ACTRESS MAXINE LINEHAN from Cork and producer/songwriter Andrew Koss from New York were married in Crosshaven, Co Cork, on July 25th. The ruins of St Matthew’s Church in the parish of Templebreedy provided a unique location for the ceremony.
The ruins were specially fitted with a floor for the occasion. After the ceremony, the wedding party, which included 30 guests from the US, proceeded to Crosshaven House for the reception.
Maxine is a daughter of retired corrosion engineer Patrick Linehan from Cork and retired nurse Maureen Linehan (nee McNulty) from Newry, Co Down. She was educated at Coláiste Muire in Crosshaven, Co Cork, and later at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. She also obtained a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of London, before going on to qualify as a barrister at Gray’s Inns.
She worked as a lawyer before switching to a career in acting, starring to critical acclaim in Andrew Lloyd Webber's one-woman musical Tell Me On A Sundayat the Laurie Beechman Theater in New York. She is currently working as the artistic and executive director for the non-profit Alloy Theater Company in New York and is recording her first album, a tribute to Petula Clark. This year she was named as one of the most influential Irish-American women by Irish America magazine.
Andrew is the son of teacher Steven Koss and financier Marge Magner of Brooklyn, New York. His mother is a managing partner of Brysam Global Partners and former chief executive and chairman of Citigroup’s Global Consumer Group. A graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, Andrew obtained a dual BA in song writing and music synthesis.
He founded and currently runs Tainted Blue Productions, the recording studio in which he met Maxine.
On the day, Andrew was assisted by Andy Gedale, who acted as best man, and groomsmen Jordan Fleming, Chris Holt and Gerald Stockstill. Maxine was aided by her sister and maid of honour Avril Byrne, and three bridesmaids – Aysha Ahmed, Nicole Lanoue and Kelly McGee. She wore a dress by Oscar de la Renta for the occasion and carried a bouquet of white roses and hydrangeas made by Jenny O’Callaghan.
“I am so glad I came home to get married. Having lived in one of the most sophisticated cities in the world for many years I realise that what is unique to Ireland is the people. Irish people are just incredibly kind, generous and supportive and always go above and beyond the call of duty, and this element of the celebration could not have been recreated anywhere else in the world,” the bride said of her wedding day.
Andrew proposed on November 7th, 2008, following a whirlwind romance (the couple began dating in February 2008). But as Andrew says: “When you know you know.”
Asked about Andrew’s proposal, Maxine said: “I came home from a meeting one day to find the apartment covered in pink roses and candles with a bottle of Krug awaiting me. I couldn’t stop crying as I knew what was coming.”
The couple spent three days in Paris followed by eight days in the Maldives for their honeymoon. They then returned to Paris for another few days before Maxine joined a tour of the US in South Pacific, the first national tour of a Broadway production. They live in New York.