DOUBLE 50TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY IS A REAL FAMILY AFFAIR
MARRY a Lacey if you want a marriage that lasts.
So says well-known New Ross man Tom Doyle, who celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary to his wife Ann (née Lacey), alongside Sean Whelan, who celebrated 50 years of wedded bliss with his wife Breda Lacey (Ann’s sister) on the same night recently.
Both couples were married on May 13, 1967, in Cushinstown at 10 a.m. Recalling their big day when 120 people packed into the Majestic Hotel in Tramore for the wedding reception, they said it was one of the best days of their lives.
Tom, from Charlton Hill in New Ross, who has featured in numerous musicals over the years, said: ‘ There was plenty of dancing and everyone enjoyed it. We both went on honeymoon after, but not together!’
Every year without fail the close couples meet up to mark their wedding anniversaries.
Earlier this month, days after their wedding anniversaries, Tom, Ann, Sean and Breda gathered once again to celebrate their golden wedding anniversaries in the Dunbrody Visitor Centre. Earlier that evening the foursome attended Mass in Mount Carmel, where the nuns sang from them.
‘It was really special. Monsignor Pat McGrath celebrated the Mass. It was very nice to have the nuns mark the occasion.’
Sean and Breda were joined by their children Tony, Michelle, Nick and Padraig and Tom and Ann were joined by their daughters Sharon and Christina, while family members and friends travelled from near and far to be by their sides.
The two maids of honour from their wedding, Siobhán Prenderville and Eleanor Power attended and everyone enjoyed photographs from the wedding day.
They enjoyed a lovely meal and some cake and were treated to a lovely video presentation featuring warm wishes and messages of congratulations from family members living abroad, and even a dance performance by one of Tom’s grandnieces.
There were also messages of congratulations on the video presentation from RTE’s Ryan Tubridy and Mary Kennedy, who were filming for Nationwide in Dunganstown that day.
Tom thanked everyone for coming, especially four family friends from America who treavelled to New Ross especially for the occasion. ‘Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the night and stayed until the early hours of the morning,’ he said.