A series of events to promote and celebrate marriage is being held around the country this week in the run up to St Valentine’s Day.
Organised by Marriage Week Ireland, an umbrella group representing 17 organisations involved with marriage in this country, the week is also designed to raise awareness of the variety of counseling and support services available to married couples and those preparing for marriage.
The main event taking place is a It-Takes-Two seminar tomorrow evening in the Castleknock Park Hotel in Dublin for married and engaged couples. The seminar will focus on effective communication, how to deal with common flashpoints such as financial worries and how to argue constructively.
"Everyone brings baggage to a relationship from previous relationships," says Mervyn Nutley, spokesman for Marriage Week. "This seminar will provide couples with tools to overcome this baggage and demonstrate how to have a "win win" argument rather than there having to be a "winner" and a "loser,"" he adds.
Tickets for the seminar are available from www.family.ie or at the door tomorrow evening.
A number of hotels and restaurants are also offering 10 per cent off meals for couples during the week. A list of participating is available on www.marraigeweekireland.ie.
Organisations such as Accord and Together.ie run pre-marriage courses regularly throughout the year and provide counselling services for those experiencing difficulties in their marriage. Details are also available on www.marraigeweekireland.ie.
Welcoming Marriage Week, Minister for Social and Family Affairs Mary Hanafin T. said she applauded the community groups and organizations working to support the promotion of marriage in Ireland.
"The upward trend in marriages in Ireland can be read as a sign of vitality in Irish family life and is counter to the notion that the institution of marriage is losing its appeal," she said.
Mr Nutley said marriage provided the 'best possible option for individuals who choose a partner for the long term to play a full and meaningful part in contributing towards a stable society."