Dallas, TX
A Dallas Woman Traveled to Ireland to Find a Boyfriend. He Still Cheated.
Erin Leigh
There are lots of D words that have been used to describe dating in Dallas: dismal, dumpster fire, damned, disheartening. We don’t need anecdotes to prove it’s a nightmare, though, unlike many men in this city, the numbers don’t lie. So it’s not hard to understand why Theresa Rowley, a local comedian, traveled to Ireland to kiss her Prince Charming, though he, too, turned out to be a frog.
Once upon a time (spring 2024), in a land not far away (East Dallas), Rowley got the modern equivalent of a handwritten love letter, a flirty Instagram direct message sans fire emoji. The message from an Irishman across the country sparked her interest, and soon, the two were an international item. After a couple of months of constant communication, as much as you can possibly have with someone in a time zone five hours ahead, Rowley hopped across the pond to meet her situationship.
“I was not about to be official with a man that I had never met before,” she tells the Observer.
She also took a friend for enhanced security, because a first date with a guy from the internet is scary, no matter where he lives. But all went well, and with her new boyfriend’s permission, she posted a TikTok video about her soiree, and it immediately struck a chord.
“[I did not think] that it would get any type of traction at all because it’s very different than my normal content,” she says. “It popped off, just went real viral.”
Rowley is a comedy influencer with more than a million followers across several platforms. Her video amassed more than a million views, was the subject of a feature from the Washington Post and caught the attention of Tourism Ireland, which sponsored a second bae-cation back to the Emerald Isle.
“It was a fairy tale,” she says.
All Good Things Must Come to an End
Soon, it was time for the Irishman to come to Texas. He spent Thanksgiving with her family and lived his cowboy dreams. Rowley was hopeful this was the beginning of forever. But then the poisoned apple came. A dreaded “Hey, girly” message paired with screenshots landed in her direct messages just 12 hours before Rowley was supposed to board another flight so they could spend Christmas together in Ireland. She canceled her flight and spent the holiday with her family in Amarillo instead.
“It was a gut punch to read,” she says of learning her knight, and the people’s prince, was infidelious. “But also necessary because with the nature of our relationship, you never know who’s messaging you and why they’re saying what they’re saying. But the proof was in the pudding.”
Rowley, having shared their love story up to this point, couldn’t leave the shocking plot twist out of the fairytale turned horror story. That video sits at four million views. It sounds like a PR stunt, but the story is true, and Rowley said she doesn’t have any non-believers.
“I always expect trolling, but it really was not that,” she says. “It was just a light-hearted story in a time where those are few and far between. People seemed to latch onto it as a beacon of hope, and I hated to let them down, but I didn’t want to keep up a ruse.”
Rowley hasn’t sworn off the Irish forever, but she’s not exactly looking for her next Emerald Isle resident to come sweep her off her feet.
“It’s so funny how the comments have changed, too, because in the first videos, when it was lovey-dovey, it was all like, ‘Irish guys are the best. You’ve got to go outside of America,’” she tells us.
Now, the Irish (according to her comments sections, anyway) don’t have the best reputation. But Rowley doesn’t want her tale to dissuade the city’s other hopeless romantics.
“I don’t want this to be a story that there’s no hope for women. Not all men are dogs, not all men cheat,” she says. “I have to hold on to that hope for myself… People make bad choices based on tough experiences that they’ve had in the past, and we can learn from that. We can shake hands, we can kiss on the cheek and we can move on.”
So there you have it. Dating in Dallas is bad. But it may not be better anywhere else, either. C’est la vie.
Mosquito samples in Dallas and Carrollton tested positive for West Nile Virus. Here is what that means for public health.
Dallas County Health & Human Services put out a bulletin with the information on Monday. According to the bulletin, the Dallas pool is located in zip code 75215 and the Carrollton pool is located in zip code 75006.
The city put out a second press release on Monday announcing that it had scheduled mosquito control spraying sessions on June 9-10 in council districts 7 and 14.
The spraying will take place between 9 p.m.-5 a.m. each night.
The first control area to be sprayed is within an area generally bounded by 2300 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.; S. Malcolm X Blvd. on the north; Coombs St. on the west; Dathe St. on the east; and Cleveland St. on the south.
The second control area to be sprayed is within an area generally bounded by 5300 Vickery Blvd.; Morningside Ave. on the north; N. Central Expressway on the west; Worcola St. on the east; and N. Garrett Ave. on the south.
It’s important to remember that while the United States Environmental Protection Agency approves this insecticide for treatment, residents in the above areas should avoid contact with the spray by staying indoors.
Anyone inside a vehicle while the trucks are actively spraying should remain in them with the windows up and the air conditioner on until the trucks pass through and the spray is no longer visible.
Additionally, Dallas residents are encouraged to take precautions against mosquito bites by reducing outdoor activity during the evening and nighttime hours.
After several days of testimony, the defense has rested in the Frisco track meet stabbing trial, leaving the verdict in the hands of the jury. FOX 4’s Lori Brown has more on the Karmelo Anthony trial.
The world came to Oak Cliff on Saturday.
