To the rhythmical pulse of the drums, they dance the welcome dance. Flames leap into the night, licking the sky, eager to receive the newlyweds and illuminating the masked performers. Two cloaked figures emerge from their carriage to greet family and friends around the fire. And the celebration of their union begins . . .
Same-sex marriages are few and far between in Ireland, and even fewer are so publicly celebrated. But for a lesbian couple in Galway - a costume designer and a film "chippy" - it was an opportunity to throw a party for friends and colleagues on the day of their recent wedlock.
There was never a dull moment at the wedding of Breege Fahey and Bob Pritchard. From the shaking hulas of the belly dancer, the raucous Bee Gees tribute band, the inimitable comedian Little John Nee to the vibrating tunes of DJ John, the night was one never-ending theatrical moment after the other.
But the party, as good as it was, was merely one facet of the day. Some hours previously on a beach in Connemara, an intimate group gathered in a circle - hot whiskies and football in tow - to witness the two people of the same sex giving their hand to the other and declaring their love. One woman described it afterwards as "the most spiritually moving wedding I have ever experienced".
Less than a month before, the Vatican restated the Catholic Church's official opposition to homosexual marriages. "De facto unions between homosexuals are a deplorable distortion of what should be a commitment of love and life between a man and a woman in a reciprocal gift open to life," it said.
Clearly alarmed by the growing movement in Europe towards legal recognition of both unmarried heterosexual and gay and lesbian couples, the Pope has expressed "great concern" at the legal moves taken in many countries.
On January 17th last, the Equality Authority published an audit of law in Ireland which stated that, at present, same sex couples have virtually no legal rights or entitlements. "There needs to be a lot more debate to decide what rights to fight for, and to look at the individual effects of any possible legislation," says Mr Brian Sheehan of the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network.