Wedding of the Week: Celebrations for Kerry couple that met at Killorglin's Puck Fair
Pictures: With Their Cleary's Sam Long James Martin Mary And O'dowd Son Cleary, Photography Long
Because they lived within a few miles of one another, Mary O'Dowd and James Long always knew one another by sight.
But the Kerry couple say their paths didn't really cross until the annual landmark three-day festival in nearby Killorglin 11 years ago.
The couple, who now live in Castlemaine village, got engaged on Christmas Eve 2022, and were married recently in St Gobnait’s Church, Keel.
“We are both from Keel originally, only a 10-minute drive from each other,” says Mary. “We always knew each other to see and we first met properly in August 2013 at Puck Fair.”
Father Danny Broderick led their wedding Mass and afterwards the wedding party made its way to Killarney, for the reception, at the Killarney Oaks Hotel.
The couple's son Sam Long, three, was delighted to take centre stage as pageboy, along with Mary’s godchild Liam O’Dowd, also a pageboy, and the bride's niece Isabelle O’Dowd and groom's niece Clodagh Flaherty, who were flower girls.
Both sets of parents, Eileen and Tom O’Dowd and Joan and John Long helped the couple plan their wedding, as did Mary’s sister Grace O’Dowd was her maid of honour and her friends Laura Moriarty and Ciara O’Donoghue who were her bridesmaids.
James’s brothers Gary and Shane Long were by his side as best man and groomsman respectively with his friend Eoghan O’Connor as groomsman.
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Martin Cleary of Cleary’s Photography, Tralee (clearysphotography.ie), led their photoshoot, which took in Killarney’s Ross Castle and Lough Leane, with videographer Colin Hickey of Orchid Pictures capturing the occasion on camera also.
Killarney Oaks wedding co-ordinator Tara Casey pulled out all the stops, add the newlyweds. “Tara was fabulous,” says Mary. “We really had the best day, everything was perfect and we were so happy,” says the bride.
“Family and friends made the event so special for us. Our wedding band No Strings were unreal. In fact, all the suppliers that we chose were brilliant.”
Mary looked super-elegant in an Anna Sposa dress she sourced in The White Ivy Bridal Boutique in Kenmare.
Juliette Murphy, Makeup by Juliette, Killarney, was the bridal makeup artist, with a tanning supplied by The Beauty Room by Miriam, Gneeveguilla, and Cathyanne Kelliher, Cathyanne Bridal Hair Stylist, creating camera-ready hairstyling.
Maura Sheehy of Maura’s Cottage Flowers devised the floral décor and bouquets.
Alan Dineen of Formally Yours, Killarney, ensured the groom and his party were dapper.
Their minimoon was also within their home county, with the newlyweds enjoying a break in Parknasilla resort & Spa in Sneem. They plan to honeymoon later this year.
Mary is a member of staff at EBS Castleisland and James works at Malachy Walsh & Partners Consulting Engineers.
- If you would like your wedding featured in Weekend email eve.kelliher@examiner.ie
