Wedding bells for Cian and Laura, and baby joy for TV chef Donal
IRISH rugby star Cian Healy and his long-term girlfriend Laura Smith have announced they are getting married.
The couple, who dated for six years before splitting in 2012, reunited in 2015 and have told friends about their happy plans.
They first met in secondary school, but split after Laura moved to work in New York.
Speaking about his longtime love in an interview, Cian once said: “Laura Smith was my childhood sweetheart. I was with her for a long time before... She was a big support.”
The Leinster prop forward once dated model Holly Carpenter, but the pair went their separate ways in 2014. Speaking after the split, Holly said: “We haven’t stayed friends but I think that’s normal when you’ve gone out with someone.
“I was heartbroken at first, of course, but time is a good healer.
“It’s like any break-up, you need time to re-evaluate things.”
Cian and Laura are said to be planning to marry in the spring or summer of 2018.
Meanwhile, celebrity chef Donal Skehan and his Swedish wife Sofie have become parents for the first time with the birth of a son. Yesterday, Donal paid tribute to his wife saying that she “rocked it with Swedish Viking strength, for a natural birth, three hours in the hospital!” He said: “I’m so proud and so grateful — Mommy and little guy doing great — totally chilled and ready for a whole new world of adventures! Just the most amazing experience, in awe!” The pair moved to Los Angeles last year to build Donal’s profile in America, and they recently spoke of their plans to stay in the US for the birth. Donal met Sofie in 2006 when she was visiting his hometown of Howth. They were married in Lisnavagh House, Co Carlow, in June 2015.