Avril's Wedding CRAIC

g n i d Wed

in GALWAY

Cover Avril Horan & Seán Kyne

On Friday September 26th 2014 til forever ever

The BRIDAL Party The Groom:

Seán Kyne

Welcome to TheCRAIC

Welcome to the Craic with Avril and Sean! We hope you will enjoy our wedding day, taking place on September 26th, 2014 at Glenlo Abbey. We can’t believe this day has arrived. It crept up without warning, despite all of

The Bride

Avril Horan

the plotting and planning over the last few months. After all of the research, wedding fairs, pinterest, dress fittings, work outs, menu selection, jam jar creations, flowers, headpieces, accessories, cars, teacup centrepieces,

Maid of Honour:

Karen Byrne Bridesmaid:

Carmel Farrell

bands, DJs, photographers, videographers, guest lists, invites, music selection, readings, poems, seating plans, girlie bits (gals know what I am talking about here) and occasional mess ups, it’s finally here. Phew! There’s been tears and tantrums, and that’s just Seán. Fortunately he has calmed down now for the big day. We know it will fly and we want to enjoy every minute with you. Here you will find out a bit more about us, the bridal party, and how the day will go.

Bridesmaid:

Catherine Kilgarriff Happy Reading, Sure it’s all a bit of craic!

Best Man:

Gary Kyne Groomsman:

Love Avril and Seán aka the newly married couple.

Liam Kyne Groomsman:

Kenny Kyne

Featured in The Wedding CRAIC Meet The Bridal Party Gals p.4

Wedding Q&A p.12

MeetThe Bridal Party Guys p.10

Avril & Seán pix p.15

Day Time CRAIC at

Avril & Seán’s Wedding • 8am: Argh the wedding day has arrived! Get up out of bed quick and eat breakfast.

Meet The Bridal Party...

By Avril HORAN

Karen Byrne: Maid of Honour

• 9am: Hair and makeup begins for the girlies. Ah you didn’t think we looked like that all the time did you?

• 12pm: Time to start thinking about getting into the wedding dress.

• 2pm: Bouquets arrive and hopefully the bridal car too.

• 2:45pm: Better get moving for the short hop to the Glenlo.

• 3pm: Small ceremony to be held in the chapel of the Glenlo Abbey Hotel. Lets hope everyone is seated and is enjoying the music of the quartet.

• 4pm: As guests arrive, head to the River Room for champagne, canapés, tea and coffee, to the beautiful music of a harpist. Save us a glass, as the bridal party will be off having photos taken in the surrounds of Glenlo Abbey.

• 6pm: We will all go to the Corrib Suite, located on the other side of the hotel, for a 5 course meal and wine. We hope you enjoy our menu selection. And we hope to enjoy it too! For those who don’t want to meander through the hotel, a car has been organised to drive you down to the Corrib Suite. Just ask a member of staff if the bridal party are hiding somewhere. Once you have arrived, there is a lift up to the room if you don’t fancy the stairs.

K

aren: Aka Monica.

Karen and I met as teenagers and she has been a blessing in my life. She has been my constant through the best of times and worst of times.

She has listened to all of the phone calls and ideas coming her way over the last number of months and I am so happy that she can stand beside me today.

I am godmother to her daughter, Lily, and since then, we are united as family. Karen is giving up the world of volunteer management to become an event planner and has recently purchased a new headset

4

and clipboard for the purpose.

‘Hens by Karen’ are available by appointment only and she is happy to take bookings today for a minimal fee of one million dollars.

She is worth it.

Karen is often described as “too laid back” thanks to her calm, zen-like state, and when she is not in organisational mode, she can be found meditating, surfing, skydiving, snorkelling, mountain climbing and parasailing.

Her idea of a good day out would be an activity filled paradise at an extreme adventure centre/ military boot camp followed by a yoga trip to a remote part of India.

in GALWAY

• 2:30pm: Starting to get nervous now, still doing last minute bits and bobs.

Night Time CRAIC at

Avril & Seán’s Wedding • 9:30pm: Around 9:30pm, the Black

Magic

Big

Band

Meet The Bridal Party...

By Avril HORAN

Carmel Farrell: Bridesmaid

will

entertain us with their swingin’ beats. Join us on the dance floor, or if you need a breather, there is another bar and chill out area downstairs. We have invited a few more people to join the party at this stage! Food will be served at some point if you need more energy to dance.

• Midnight: If you want some more modern music to dance to, now is the time as the DJ will hit the decks!

• Saturday 9pm: Join us in The Forge pub in Moycullen from 9pm on Saturday for a relaxed evening of finger food and fun. We will also be in other establishments in Moycullen prior to that if you fancy meeting us a bit earlier. Just keep heading West on the N59, only a few minutes drive from the Glenlo Abbey or around €20 in a taxi from town. Hopefully you can share a cab.

C

armel: Aka Farlie.