In partnership with the City of Dallas and FIFA Dallas, thousands of residents gathered at Dallas College Mountain View Campus for One World. One Game. Soccer & Culture Fest, a multicultural celebration that offered a glimpse of what North Texas can expect when the FIFA World Cup arrives in 2026. Despite rain earlier in the day, families packed the festival grounds to enjoy soccer clinics, cultural performances, international exhibits, community activations, and a shared celebration of the diverse cultures that make Dallas a global city.
Families arrived with umbrellas in hand and excitement in tow, patiently waiting for the weather to clear before spending the day immersed in soccer, music, food, cultural performances, and community engagement.
By midday, the campus had transformed into a vibrant global village where dozens of cultures, languages, and traditions intersected through one universal language: the beautiful game.
A Preview of the World Coming to Dallas
From the moment visitors entered the festival grounds, it was clear this was much more than a soccer event.
Representatives from countries participating in the FIFA World Cup welcomed guests through cultural displays and educational experiences. Visitors explored activations representing nations including Japan, Turkey, the Netherlands, Thailand, Mexico, Jordan, Peru, and others, offering families an opportunity to learn about cultures from around the globe without ever leaving Dallas.
Children eagerly participated in passport-style activities while families moved from pavilion to pavilion collecting stamps and learning about traditions, customs, and cultures represented throughout the event.
The atmosphere felt like a preview of the international energy expected to sweep across North Texas when the World Cup arrives next year.
Soccer Takes Center Stage
Of course, no FIFA Dallas celebration would be complete without soccer.
Throughout the day, youth ages 8 to 18 participated in interactive soccer skills clinics led by professional athletes and members of the Dallas Police Department soccer team. Young athletes sharpened their footwork, passing, and ball-handling skills while receiving mentorship from experienced players.
Specialized 1v1 and 3v3 competitions gave older participants an opportunity to showcase their talents, while friendly challenges kept younger players engaged.
Many participants left with more than new skills. Free soccer balls, food, giveaways, and memorable experiences ensured the event remained accessible for families across Dallas.
The competitive spirit continued through special contests including the Best Team Spirit Competition and the Soccer Ball Juggling Championship, drawing enthusiastic crowds throughout the day.
Community Partners Show Up Big
The festival grounds were filled with activations from organizations committed to serving Dallas families.
McDonald’s North Texas delivered one of the day’s most popular activations, complete with games, giveaways, happy meals and appearances from beloved characters Grimace and Birdie. FC Dallas brought soccer-centered experiences for young fans, while the Dallas Police Department maintained a strong presence, building positive relationships with youth through sports and community engagement.
Families lined up for photo opportunities, interactive exhibits, and hands-on experiences throughout the venue.
Everywhere you looked, there was something happening.
The kiddos kicked soccer balls. Parents cheered from the sidelines. Cultural performers prepared backstage. Community organizations connected with residents. And throughout it all, the sounds of celebration echoed across the campus.
Dallas Weekly Brings the World Together Through Music
As part of the publication’s ongoing celebration of Black Music Month, Dallas Weekly curated Global Groove, a music experience designed to connect the worlds of soccer, culture, and the African diaspora. The concept was simple but powerful: use music to demonstrate how cultures influence one another across borders.
Throughout the day, DJs played music from countries that will be represented in Dallas during the World Cup, including Japan, Argentina, Finland, and the Netherlands. The playlist blended international sounds with Afro-diasporic influences, highlighting the global impact of Black music and culture.
The result was a dance floor without walls.
The influence of Black American music on global culture cannot be overstated. Emerging from a historical lineage that traces back to African musical traditions, spirituals, blues, jazz, gospel, rhythm and blues, and eventually hip-hop, Black music has consistently served as both an artistic expression and a vehicle for cultural preservation, resistance, and innovation. Scholars often note that nearly every major genre of popular music in the modern era bears the imprint of Black American creativity. From Tokyo dance studios teaching Dallas-born hip-hop movements to international artists incorporating elements of jazz, soul, and rap into their work, the sounds created within Black communities have transcended geographic and linguistic boundaries. More than entertainment, Black music has become a global cultural language—shaping fashion, dance, social movements, and identity formation around the world while continuing to reflect the lived experiences, aspirations, and resilience of Black Americans.
Youth soccer players regularly drifted toward the activation during breaks between games and clinics. Families stopped to dance. Visitors from different backgrounds celebrated together through music, proving that rhythm often succeeds where language falls short.
The energy reached another level with appearances from Dallas-based dance collective Boogie Land.
Known for preserving and teaching Dallas dance culture, the group brought signature hometown moves and infectious energy to the festival.
While Boogie Land was performing in Dallas, its founder is currently in Tokyo, Japan, teaching students Dallas-born dance styles including the Bend and the Dougie. The connection served as a powerful reminder that Dallas culture is no longer confined to city limits—it is influencing audiences around the world.
And that theme was evident throughout the day.
Whether it was mariachi musicians performing near cultural pavilions, youth athletes dancing to international music, or families exploring traditions from different countries, the event celebrated the idea that cultural exchange strengthens communities.
Ready for the World
As the festival came to a close, one thing became abundantly clear.
One World. One Game. Soccer & Culture Fest demonstrated the unique role sports can play in bringing people together across race, language, nationality, and background.
For a few hours on a rainy Saturday in Oak Cliff, thousands of people came together to celebrate soccer, culture, music, and community.
And if Saturday was any indication, Dallas is more than ready for kickoff.
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