IRISH WEDDING WEEKEND MADNESS

Rathellen House
I want to tell you a little story about celebrating friendship, a wedding and falling in love with Ireland all over again.

This last weekend I got my long awaited dose of Ireland. I need my share of it every couple of months, otherwise I begin to wonder why this city, this country once had such a strong hold over me. I came back on Monday and I remembered why I am in love. 







On Friday, we travelled to Dublin and waited for my dear French friends Maryline, Céline and Matthieu, got in a rental car and drove two hours to Co. Tipperary. I’ve never been to this county except maybe for travelling through on our way down to Kerry, but it is, as the Irish would agree, very lovely indeed. Grand houses tucked neatly behind green hedges, grey stone walls or wild flower bushes, roads that went smaller and smaller the closer we got to our house. Rathellen House then catapulted us into another time, a long gone era. There was a sign or a number somewhere that said it was build during the 19th century. It was a grand, former master’s house with big heavy arm chairs, painted portraits on the wall, a piano, a massive table for at least 15 hungry eaters and bedrooms that were set up with much care and love. Best of all was the fact that all of my friends (all of whom I know from playing volleyball in Trinity back in the days) were there and laughter was everywhere. We made fun of each other, we found running gags just by sitting at the breakfast table or by sitting outside, finding signs that said “I’m in the garden” or simply talking to each other about things we missed, things we didn’t know had happened the last months and so on and so on. And while I’m writing this – hilarious timing! – Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” is playing on the radio. People know what I mean. 




Jen’s wedding on the next day was celebrated in big style and in style. Everything matched everything (apart from the groom’s socks that can be counted as a tiny rebellion against the huge “matchiness” of the whole event) and Jen once more proved her great eye for details. She was stressed though – after all 200 guests were invited and letting go on a big day with loads of different appointments and the great thing that happens in your life can be difficult, so everyone understood. 

The Irish Catholic church surprised me a lot. The whole atmosphere was very relaxed, people clapped after a wonderful song and people would smile and smile and laugh out loud. It was the best wedding ceremony I think I have attended (I think I’m allowed to say that, I attended over 10 weddings by now): the Irish spirit, I don’t have a better explanation for the atmosphere. Sure, the priest was never not serious, but he added a joke or two, left room to breathe and to smile instead of being forever serious and grave. 

borrowed picture :)








Dinner was really nice and as we didn’t know any other Irish weddings, the speeches from the Best Man, the father of the bride and the father of the groom as well as from the bride herself and the groom himself were easy to get through. Jen’s speech was very touching, I had to blink back some tears while she was thanking everyone and declaring her love for her husband Niall. 

The dancing floor was then ours - oh, the fun we had! I had completely forgotten two of my favourite songs that played that night. You know the songs you can always be the craziest person on the dance floor, shouting words and sounds at one another, jumping up and down? Imagine The Sultans of Ping – Where’s me Jumper and The Fratellis – Chelsea Dagger and you have a little insight into what went on that night.




I won’t babble on about how the next day had us playing volleyball on the grass, drinking beer, enjoying the sun and the After Wedding BBQ (although the roasted pig wasn’t the best sight for the vegetarians among us). Let’s just say: it was a worthy end to the whole celebration.


The friendships we have and the days we celebrate together makes us the person we want or need to be. I never felt tired, I never felt lonely, I never worried. It was a great weekend, thanks to everyone involved. 

Kai, Jen, Maryline, Valeria, Ruth, Esther, Chris, Steph, Adrian, Paloma, Céline, Mamen, Matthieu
(Borrowing someone else's picture of the "gang")

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