Two Weddings & A Party!

Posted on March 22, 2008

By Michael Hussey

Mick and Sara Walsh Wedding Youghal

A Youghal couple literally ‘tied the knot’ at an alternative wedding ceremony in the ancient Irish tradition of Hand fastening. Surrounded by their immediate family they exchanged rings and vows and were married according to Brehon Law. The wedding was celebrated by Celtic Monk, Dara Molloy who travelled from Inis Mór to perform the ceremony at Richmond House in Cappoquin, on the 29th February - the perfect day to take ‘the leap’.

Mick and Sara Walsh, who already shared the same surname, discovered Dara when seeking to have a ceremony to welcome their daughter Amy to the world and celebrate her birth. Dara provides such a service for people who may not wish to follow a specific Religious ceremony, yet want a spiritual celebration of important life-events. As with Amy’s Welcoming Ceremony, the couple chose for their Wedding day, carefully selected readings, poems and music and incorporated the four elements; Earth, Fire, Air and Water into the service.

Mick and Sara Walsh Wedding Youghal

As Brehon law is obviously no longer the ‘law of the land’ in Ireland, a legal ceremony had to be performed and what better place than Venice, Italy for Mr & Mrs Medieval to make this happen! Their civil ceremony took place one week before their pagan one, in the Comune di Venezia on the Grand Canal, Venice with their closest friends as witnesses. They were presented with a gift from the Mayor of Venice of a beautiful glass bowl made from the famous Murano glass.

Following two such intimate ceremonies, it was time to celebrate with their wider circle of friends and Mick and Sara did so in The Walter Raleigh Hotel in their local town of Youghal. They were joined by approximately 200 friends and relatives from all over Cork, Dublin and even Luxembourg and Sweden for a big party to celebrate their ‘weddings’. Music was provided by Co. Cork band Itchy Mochez who were joined on stage by the Bride as guest bass player and singer for the Pixies’ song, ‘Gigantic’. Youghal DJ Mick O’Connell kept the sounds going till the wee hours and guests who were residents in the hotel helped the Bride and Groom drag their wedding celebrations on for as long as they possibly could!