Saturday 1st January 2011 The wedding

No training today! It’s now Tuesday the 4^th Jan and I’m propped up in bed at my cousins place in Knocknagoshel in County Kerry . The wedding has come and gone.  More’s the shame. It was brilliant.

The location was spectacular.  Cong is a little community in County Mayo on the west coast of Ireland. It’s famous for the 1952 movie The Quiet Man, starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara , which was shot on location in the village of Cong and the surrounding area. Check it out when you get a chance. It’s a classic and for a couple just about to get married, it betters any marriage course offered by church or state.  Gene was so impressed, she’s insisted I find a good stick prior to leaving Ireland to help us in any future disagreements. The wedding reception was at Lisloughrey Lodge, a 5 star hotel sitting on a hillside overlooking Loch Corrib, a vast lake than runs all the way south to Galway City which bookmarks the other end of the Loch. Enda and Angela had booked all 50 rooms for family and friends, so everyone there was connected through the bride and groom. 

We arrived in Cong on Friday the 31^st December and booked a room in Ryan’s pub. At 7pm we wandered down to the Church to watch the rehearsal. I was asked to be a part of the Prayers of the Faithful so got the opportunity to check out what I’d have to read. The rehearsal went well. Back in the village the Stankards were booked into Ryan’s as well and it turned into quite a night. It was New Year’s Eve and the pub was alive with Enda’s relatives and a bunch of locals who took up the remaining few yards. It was wall to wall people.  A band started playing at about 11pm and after being introduced to just about the whole pub, Gene & I wandered up to bed exhausted and left them to it. One thing I’ve learnt is that the Stankards have stamina. 

Ryan’s Hotel is best described as the Irish version of Fawlty Towers, and Basil, the publican, was a Cappataggle man from Enda’s village, who happened to buy the pub in Cong, following a stint as the chef at Ashmont Castle down the road. He supported Enda’s local team which Stankard Stone sponsors and was well impressed by the friendly mob that moved in for the weekend. Once in our room we quickly hit the sack, having turned the heater up and turned the light off.  The heater looked good, but unhappily was not for heating, so we found a way to stay warm and chanced a quick cold shower the next morning, January 1^st 2011.

It was wedding day. We checked out of Ryan’s and headed down to the Church which is built into the ruins of a 1400 year old abbey. Inside it was warm, bright and welcoming and as people wandered in the sense of joy and anticipation grew.  The groom and his men, looking sharp and formal in their Morning Suits and multicoloured club socks, turned up early and stood around pretending to be relaxed and cool at the front of the church. The usual variety of outfits was on display with special mention to the bridesmaids, Marion and Ashling (Angela’s sisters) and Fiona (Enda’s sister) who all looked perfect in their elegant long shimmering single shoulder silver grey dresses that raised the temperature for all the single men in the room and raised a sigh from all the rest.  The bridesmaids aside, both the bride and groom’s Mums also looked striking and would have been given 5 stars had the local paper been there to photograph the fashion. And a little word here for Genevieve, my girl, who as always looked stunning in a short black and gold body hugging dress that I'd not seen before. Takes the breath away . . .  

There were other notable outfits and one hat that wouldn’t have been out of place at Royal Randwick on Gala Day. The poor bugger sitting behind that would have wondered if they'd wandered into the exotic bird sanctury at Cong Zoo. The women as usual outdid the men with many looking beautiful and full of style, while others wore the compulsory fake tans with at least one genuine tan in addition to Rishi, Gene and Shuana, as well as the usual array of clangers where you wonder why someone in their lives didn’t help them out by threatening to hold up a mirror if they didn’t change. It’s easier for the blokes as there’s not much we have to think about, beyond choosing which stripped shirt we'll wear and then making it to the church on time. There was however one bloke there not in a stripped shirt, who turned up in a flowery Rhodes & Beckett shirt that got his fair share of positive comments, which I understand was a first for him. Wonders never cease. 

But the moment everyone had been waiting for, not least the groom, was the bride’s entrance. She followed the bridesmaids on the arm of her older brother James, who looked like the proud brother he should be. Angela shone. Her dress was a white full length off the shoulder designer dress from Pallas Couture in Paddington, a bridal boutique in the exclusive eastern suburbs of Sydney.  As she walked down the aisle, she looked radiant and as beautiful as anyone could wish. Her dress was finished off with a long veil, a simple affair falling to the ground from the back of her hair. I’m sure Enda had a tear in his eye as he took her hand from James and gave her a little kiss to say hi mate, we’re here. 

The ceremony was simple.  Father Costello started with a short history lesson on the church and reminded Angela and Enda that they were now part of a story that goes back over 1400 years. Prayers were said, gifts were offered and readings read. Then the big moment arrived.  

I, Enda, take you Angela, to be my wife ....

I, Angela, take you Enda, to be my husband  ... 

This was followed by Enda saying:

Angela take this ring as a sign of our faithful  love ....

and that was meant to be followed by Angela saying:

Enda take this ring as a sign of our faithful love ...

It was the Bride’s big moment.  All were concentrating to hear what she said and all eyes were fixed on her. 

One thing that can be said of Angela is that she’s as sharp as a tac! She misses nothing and generally holds her thoughts, only occasionally letting others know that she’s not missed a beat. Enda is often the recipient of one of her well placed gems and I can personally attest to their clarifying effect. Her timing is generally impeccable.

But then there are those other rare occasions when we’re not immediately sure of what to make of Angela’s comments. Is it Ange reminding us of something we’ve just all missed, or is she actually off with the fairies and a step of two behind the action playing out right under her nose? This was just such a moment. What you might call, a big moment in sport.  We were all expecting Ange to say:

Enda, take this ring as a sign of our faithful love. 

What came out of her mouth was instead:

I, Angela! 

It was as loud and forceful statement. It was a statement of undeniable fact.  A reminder to Enda that he was marrying Angela. Not Maria. Not Sophie. Not even Monica. He was marrying Angela and Angela was simply, and forcefully, reminding him of this. 

Or more likely, she missed the moment while she reflected on the brilliance of the last statement she’d made and she simply hadn’t been paying attention to what was happening.  We’re still not sure which was the case, but it didn’t matter as the whole church burst out laughing and Angela found it difficult to stop laughing and finish the Blessing and Exchange of Rings. Eventually she calmed herself and finished the words:

Enda, take this ring as a sign of our faithful love. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

They then each exchanged a coin as a token that all they possess they give to each to other NOTE: this is not such a good deal for Ange as she gets a whole lot of sporting equipment and bright green Irish coloured lycra tights belonging to Enda, that she’ll be hard pressed to put to any use.

Father Costello then pronounced them husband and wife. Mass was said. Yours truly got to say a little prayer for the bride and groom and they turned and faced the congregation as Mr and Mrs Stamford!  There was spontaneous applause that filled the church and they walked down the aisle as happy as any two people can possibly be.  It was off to Lisloughrey Lodge to party.

The usual photos were taken somewhere away from the guests and we headed up to the reception area. We were eventually seated at tables named after suburbs in Sydney; Coogee, Bondi Beach and so on, with the top table being named the Sydney Opera House.  It was party time!