Wedding of the week: Midwife Orlaith and Garda Dan met at a ball — and had a ball at their wedding
And Micheal Orlaith Osullivanphotographyirl Photography, Keane Dan John St Pictures: O’sullivan
An annual charity ball organised by emergency services workers led to love for Orlaith St John and Dan Keane.
Orlaith, a midwife, and Dan, a member of An Garda Siochána, are based in her native Drangan, Co Tipperary, and met at the Blue Light Ball in Hotel Kilkenny in 2018.
They have been attending the black-tie do as a couple ever since and will walk the red carpet as newlyweds for the 2023 event later this month.
Because two years after they first spotted one another, the glitzy backdrop of their first encounter made way for the windswept Cliffs of Moher, where Dan proposed, in December 2020.
They were married recently in Dan’s hometown, Killarney, County Kerry.
The couple were keen to plan what the bride describes as a “family-oriented” wedding, and it lived up to their every expectation.
“It was magical,” says Orlaith.
The ceremony took place in St Agatha’s Church, Glenflesk, led by Fr Padraig Kennelly, on December 15, 2022, followed by a reception in the Great Southern Killarney.
Both sets of parents led the toasts, Imelda and Donal St John and Kate and Dan Keane, along with the groom’s grandparents Anne and Dan Keane.
“Having Dan's grandparents there made the day extra special, as did having my new niece Ré there. Ré was only six weeks old and my sister, Emma, travelled back from Dubai especially for our wedding day with her and her husband, Glen," says the bride.
"Also having Dan’s brother, Kevin, home from Sydney with his girlfriend, Emma, was wonderful. We really appreciated everyone making an effort to be there — it made our day extra special to us.”
Orlaith looked stunning in an Anna Kara wedding dress, purchased in Folkster, Kilkenny.
Rachel Morrissey, Limerick, was the bridal hairstylist, while the makeup was camera-ready thanks to Lizzy Desmond, Cork.
Pauls of Kilkenny ensured the groom and his party looked dapper.
The couple’s daughter, Holly Keane, was delighted to share the limelight as flower-girl with her cousins, Orlaith’s nieces Hannah and Isabelle Looby.
Orlaith’s sisters were by her side, with Emma St John as maid of honour and Lorraine St John as bridesmaid along with her friends, Niamh Prendergast and Meghan O’Byrne, as bridesmaids, while Dan’s brothers, Kevin Keane and Aidan Keane, were at the heart of the action as best man and groomsman and his friends, Graham Gohery and Ryan McHale, were the groomsmen.
Mícheál O’Sullivan, international award-winning photographer, led the photo-shoot, and Tie the Knot created the floral arrangements.
The newlyweds enjoyed a Caribbean cruise for their honeymoon, and are looking forward to moving into their newbuild in Drangan at the end of next month.
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