Wedding of the Week: Cork bride and Kerry groom met online

County rivalry was put aside when Lisa O’Carroll, from Cork, met Donnacha Ryan, from Kerry, online in 2021.

Lisa recalled: “On our first date we met in Boherbue, what a first date it was! A deer jumped in front of the car, we saw two rainbows back to back, and got lost, which we couldn’t stop laughing at.

“At the start of dating my now husband, I was very sceptical as Donnacha was from Kerry and I’m from Cork. Soon, that didn’t faze me at all, even when Cork and Kerry played in football.

“We moved in together in January, 2022. It had to be done, Donnacha crossed the border to Cork - well, actually, on the Cork/Kerry border, Newmarket. It took Donnacha a while to get used to the small, quaint village.”

Donnacha popped the question in October, 2023, and the organising began straight away, and they set a date for eight months later.

The couple were married on June 28 in the Charleville Park Hotel.

They both work for IRD Duhallow Warmer Homes in Newmarket.

“The banter before the big day was quite funny with the lads,” said Lisa.

The couple’s daughter Kara was their flower girl. Bridesmaids were Lisa Quirke and Val Kirwan. Donnacha had his brother Sean Ryan as his best man and groomsman Chris Ryan.

Lisa’s older daughters Lacy and Jody participated in the ceremony too, by reading poems.

Lisa’s brother Brian Kearney gave her away as her father passed away when she was younger.

Recalling the special day, Lisa said: “The hotel were extremely helpful, professional, friendly, and did everything they could possibly do to accommodate us.”

Hair and make-up for the bride was provided by Esther’s Hair and Beauty in Charleville. The wedding dress was purchased in Vows Cork. The suits were from Tuxedo, Tralee.

The couple were married by celebrant Pauline O’Mahony, who was ‘amazing’.

“Both our fathers had passed away, we wanted them included, so a special table was made for them with old photographs, candles and sayings, it meant something special for both us,” said Lisa.

We wanted an intimate ceremony with both counties coming together from Cork and Kerry and that is what it turned out to be.

The couple stopped off at Doneraile Park to get some photographs.

Later, they danced the night away into the early hours of the morning.

The couple jetted off for warmer climes and had their honeymoon in Mexico.