DR EMILY CULLEN AND DR KEVIN DAVISON were married in a bilingual Irish and English ceremony at Holycross Abbey, Holycross, Co Tipperary, on Thursday, June 18th, by Emily’s friend and former Irish lecturer at NUI, Galway, Prof Mícheál Mac Craith OFM and Fr Thomas Breen PP.
Emily and Kevin were joined by 120 family members and friends, many of whom travelled from Kevin’s native Canada for the occasion. The Irish and classical music for the ceremony was provided by Emily’s three sisters and bridesmaids, Benita, Tara and Margot, on the Irish harp, along with the couple’s friend, Vera Orschel, who played the violin. The bride’s aunts and relatives sang in a choir accompanied by organist Cecilia Maher. On the day, Kevin was assisted by his cousin, David Kelso, who acted as best man, and his friends, Edward Collins and Paul Cooper.
Emily wore a full-length, winter-white, satin, corseted dress and her mother’s organza veil, which was hand-crocheted in 1971 by her father, international knitwear designer Cyril Cullen. Both of Emily’s parents, Cyril and Margie, gave her away. Emily’s bouquet of pink and white roses and Singapore orchids was created by Mary Stokes, a family friend.
After the church ceremony the wedding party posed for photographs by the 11th-century abbey before proceeding to the bride’s family home, Farney Castle (built in 1495), for the reception. The wedding guests were warmly welcomed by Emily’s parents and invited to explore the grounds and the castle interior. The wedding banquet was subsequently held at Dundrum House Hotel, Dundrum, followed by dancing to the sounds of Galway band Pyramid, and music into the morning provided by two DJs Joey Bourke and Dave Power, both friends of the bride and groom.
Emily recently completed her doctorate on the Irish harp as icon, trope and instrument while on an IRCHSS Government of Ireland scholarship at NUI, Galway. She is an accomplished harpist, poet and a part-time DJ.
Her first poetry collection, No Vague Utopia, was published by Ainnir in 2003. She works as programme manager of the Digital Humanities Observatory, a project of the Royal Irish Academy, and recently co-ordinated the international DHO Summer School at the Royal Irish Academy and Trinity College Dublin.
Kevin is a lecturer with the School of Education at NUI, Galway, and the author of several books on gender and education, including: Negotiating Masculinities and Bodies in Schools: The Implications of Gender Theory for the Education of Boys (Mellen Press), and Masculinities and Schooling: International Practices and Perspectives (Althouse Press). He is also a part of an interdisciplinary research team examining strategies for promoting science and engineering
in Ireland. His late father, John Davison, was an engineer and a native of Belfast. His mother Dian Davison, also deceased, was a native of Toronto, Canada. Kevin’s step-father, Maurice Goddard, travelled from Vancouver, Canada, to attend the wedding celebrations.
The couple met when Emily attended a lecture Kevin gave on research methods and Emily asked him a question which he could not answer. They subsequently met by chance the following morning at a seminar on publishing research and Kevin invited Emily to join him for lunch after the talk. They then realised they were in the same poetry group facilitated by Moya Cannon at the university. Kevin proposed to Emily with a pearl micro-engraved with the words “Will you marry me Emily?” at the Electric Picnic music festival in 2007.
After their wedding the couple flew to Meeru Island Resort in the Maldives. They live in Galway.