Dearbhla O'Sullivan and Leonard O'Brennan

VOWS:DEARBHLA O'SULLIVAN AND Leonard O'Brennan were married at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Tralee, Co Kerry by Fr Padraig Walsh on December 19th. They were looking for an intimate church with a Christmas feel and this ticked all the boxes.

Dearbhla is the youngest of Donal and Olive O’Sullivan’s eight children and grew up in Tralee. She attended Coláiste Íde, Daingean Uí Chúis and St John’s Secondary School, Tralee. She studied at the University of Limerick where she graduated with an honours degree in history and politics.

Having completed an internship with Congressman Richard Neal on Capitol Hill in Washington DC, Dearbhla returned to Ireland to pursue a career as a radio producer, first with Limerick’s Live 95fm and then 103fm in Cork.

Dearbhla then went on to further her career in radio with National Radio New Zealand. When she returned, she worked at the The Irish Times while studying for her HDip in primary teaching – “a slight career diversion” – and now teaches third class at Gaelscoil an Eiscir Riada in Tullamore, Co Offaly.

Her bridesmaids were two of her five sisters, Olivia McGowan and Ursula O’Sullivan, while Olivia’s four-year-old twin daughters Abigail and Aisling McGowan were the adorable flower girls.

Leonard is the second son of Colm and Teresa O’Brennan, and he has two siblings, David and Eimear. A native of Tullamore, he attended Scoil Bhride, Tullamore, followed by St Finian’s College in Mullingar. He graduated from UCC with an honours degree in food business in 1996 and, since graduation, has worked in the drinks industry in Ireland, the US and New Zealand. Best man was Leonard’s brother David and his best friend, Stephen O’Connor, served as groomsman.

Leonard and Dearbhla met at a house party in Auckland, New Zealand in 2004, but their paths didn’t cross again until they bumped into each other in Croke Park on St Patrick’s Day in 2007. They decided fate had intervened a second time for a reason and Leonard proposed in Turkey in August of 2008.

The wedding ceremony had a festive feel. Music was provided by Philomena McGowan, while the maid of honour, Olivia McGowan, sang a variety of songs in Irish, Latin and English. Dearbhla sang the psalm herself.

Guests flew in from the US, Romania and Holland, as well as a group of Irish friends from that initial party in New Zealand in 2004. The reception was held in Ballyseede Castle outside Tralee, where guests were greeted by the resident Irish wolfhound.

The first dance was performed by Dearbhla’s brother Colm O’Sullivan, who sang a rendition of Christy Moore’s The Voyage. The following morning as the snow came flurrying down around the castle, Dearbhla put on her wedding gown one last time and strolled down the avenue. Wedding guests returning for farewell tea and scones were a little startled to find the bride still in her garb and concluded she had never gone to bed.

The couple left for their honeymoon in Kenya and Tanzania, where they looked forward to spending Christmas Day tracking exotic animals. They also planned a week in Zanzibar. They will live in Tullamore, Co Offaly.