O'Leary down to earth for big day

The guests at Michael O'Leary's wedding on Saturday were in black and pink - black tie for the men and pink, despite the lateness of the season, was the choice for many of the women.

It wasn't just the summer the guests were clinging on to: high winds caused havoc with floaty frocks and, indeed, the fluttering locks of some of the gentlemen.

Even the bride, 29-year-old Ms Anita Farrell, who was given away by her brother, had headgear problems. Her veil threatened to take to the winds, but her handsome new husband came to the rescue, seemingly bearing no malice for being left waiting 38 minutes at the altar. The wedding ceremony in St Livinius' church near Delvin, Co Westmeath, was to have started at 3 p.m., with guests requested to be seated by 2.30 p.m., but it was nearly 4 p.m. when proceedings eventually got under way.

In fact, taking a few minutes during the long wait to speak to the assembled reporters and well-wishers who were waiting down the mount on which the church stands, Mr O'Leary made light of the tardiness of his bride-to-be. She wouldn't be on time, he said, as she was "flying Aer Lingus".

The guest list had about as many trendy high-fliers as a Late Late Show line-up. Mr O'Leary, a traditional man, eschewed the pop celebrity line-up of an earlier high-profile summer wedding and chose to spend his special day with family and close friends. Among his friends who attended were the Tánaiste, Ms Harney, and her husband Mr Brian Geoghegan; the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, who arrived at 3.20 p.m.; business man Mr JP McManus; and Mr Donie Cassidy, the man who stole the Westmeath Fianna Fáil seat from Mrs Mary O'Rourke. Mrs O'Rourke did not attend.

The guests and the happy couple were ably shielded by a midlands security company as they made their ways up to the reception at Gigginstown House, Mr O'Leary's estate.

After pink champagne on the lawn, there was a very late wedding breakfast in the large marquees - a sumptuous spread of asparagus, fish and then roast beef. There was a barbecue around midnight and then dancing. The festivities were still going strong at 5 a.m. yesterday morning.