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The Level 5 lockdown could not prevent an older Offaly couple from marrying more than 40 years after meeting.
Rhode farmer John Bermingham, 86, and his longtime love, Mary Long, 83, exchanged vows in the civil marriage registration room at the Tullamore Health Center this afternoon.
The marriage was witnessed by John’s daughter, Carolyn Bermingham, and her husband John Fitzgerald, who traveled from their home in Holycross, Co Tipperary for the ceremony.
The only other people who attended the intimate wedding were Carolyn and John’s twin daughters, Robbyn and Alison.
John Bermingham grew up in Terenure, Dublin and his father Jack, a native of Offaly, played rugby for Ireland in 1921.
Later, the groom moved to Ballybryan, Rhode, and became known locally as a skilled horseman.
Happy Girlfriend Mary, originally from Turner’s Cross, Cork City, was a Dublin-based beauty consultant and a keen swimmer in her youth and was delighted to get ready for her day.
Carolyn Bermingham, John’s daughter, said it had long been the couple’s wish to get married, but that they were struggling with paperwork.
“They are old and I knew they wanted to do this,” he said. “Today everything is online and on the Internet and they just couldn’t handle it. They were overwhelmed by all the bureaucracy and they found it very impersonal.”
She was very grateful for the help of the marriage registration service in Tullamore and despite the Covid-19 restrictions, the ceremony went well.
For their part, the newlywed couple ignored the Covid-19 restrictions, but John later joked: “It’s a shame we can’t go for a drink.”
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