Angela Merkel thinks we’re married
THE MAN who captured the German nation’s hearts with a cheeky flag has now captured the heart of a German girl.
During the Euro 2012 soccer tournament, Limerick man Richie Tuohy and his pals made headlines all over Europe with their ‘Angela Merkel Thinks We’re at Work’ flag.
The message struck a chord in Ireland and other struggling Eurozone nations in the austerity years which followed the economic crash.
Limerick man Mr Tuohy married German woman Orlagh Eichholz in Cappawhite, Co. Tipperary, on Friday, and they received a congratulatory letter and signed photograph from the German chancellor.
Ms Merkel wished them luck ‘so that you can realise many of your plans, but in particular you can enjoy cohesion and understanding, even in difficult times’.
Richie, 31, said: ‘Orlagh’s dad got in touch with Angela Merkel’s office six months ago – we knew nothing about this of course.
‘He actually invited her to the wedding. Obviously he knew she wouldn’t come. He thought nothing would come back but he got a reply about three months ago.
‘It’s a full letter and a signed photograph. It went down well in the room,’ he said.
Orlagh, 29, a junior infants teacher in Caherline NS, was equally taken aback.
‘It was hilarious. I don’t know how he kept it so quiet. His speech went down a treat,’ she said.
The couple can begin to put in practice Ms Merkel’s words of advice, which include: ‘Marriage, like life itself, is not a comfortable and peaceful state, but a great adventure with many surprises.’
While the Irish team flopped in 2012, Richie and friends Eoin O’Brien, Conor O’Dwyer, Eoin Cantwell and Richie Leahy were on the front page of every newspaper – and in a twist of fate, Richie met and fell in love with Orlagh the same year.
‘We actually met in Tipperary Town on St Stephen’s night. Orlagh’s dad, Jorg, is from Germany, her mum, Libby, is from Doon and she cheers for Tipp!’ he said.
‘She was born in Germany but moved to Doon when she was five,’ added Richie, whose parents are Tony and Esther.
While the Merkel crew sold the flag for charity a couple of years ago, Richie got a loan of it for the wedding. After posing for photographs with the flag, Orlagh’s dad surprised the couple with the chancellor’s note.
‘Dad was asking me to bring the flag. We had 101 things to be doing, but I’m glad we brought it now,’ said Richie.
And despite Richie’s face being everywhere for weeks, Orlagh didn’t recognise him on that first night in 2012.
‘I was like “stop the lights”. What are the chances, me being German and him being one of the flag lads?’ she said.
‘An adventure with surprises’