we skip the surface-level chat and dive straight into what really matters:

what lights you up, what you love, what you’re building, and who you are becoming.
💛 All you need to bring is an open mind
📍 Held in local community spaces
🎟️ Tickets: around €10 to cover venue hire, limited tickets available

Looking to expand your social circle and meet new people? Speed Friending is a fun, relaxed way to connect with like-minded people in a friendly, pressure-free environment. Whether you're new to the area or just want to grow your network, this event is designed to make it easy and natural to form new friendships!

This isn’t networking for show. It’s about real connection, shared passion, and lifting each other up

— in life, in creativity, and in business. Meet others that are there to meet new people too.

💡 It’s OK to Come Alone – Most of Us Will Be!
Most attendees will be coming solo, so you won’t be the only one! You’ll be warmly welcomed and introduced to others from the moment you arrive.

We’re starting small — with female-only events designed to help women connect, belong, and rebuild their social circles.

Once the community grows, we’ll open up mixed events too, creating more ways for everyone to meet and share real-life moments together.

Join the Next Speed Friending Event

Small, intimate and meaningful in Gorey, Wexford.

Speed Friending Events

  • Speed Friending - Female Only

    Friday, 28 November, 10:30am - 12:30pm

    The Coffee Pod @ Gorey Town Park, Wexford

    Ticket €10

    Buy ticket

  • Speed Friending - Mixed

    Coming Soon. Mixed Speed Friending coming to Gorey, Wexford. Register your interest.

    Register interest

  • Speed Friending: Kids Club

    ‍Coming soon: Speed Friending for kids in Gorey, Wexford. Register your interest.

    Register Interest

✨ Age: Open to all ages

At Speed Friending, people of all ages are welcome! Whether you're in your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, or beyond, connecting with people from different age groups offers fresh perspectives, valuable networking opportunities, and a chance to build new social skills. It's not about age—it’s about forming genuine connections and creating meaningful friendships across generations.

Two women standing outdoors on grass under a large blue canopy, smiling at the camera. The woman on the left is wearing a short, red and white striped dress with gold buttons, beige ankle boots, and large circular earrings. The woman on the right is wearing a beige long-sleeve top, black leggings, and black Nike sneakers, with her hand on her hip.

The Story

It all began when I relocated and found myself in need of new friends.

Whether I was in my hometown of Perth, Australia, or when I moved to Melbourne, New Zealand, or Ireland, one thing became clear—no matter where you are, people crave more opportunities to connect and build meaningful friendships.

And that’s how Speed Friending started.

And the rest is history.

Read an article on how it got started

Coming soon: Friends & Finds Guide

Coming Soon: The Friends & Finds Guide

Last winter, I found myself in my first Irish winter — missing the Aussie warmth, The cold, grey days made me feel disconnected and frozen out of life. That’s when it hit me and I realised something powerful: if I can’t find the sun, I need to be the sun. I asked myself, what makes me come alive? The Friends & Finds Guide exists from that moment - a vision for warmer days, even in the rain.

It’s your curated companion for discovering local gems, connection-based events, and experiences that help you meet people, try new things, and truly feel part of your community.

Whether you’re exploring solo or with friends, this guide will show you the places and moments where you can belong.

Stay tuned — your next adventure (and maybe a new friendship) is just around the corner.

Not just what’s on — where to belong.

If you’re a connection-based business and would like to be featured in the founding edition for free, please email hello@reallifefriendsclub.com.

Be the first to know

Real Conversations

Real Friendships

Real Life

Real Conversations Real Friendships Real Life

Hi, I’m Rebecca Smith Andreou

Black and white photo of smiling woman with wavy shoulder-length hair, wearing a top with a keyhole neckline, standing against a brick wall.

👋 Meet Your Host

Hi! I’m Rebecca, an Australian now living in Gorey. As a (nearly!) 40-year-old woman, mother, and photographer. I love meeting and connecting people. I’ve been running Speed Friending and friendship events for over 10 years in Australia & New Zealand—helping people create lifelong friendships.

✨ Want to know how it all started? Read about it in this New Zealand Next Magazine feature here!

Do you have any questions? Please email me (a real human) hello@reallifefriendsclub.com

“Every person is a new door to a different world.”

✨ Join the Movement

-Come to an event.
-Meet someone new.
-Find your people.
-Fall back in love with where you live. Because real life is waiting…

✨Follow us

@reallifefriendsclub
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“Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”―Howard Thurman

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FAQs

  • Real Life Friends Club is about helping people meet new friends, try new things, and fall in love with where they live. We host small, connection-based events like Speed Friending and local experiences, and we’re creating the Friends & Finds Guide — a curated list of cosy spots, workshops, and community gems that make it easier to belong.ion text goes here

  • To start, our gatherings are female-only, creating a relaxed, welcoming space for women to connect. As interest grows, we’ll also host mixed events — because connection belongs to everyone.n text goes here

  • Not at all — most people come alone! Every event is designed to make it easy to chat, laugh, and meet others naturally. You’ll be welcomed from the moment you arrive.iption text goes here

  • Our signature event is Speed Friending, a fun and pressure-free way to meet people through meaningful conversations. We also run small community experiences — from coffee mornings and creative workshops to seasonal gatherings.

  • Tickets are usually around €10, which helps cover venue hire and materials. We keep prices low so everyone can join in.

  • It’s a seasonal, curated guide featuring local gems, connection-based experiences, and things to do that help you feel more alive where you are. Think of it as a mix between a lifestyle guide and a community map — not just what’s on, but where to belong.

  • Absolutely. Our events are intentionally gentle, small, and well-facilitated. You’ll never be put on the spot — it’s all about creating a space where connection feels natural.

  • Local cafés, studios, and community spaces can partner with us to host events or be featured in the Friends & Finds Guide. If you’d like to collaborate, email hello@reallifefriendsclub.com.

  • You can sign up to our mailing list for event dates, new guides, and local connection opportunities — or follow us on Instagram/Facebook @reallifefriendsclub.

  • Real Life Friends Club is growing — and we’re looking for warm, friendly people who love helping others feel welcome. Our Hosts are the heartbeat of the club: they greet guests, spark conversation, and create spaces for connection in their towns. Whether you want to help at events, suggest local gems, or grow a Friends Club in your area, we’d love to have you involved.

  • Founded in Wexford, Ireland, Real Life Friends Club is on a mission to bring real-life connection to communities everywhere.