Online dating for the over-50s: You hear horror stories – d**k pics, lies and scams – but my impression was that Irish men are basically decent and just looking for a human connection

Mid-life break-ups are on the increase and many people might be thinking about dipping their toe back in the dating pool, but with most relationships now being initiated online, Estelle Birdy looks at how to go about it

Estelle Birdy: ‘Before you take the plunge into online dating, assess what you want, be brutally honest from the start and just relax a little.’ Picture: Bryan Meade

I was on Tinder long before I ever intended to be. At least, my hair was on Tinder. I was alerted to this fact, shortly after the break up of a long relationship when a friend showed me the Tinder profile of my ex. There I nearly was, not quite cut out of a photo where I had been snapped, happily sitting on his knee.

A quick conference with more seasoned and indeed, more willing ...