David and Eithne were introduced in 2004 by Eithne's sister Nora, David's colleague, at her son's christening in Galway in 2004. Eithne was studying at Sligo IT and David, a technician from Kilkenny, was living in Cork.
"For the first year I didn't have a car so I used to get the bus to Kilkenny which took about eight hours from my home in Galway," recalls Eithne, a teacher. "I had to change buses three times – one to Galway city from Carraroe, another to Limerick and then wait for a connecting bus to Kilkenny. Just before my 21st David sold me his old car at a bargain price."
On the morning of November 21st, 2015, David’s uncle Kevin drove Eithne and her father Michael to Séipéal Mhic Dara in Carraroe in his vintage Morris Minor. He had a special licence plate made in Kilkenny colours that said “newly married” as Gaeilge.
“In the car before we left the house my dad said it was the happiest day of his life: ‘I couldn’t and wouldn’t be happier if I won the lotto,’” said Eithne.
Eithne’s mother is Eithne Conneely and David’s mother is Frances Dunphy.
The groom's father, Liam, drove the bridesmaids in a white Mercedes, another car from Kevin's collection. The reception was in the Park Lodge in Spiddal.
Eithne’s friend Martha Williamson, a potter from Sliding Rock Pottery in Spiddal, made ceramic starfishes for the ends of the church pews. Réiltín Joyce and her fiance Labhrás Ó Loidéain wrote messages on 120 bottles for the guests. Martina Borland made centrepieces and lanterns for the bridesmaids, Michelle Coyne created the invitations and David’s cousin Tina made the cake. Flowers were supplied by local florist, Mitchell’s in Carraroe.
And, of course, “none of it would have been possible without my sister Nora and my nephew Dara.”
Eithne and David spent their honeymoon in New York over Christmas.
