A CORK woman who has played camogie since the age of nine at her beloved club Delanys, set off on a one year adventure to Canada in January, 2011 — and found her husband.

Elmarie Cronin took up ladies football in the summer of 2011 and headed off to Philadelphia in 2012 on Labour Day Weekend to participate in the North American Championship.

While there she met a Canadian, Tyson Van Beek, and they soon realised that they both played for the same GAA club in Vancouver. They met on the traditional Sunday night out after the games and love blossomed from there.

The couple, who now live in Vancouver, were engaged in 2017 on their fifth anniversary and came to Cork to wed this summer at the Church of Annunciation, Blackpool. They celebrated their reception in Vienna Woods Hotel, Glanmire.

The bride’s dress was bought in Vows in Blarney, the suits from Morleys in Grand Parade, the bridesmaid dresses from Diamond Bridal, Maylor Street. Make Up was by Dawn Collins Maher of Pure Beauty, Dublin Hill, and hair was by 3 Degrees.

Music in the church was by Elmarie’s wonderful and talented cousin Hilary Williamson, along with her husband Jim, and sons Cillian and Ordhran. Meanwhile, the amazing three- tiered wedding cake was by her cousin June.

Ocean’s 8, from Midleton, provided the entertainment and the couple’s first dance was to Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.

As to what was the most memorable part of the day?

Elmarie said: “I always dreamed of having my wedding in a marque on the main pitch at Delany’s GAA club as I spent most of my time as a young teenager and adult there, training, playing matches as well as attending all other code games as well. My bridesmaid Dawn and I were part of Delany’s majorettes and we often performed on that pitch for family day events and before big games.

“Even though I didn’t get my marque, I was able to have a puck around with my husband and marvellous ‘wedding team’, it was brilliant. Three of my bridesmaids I have played camogie alongside for many years, and even played against two of them when they played for local rival teams Glen Rovers and Na Piarsaigh. Our friendship has always stayed strong and true and we definitely stuck by the rule of ‘what happens on the pitch stays on the pitch’.”

The couple said the wedding day was the best day of their lives. As part of their honeymoon, they went to the All-Ireland hurling semi-final between Limerick and Kilkenny in Croke Park with Tyson’s parents — a day to remember.