Why we all should have a bell to ring when a row is on the cards
Sallyanne Clarke’s FOOD FOR THOUGHT
WE attended a family Wedding last week at Ballynatray Estate only 10 minutes from Youghal, Co. Cork. We were all excited as it is one of those occasions where all cousins gather and have a great day. This was a weekend event so we were super happy.
Ballynatray House is a magnificent 18th century Georgian mansion set in 850 acres with breathtaking views over the Blackwater River. It has been meticulously restored and is very comfortable to boot. However, I cannot write about the lush green landscape this time around, as one of the big differences driving south was the scorched earth around us. The recent rains were very welcome for everyone.
The house is available for private hire for weddings, parties, corporate events and more and the style of celebration we were invited to was one which I had not been at before.
The bride and groom had a Humanist ceremony for their vows. The celebrant Shona was lovely and the whole affair was beautiful and intimate, despite the fact there were 130 people attending.
One of the lovely touches to the day was a ‘bell ringing’ ceremony — another first for me too. The celebrant made them a present of the new bell, telling the newly-weds to ring it instead of rising to anger or rows. Shona said the newly weds should ring the bell and take a deep breath before they sat down to resolve their issues.
I think we all should be given bells like this — married or not! It is a great idea that could take the heat out of any argument.
The whole idea really appealed to me. Mind you, it got me thinking about how different weddings are today. For starters, there’s the dress. These days, off-the-shoulder or strapless dresses are very much in fashion. When we were getting married 30 years ago, you could not get married in a church without your shoulders covered.
But I managed to get around it. My dress had a strapless base with a full lace top that went to my knees, plus a detachable train. My headdress could be worn on its own, or with a veil.
As soon as our ceremony was over I removed the train and veil. After dinner I did away with the lace overlay, and voila! I had a beautiful strapless gown, just perfect for dancing. It seems I was ahead of my time!
But back to Ballynatray. The ceremony was so effortless and lovely. I really think anyone contemplating marriage who does not want a Church or Registry Office ceremony, should consider a Humanist celebration as a wonderful alternative.
We were served bubbly and canapés while the photos were being taken outside in the glorious sunshine. However, out of the blue, the rain came bucketing down.
Instead of people complaining, everyone was laughing and joking saying how much it was needed — who would have thought!
Being the only guest on crutches, I was quite happy to sit in a corner and be fed and watered by everyone. I even got to hold a very sweet little baby (a nephew of the newlyweds) for a while. Who said going to a wedding on crutches can’t be fun?
We were treated to a delicious meal in the marquee adjoining the main house. The great food and service were provided by Eunice Power Catering and the head chef, Shane, had spent time in the kitchen at l’Ecrivain under Derry’s instruction. Grace was front of house coordinator and together they looked after everyone brilliantly.
A speech was made by the bride’s brother, as their father is no longer alive, and it was truly heartwarming. He also had walked his little sister down the aisle. The best man was very witty. The groom’s sister said a few words and a speech by the groom himself was giddy, funny and it was clear he was extremely excited to be married.
The speeches were done and dusted within 30 minutes and we got on with the serious business of enjoying the rest of the evening. The entrance hall and adjoining rooms where the wedding ceremony was earlier in the day had been cleared for the band — and the all-important dancing.
I even paid a visit to the photo booth once or twice, and it was a great novelty. All in all it was a wonderful day and evening and everyone had a ball.
We were invited back the next afternoon for a BBQ. It was a more relaxed affair but again, great fun and an opportunity to discuss the day before and catch up with people.
Fourteen of us stayed in Aherne’s of Youghal for the weekend. This started off as a public house in 1923 and is now a third generation pub, seafood restaurant and townhouse with 12 bedrooms. We stayed for three nights bed and very delicious breakfasts.
However, we had our own prewedding dinner for family in Aherne’s Seafood Restaurant on Thursday evening. Of course, seafood is a speciality here, but there’s lots of other choice too.
THE fresh lobster was delicious and opf course regular readers of this column will know it’s a family favourite — Mum and I were very quiet until we had finished ours. Then we retired en masse to the bar for a digestif and a singsong before bed.
Staying away from home can be a trial if you are on crutches but the bedrooms in Aherne’s are huge, and their beds are really comfortable, making things easier for me and my cast. The drawing room and breakfast room is for guests only so we could put our feet up and enjoy the papers.
We were so delighted that we could get rooms altogether in one venue so close to Ballynatray. They have an outside area too where were all able congregate and chat in the sunshine.
There is a lovely beach a stone’s throw away, a harbour and lots of other attractions including the Seaweed Baths, Jameson Heritage Centre and Fota Wild Life Park.
Spending time here with the family was great, it really was like a mini-holiday, and I’m certainly feeling the better of the break, crutches and all.