Our Wedding Story: Our cycling club had a guard of honour holding up wheels

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Aishling Barry (32) from Co Cavan and James Hoare (30) from Maynooth met through their Dublin-based triathlon club, Piranha.

After two years together, James, a manager in Bank of Ireland’s corporate banking division, proposed to his girlfriend, practice manager at Shelbourne Dental Clinic, on Salthill prom after the Galway races in 2013.

On the morning of their wedding, April 18th 2015, James sent best friends Neil and Colin to The K Club (where Aishling was staying with her parents John and Margaret and bridesmaids, twin sister Oniesa and younger sister Kelly-Marie) with champagne and a pair of diamond earrings for his bride-to-be.

They were married by Fr Peter Burke (from Aishling’s father’s hometown of Drumshambo, Co Leitrim, who she had told at a wedding in Sicily eight years ago, long before she met James, that she wanted him to perform her marriage ceremony when the time came) at Ladychapel Church in Maynooth Co Kildare.

The bride’s friend Petrina and the Gaffney family sang throughout the Mass.

Aishling’s dress was from Belladonna Bridal in Galway and later on at the reception at Ballymagarvey village in Co Meath she changed into a cream pearl and ostrich-feather evening dress so she could get down to Sean Slattery and the Connections. “I love dancing and my wedding dress was so heavy and fitted that I wanted something I could have fun in,” said Ashling.

The groom and his best men, younger twin brothers Martin and Gerald, were kitted out by Dawson’s Menswear in Maynooth.

“We both cycle in Lucan Cycling club and the whole club had a guard of honour at the gates holding up wheels with their cycling gear on. It was so much fun,” said Aishling.

After the wedding, the newlyweds spent four days in the Cliff House Ardmore and when James’ final accountancy exams are completed next year they plan to cycle around Europe.

Photographs: Mark Kelly Photography

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