Carmel and I have been childhood friends, living just around the corner from each other in Ardnaree and Beechpark West, Athlone.

eating my soup when this glass of water fell into it and the soup spilt all over my denim shirt and my denims” and “The disco’s here are brill. They’re just the same as normal discos except everybody here gets up to dance.”

We’ve known each other since we used to call boys “a screw” and I still have letters from when she left me to either go to Boyle or the Gaeltacht.

They were tough times, but we got through them together and I am grateful to have her in my life. I can’t say anything else, as Carmel knows where all of the skeletons are buried. Carmel enjoys triathlons but her favourite pastime is carving sea creatures out of soap.

I have made these available on CD if anyone wants a copy. They involve such interesting facts as “I was just

Day Time CRAIC at

Avril & Seán’s Wedding • 8am: Argh the wedding day has arrived! Get up out of bed quick and eat breakfast.

Meet The Bridal Party...

By Avril HORAN

Catherine Kilgarriff: Bridesmaid

• 9am: Hair and makeup begins for the girlies. Ah you didn’t think we looked like that all the time did you?

• 12pm: Time to start thinking about getting into the wedding dress.

• 2pm: Bouquets arrive and hopefully the bridal car too.

• 2:30pm: Starting to get nervous now, still doing last minute bits and bobs.

• 2:45pm: Better get moving for the short hop to the Glenlo.

• 3pm: Small ceremony to be held in the chapel of the Glenlo Abbey Hotel. Lets hope everyone is seated and is enjoying the music of the quartet.

• 4pm: As guests arrive, head to the River Room for champagne, canapés, tea and coffee, to the beautiful music of a harpist. Save us a glass, as the bridal party will be off having photos taken in the surrounds of Glenlo Abbey.

• 6pm: We will all go to the Corrib Suite, located on the other side of the hotel, for a 5 course meal and wine. We hope you enjoy our menu selection. And we hope to enjoy it too! For those who don’t want to meander through the hotel, a car has been organised to drive you down to the Corrib Suite. Just ask a member of staff if the bridal party are hiding somewhere. Once you have arrived, there is a lift up to the room if you don’t fancy the stairs.

C

atherine: Aka Cat. Catherine and I met in Galway through our love for swing dancing and I am her honorary sister.

We have travelled around Ireland dancing at different events, been part of a performance troupe, and ran our own free ‘practice and a pint night’ at the Office in Salthill – just to get people together.

In true sister style, there are times when I annoy the crap out of her I am sure, but we have a bond that will stand the test of time, or at least to the end of this wedding. She has introduced me to, and willingly shared with me, a great circle of Galway friends and, for that, I will be forever grateful.

She has had a major crush on Patrick Swayze since she was a young wan and looks forward to recreating the ‘lift scene’ from Dirty Dancing on the floor of the Glenlo tonight.

Her mantra is ‘nobody puts Baby in the corner’, delivered with a steely eye, and this is how she introduces herself to everyone – so don’t be alarmed.

Night Time CRAIC at

Avril & Seán’s Wedding • 9:30pm: Around 9:30pm, the Black

Magic

Big

Band

Gary Kyne: Best Man

will

entertain us with their swingin’ beats. Join us on the dance floor, or if you need a breather, there is another bar and chill out area downstairs. We have invited a few more people to join the party at this stage! Food will be served at some point if you need more energy to dance.

• Midnight: If you want some more modern music to dance to, now is the time as the DJ will hit the decks!

• Saturday 9pm: Join us in The Forge pub in Moycullen from 9pm on Saturday for a relaxed evening of finger food and fun. We will also be in other establishments in Moycullen prior to that if you fancy meeting us a bit earlier. Just keep heading West on the N59, only a few minutes drive from the Glenlo Abbey or around €20 in a taxi from town. Hopefully you can share a cab.

G

ary has taken time out from his heavy involvement with charity work to be here with us today. His ‘can do’ attitude lights up a room and he has been planning his own large wedding since he was a child.

He has devoted himself entirely to his best man duties, including the organisation of the stag night, which was a feat

of genius.

The troupe stayed in three different hotels across three different counties, dined in two different restaurants and ended the night in three different pubs/clubs.

The success of the night vibrated across the group and we love it when he regularly says that weddings are “such shh...ining beacons of the love between two perfectly suited people”.

Meet The Bridal Party Guys...

By Seán KYNE

Kenny Kyne: Groomsman

K

enny, the handiest of the Kyne boys, conveniently managed to have surgery on his hand in the run up to the wedding and was rendered completely useless. Funny how these things happen.

Fortunately this didn’t affect his favourite pastime of using a remote control to change channels. The biggest impact on Kenny’s life has been the launch of Sky TV and he is probably listening to his favourite programme via headphones right now. His

house is the envy of the entire family, which he built single handed, and we have sneakily moved in behind his back while he is at this wedding. The

removal vans are en route as we speak.

great these kids are.

Words such as ‘don’t do it’, ‘I made a huge mistake’ and ‘if I could turn back time’ have warmed the cockles of our hearts.

