'I remember every bit of it': Cork couple who wed in 1954 celebrate 70th anniversary

Mícheál and Maighréad Uí Lionáird were back for a celebratory mass on Tuesday morning at the church in the Cork Gaeltacht village of Baile Mhuirne where they got married 70 years ago to the day.

Mícheál, a woodwork teacher and former principal at Coláiste Ghobnatan, then known as Gairmscoil Ghobnatan, and Maighréad Ní Shuilleabháin, pledged their vows at a wedding Mass at 9.30am on a frosty Saturday morning and there were around 40 people in attendance.

“I remember every bit of it,” said Maighréad who said she had travelled from her home in Gort na Scáirte, a few miles outside the village in a taxi driven by Tadhg Ó Duinnín from Cúil Aodha and her maid of honour was Máirín Ní Riordáin, her cousin. “I was an only child,” she said. Mícheál’s best man was his brother Risteard.

“We’re looking forward to the next 70 years,” said Maighréad with a laugh as she sat down with Mícheál for a 70th wedding anniversary breakfast in the Mills Inn after Mass. “A milestone is better than a tombstone,” she added. 

They were joined by their daughter, Eibhlín, son in law Gerry and grandson Jamie. The full family will get together at the weekend to celebrate their parents’ anniversary.

“I never thought we’d reach this day,” said Mícheál who hailed from Skibbereen but had been teaching locally when he met his future wife. “But here we are.” 

The Mass was celebrated by the Parish Priest of Baile Mhúirne, a Fr. O’Brien, along with Mícheál’s own brother, Fr. Dan Ó Lionáird and Fr. Shorten from Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh. Mícheál was a teacher in Scoil Mhuire in that village also as well as teaching night classes in woodwork five nights a week in Millstreet, Réidh na nDoirí, Cill na Martra, Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh and Cluain Droicad.

After Mass it was on to Gougane Barra Hotel for a breakfast meal which, as Maighréad described, was a cold plate and not a fry and after that Fr Dan drove the couple at speed to catch the train for Dublin in Cork. After spending a few days with relatives in Dublin they travelled to Belfast where Mícheál had another brother.

When they returned home after the honeymoon, the couple made their home in Gort na Scairte and raised a family of twelve children, the eldest of which was Risteard and also included Bríd, Dónal, Breandán, Peadar, Seán, Mícheál Máirtín, Tadhg, Iarla, Eibhlín, Eoghan and Páidí. Two of the family died, Mícheál Máirtín in a motorcycle crash in the 1970s when he was just a young man and Bríd Ní Lionáird Uí Riordáin who died after an illness a few years ago.

During the Mass, Baile Mhúirne Parish Priest Fr Seán Mac Carthaigh had congratulated the couple on their momentous achievement and the small congregation in attendance had applauded and spent several minutes after mass chatting with the couple and extending their personal congratulations.