VALERIE KELLY and Alan Collins, both from Co Wicklow, were married on June 5th at Cork city registry office by Bernadette Caulfield-Waugh. The ceremony was attended by family and friends and included an excerpt from Strumpet City, written by Valerie’s grandfather, the late James Plunkett Kelly. Afterwards, the couple drove to their reception at Blairs Cove House in Durras, west Cork, in a white vintage Fiat 500 belonging to the bride’s mother, with a procession of beeping and waving guests in tow.
Valerie is the youngest of Ross and Mary Kelly’s three daughters and lives in Bray close to her parents’ home of 25 years. She attended Loreto Secondary School in Bray before studying dietetics at Trinity College Dublin. Now a senior dietician at Temple Street Hospital in Dublin, she recently co-authored a book with her colleagues Therese Dunne and Phyllis Farrell, called Feed Your Child Well.
Alan is the son of Brian and Deirdre Collins, the second youngest of their three sons and one daughter. He attended St Andrews College in Booterstown before studying hospitality management and tourism at Dublin Institute of Technology. He has worked for Vodafone for a number of years and is well-known as an avid sportsman, having competed in triathlons and Ironman competitions in Ireland and the UK.
The couple met eight years ago, brought together by a shared love of adventure and the outdoors. “Alan is never without a skateboard, surfboard or snowboard, depending on the season,” his sister-in-law, Jillian Kelly, explains.
Alan’s brother, who lives in Japan, travelled to Cork with his wife and two boys for the wedding as did his sister, Niamh, who made the journey from Australia with her husband and two young sons. Valerie “looked effortlessly beautiful” on the day in a dress made by her mother, Mary, and godmother, Audrey Mullins.
The reception was held at Blairs Cove House overlooking Dunmanus Bay, a somewhat sentimental choice by the bride and groom, knowing the many happy memories the Kelly family have of this seaside location. The celebrations began with champagne in the courtyard and some emotional words from the father of the bride, Ross Kelly, and Alan’s best man and brother, Daniel Collins.
With the sun setting over the bay, the 90 guests had a feast prepared by proprietors Philippe and Sabine De Mey, followed by dancing to the Dublin band Soul Purpose. Guests were later treated to an impromptu performance by Alan's uncle, RTÉ DJ Ronan Collins, who took to the stage with Tina Turner's Proud Mary.
The couple are currently honeymooning in Hawaii and California and will return at the end of the month.