Life came full circle for one Skibbereen couple recently, as they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary by renewing their vows
By Connor Lynch
LIFE came full circle for one Skibbereen couple recently, as they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary by renewing their vows, in the same wedding dress and suit they wore 50 years ago.
John and Chriss Deane, from Derrygareen, celebrated their golden anniversary and renewed their vows in front of 120 friends and family in the West Cork Hotel on Friday, August 21st.
To mark the occasion, the happy couple wore the same clothes that they wore at their wedding in Abbeystrewry Church, Skibbereen, on August 17th, 1965. John wore his original suit, and Chriss her wedding dress. They were also able to use the same cake stand from 50 years ago, thanks to the West Cork Hotel, where they held the wedding reception.
Chriss’ wedding dress was handmade by Mina Cadogan, who had a shop on Skibbereen’s Main Street at the time, and John’s suit was made in England. Mina Cadogan is currently in Bantry Hospital and the Deanes visited her recently to show her the dress she made all those years ago. John was happy to report to The Southern Star that their old friend is on the mend.
Reflecting on a 50-year marriage, John says that he would only change one thing if he could. ‘If I could push back the clock I’d be married about six years earlier,’ he said. ‘We were only courting for six weeks, but I knew then that this was the girl I wanted to marry.’
For Chriss, the time has gone so quickly that it feels like a flash. She explained that she and her husband have had their ups and downs like any couple, but have never broken up, even after John was called away to England the day after their wedding and didn’t return for two months.
John had worked in the building trade in England and a house had come up for renovation at the time of the wedding, so they had to miss their honeymoon. John recalled how, at the time, the local gossip was that their marriage was over, something that couldn’t have been more wrong!
Chriss was a national school teacher, who spent most of her working life teaching at Abbeystrewry National School. John was a farmer until he retired. Together, they have four children, and five grandchildren.
By Connor Lynch
LIFE came full circle for one Skibbereen couple recently, as they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary by renewing their vows, in the same wedding dress and suit they wore 50 years ago.
John and Chriss Deane, from Derrygareen, celebrated their golden anniversary and renewed their vows in front of 120 friends and family in the West Cork Hotel on Friday, August 21st.
To mark the occasion, the happy couple wore the same clothes that they wore at their wedding in Abbeystrewry Church, Skibbereen, on August 17th, 1965. John wore his original suit, and Chriss her wedding dress. They were also able to use the same cake stand from 50 years ago, thanks to the West Cork Hotel, where they held the wedding reception.
Chriss’ wedding dress was handmade by Mina Cadogan, who had a shop on Skibbereen’s Main Street at the time, and John’s suit was made in England. Mina Cadogan is currently in Bantry Hospital and the Deanes visited her recently to show her the dress she made all those years ago. John was happy to report to The Southern Star that their old friend is on the mend.
Reflecting on a 50-year marriage, John says that he would only change one thing if he could. ‘If I could push back the clock I’d be married about six years earlier,’ he said. ‘We were only courting for six weeks, but I knew then that this was the girl I wanted to marry.’
For Chriss, the time has gone so quickly that it feels like a flash. She explained that she and her husband have had their ups and downs like any couple, but have never broken up, even after John was called away to England the day after their wedding and didn’t return for two months.
John had worked in the building trade in England and a house had come up for renovation at the time of the wedding, so they had to miss their honeymoon. John recalled how, at the time, the local gossip was that their marriage was over, something that couldn’t have been more wrong!
Chriss was a national school teacher, who spent most of her working life teaching at Abbeystrewry National School. John was a farmer until he retired. Together, they have four children, and five grandchildren.
By Connor Lynch
LIFE came full circle for one Skibbereen couple recently, as they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary by renewing their vows, in the same wedding dress and suit they wore 50 years ago.
John and Chriss Deane, from Derrygareen, celebrated their golden anniversary and renewed their vows in front of 120 friends and family in the West Cork Hotel on Friday, August 21st.
To mark the occasion, the happy couple wore the same clothes that they wore at their wedding in Abbeystrewry Church, Skibbereen, on August 17th, 1965. John wore his original suit, and Chriss her wedding dress. They were also able to use the same cake stand from 50 years ago, thanks to the West Cork Hotel, where they held the wedding reception.
Chriss’ wedding dress was handmade by Mina Cadogan, who had a shop on Skibbereen’s Main Street at the time, and John’s suit was made in England. Mina Cadogan is currently in Bantry Hospital and the Deanes visited her recently to show her the dress she made all those years ago. John was happy to report to The Southern Star that their old friend is on the mend.
Reflecting on a 50-year marriage, John says that he would only change one thing if he could. ‘If I could push back the clock I’d be married about six years earlier,’ he said. ‘We were only courting for six weeks, but I knew then that this was the girl I wanted to marry.’
For Chriss, the time has gone so quickly that it feels like a flash. She explained that she and her husband have had their ups and downs like any couple, but have never broken up, even after John was called away to England the day after their wedding and didn’t return for two months.
John had worked in the building trade in England and a house had come up for renovation at the time of the wedding, so they had to miss their honeymoon. John recalled how, at the time, the local gossip was that their marriage was over, something that couldn’t have been more wrong!
Chriss was a national school teacher, who spent most of her working life teaching at Abbeystrewry National School. John was a farmer until he retired. Together, they have four children, and five grandchildren.
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