GOLDEN CELEBRATIONS IN A TIME OF COCOONING

SEE PAGE 10

ANN and Richie Byrne have shared many special anniversaries over the decades since they first laid eyes on each other in a packed dance-hall in Fethard-on-Sea.

‘It was April 26, 1964, in Fethard-on-Sea when we had our first shift,’ Ann recalls with incredible clarity and not a little tongue-incheek humour – speaking to the momentous love that grew from that one chance encounter over the following 54 years.

The happy couple were married on March 30, 1970, and today they are cocooning together in their Gusserane home, gardening, relaxing and eating meals together.

Their golden wedding anniversary was a quiet affair. Their children Elaine, Caroline and Eddie, and grandchildren, couldn’t be by their side, despite desperately wanted to be, because of Covid-19 restrictions.

Richie (77) is a familiar face to many from his days managing Glanbia in New Ross, where Ann (76) worked in the post office.

Their daughter Caroline said: ‘ They are still very much in love. They have a receipt from their honeymoon in Dungarvan and Mam recently too down all the old photos. They get on like a house on fire. They kill each other from time to time too.’

Among the activities Ann and Richie enjoy doing together are walking by the Shore Road or in Tintern Abbey, gardening and simply spending time in each other’s company.

When it comes to gardening at their Rathimney home, Richie digs and Ann plants – living proof of how teamwork is the bedrock of any strong relationship. Richie has little time for technology whereas Ann signs in to Facebook and enjoys keeping in touch through her phone.

Caroline said she and all the family are very proud of her parents as they celebrate 50 years of married life.

‘We are very proud of them. As a family we were supposed to all go up the country this week for a self-catering break but we had to cancel it. We sent them videos and they tried doing a video call with us. There was a lot of going back and forth showing them how to work it!’

In the end the family got to be reunited, albeit it virtually.