Golden memories as the Colhouns return to their wedding venue
The couple, who first met at the Olympic Ballroom in1972, celebrated their wedding at the then Downhill Hotel in October 1976, joined by more than 120 guests.
From the dance floor of Dublin’s Olympic Ballroom to a golden wedding celebration surrounded by family, Mary and Lawrence Colhoun from Ardagh have marked a very special milestone by returning to where their married life began.
The couple, who first met at the Olympic Ballroom in1972, celebrated their wedding at the then Downhill Hotel in October 1976, joined by more than 120 guests.
50 years later, they returned to the same venue, now the Twin Trees Hotel in Ballina, to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary with their closest friends and family, including their eleven children and nine grandchildren.
The occasion was an opportunity to celebrate the life Mary and Lawrence have built and enjoyed together, while revisiting a place that holds so many happy memories.
A lovely link to the original celebration was a group photograph displayed on the night, showing Mary and Lawrence with all their wedding guests in the hotel gardens in October 1976. The photograph prompted fond memories and conversation as family and friends looked back at the faces and fashions of their wedding day, 50 years earlier.
Speaking at the celebration, Lawrence said: “It’s great to be back where we celebrated our golden wedding anniversary. We had a wonderful day here in 1976, but coming back with our children and grandchildren makes this occasion very special. We’re lucky to have each other and to have such a great and loving family around us.” Shane Scott, Director of the Twin Trees Hotel, said the team were delighted to welcome the couple back.
“It’s just lovely to see couples who celebrated their wedding here return to mark these milestones, surrounded by their family and friends. There’s something very special about welcoming them back, seeing how their family has grown and hearing their stories from the original wedding day.
“Mary and Lawrence are such a lovely, warm couple, and we are honoured to play a part in their celebrations. We wish them many more happy and healthy years together.” For Mary and Lawrence, the return was a chance to reflect on 50 years of marriage and make new memories with the family and friends who joined them to celebrate.
