Happy moment for the elderly Offaly couple amid COVID-19 restrictions

Despite the ongoing level 5 restrictions, Offaly couple’s long-cherished dream has come true. John Birmingham, 86, a Rhode farmer, and his long-time love Mary Long, 83, tied the knot yesterday – 40 years after they first met.

The wedding ceremony was held at the Civil Marriage Registration Room at Tullamore Health Centre yesterday afternoon.

This elderly couple has shown that age is not a barrier for marriage and love.

Since there are level 5 restrictions as part of the COVID-19 control, the ceremonies were not attended by much people. The happy moment could only be witnessed by John’s daughter, Carolyn Bermingham, and her husband, John Fitzgerald, and their twin daughters, Robbyn and Alison.

John Birmingham, well-known locally as an expert horsema, grew up in Terenure, Dublin, and later moved to Ballybryan, Rhode. The bride, Mary, from Turner’s Cross, Cork City, was a beauty consultant based in Dublin and a keen swimmer in her younger days.

The ceremony was organised by John’s daughter Carolyn and her husband. Caroline said the couple wanted to get married, even though they are older.

“Nowadays everything is online and on the internet and they just couldn’t manage it. They were overwhelmed by the whole bureaucracy of it and they found it very impersonal,” Carolyn said.

She thanked the marriage registration service in Tullamore for the help and said the ceremony went well despite the COVID-19 restrictions.