Enjoy your new abode Kenny.

We will.

Liam Kyne: Groomsman

O

ldest brother of the Kyne clan, Liam is married to Michelle and has four wonderful sons; Shane, Darragh, Alan and Conor. There aren’t enough words to say how

Liam was the first one of us to walk down the aisle and has been nothing but supportive of our wedding today.

Wedding Q&A

By Avril HORAN

Where do I go?

Head to the River Room for champagne, canapés, tea and coffee, to the beautiful music of a harpist. It is the beautiful room with the chandeliers. Save us a glass, as the bridal party will be off having photos taken in the surrounds of Glenlo Abbey.

I have a nice card for the happy couple, who do I give it to?

The Best Man, Gary Kyne, has the task of minding the cards for us. If you can’t find him, grab a man in tails and a pink tie and give it to him!

And then?

At 6pm is we will all go to the Corrib Suite, located on the other side of the hotel, for a 5 course meal and wine. We hope you enjoy our menu selection. And we hope to enjoy it too! For those who don’t want to meander through the hotel, a car has been organised to drive you down to the Corrib Suite. Just ask a member of staff if the bridal party are hiding somewhere.

Once you have arrived, there is a lift up to the room if you don’t fancy the stairs.

Where will I sit?

We have set out a table plan which is located outside the Corrib Suite. Simply find your name and plonk yourself there!

Relax and enjoy - or as they say, eat, drink and be merry.

Lovely grub, what now?

Around 9:30pm, the Black Magic Big Band will entertain us with their swingin’ beats.

Join us on the dance floor, or if you need a breather, there is another bar and chill out area downstairs. We have invited a few more people to join the party at this stage!

What’s that?

We also have a photobooth located outside the Corrib Suite, which should be set up around now all going well. Have your photo taken and keep it as our gift to you and hopefully a reminder of a great night. Stick it on the fridge for a year or so.

Also please sign our guestbook, which

the attendant will have at the photo booth.

I’m hungry again!

Fear not, there are plenty of nibblies on the way to keep you going until the DJ hits the decks.

Ah that was great but I am danced out, but how do I get home?

Taxis are available.

I am here for the weekend and don’t want the party to end.What should I do?

Join us in The Forge pub in Moycullen from 9pm on Saturday for a relaxed evening of finger food and fun. We will also be in other establishments in Moycullen prior to that if you fancy meeting us a bit earlier. Just keep heading West on the N59, only a few minutes drive from the Glenlo Abbey or around €20 in a taxi from town. Hopefully you can share a cab.

Meet The Couple:

Avril HORAN & Seán KYNE

A

vril and Sean met many moons ago when Avril was working as a news broadcaster with Galway Bay FM and Sean was with Galway County Council.

While both single at the time, the stars didn’t collide and neither approached the other, apart from behind a microphone for a radio interview for the local station. And yet, Avril left a lasting impression on the young strapping man from Moycullen.

They met again on the campaign trail, when Avril was working for a rival party with Senator, Niall O’Brolchain, and yet, as in politics, the timing still wasn’t right. Finally, thanks to a text message inviting the newly appointed TD to a launch party which he didn’t attend due to the ‘clinics’ excuse, the man from Moycullen replied three weeks later and a relationship was born.

Yes romance can be found via texting and their first date was in McSwiggans bar on a cold winters night. Having broken out in a plethora of spots, Avril was nonetheless relaxed about this first date as they already knew one another. As the bar closed, they held hands down Shop Street and haven’t let go since. Not wanting the night to end, Avril invited Seán to a house party, which he loves (ahem) and he promptly fell asleep in the chair around 2am.

The first year was spent navigating the boundaries of what this relationship could be, and they both admit to having some blazing rows - one in particular involving a black umbrella. Thankfully, they can both laugh at this now (I’ll Kill You!) as there was something stronger keeping them together.

They have since lived together, travelled together, supported

each other and two years on, Seán proposed on their second anniversary. True to style, the original proposal on the eve of their two year celebration had to be abandoned, due to Avril’s work night out, where she had imbibed one too many, and forced him to watch Anchorman instead.

With the glamour taken out of the occasion, Seán got down on one knee as Avril unknowingly paraded around the house in her beloved owl jumper. With a temporary ring in hand, he asked her to marry him and she said yes! Today they stand before their family and friends, with a promise to love each other, never take each other for granted, and always make time for dates. They don’t know what the future will hold, but they know they want to go through it together and for their lifetime.

Thank you fo r

joining

us on our spe Special thanks cial day. to: Fr Charlie, Seaman, Hono Registrar Sara rary Bridesm h Nash, Hairs aid Sinead Ni tylist Vicky Abbey, String Houlihan, Th Serenade, Th e Staff of the e Black Magic Glenlo Big Band and came to the st everyone who ag and hen ni On our Weddi ghts! ng Day, we w ant to remem ber those who us; especially couldn’t be w in memory of ith : Cecil and Anne tte Horan: ak a Mammy an d Daddy