Cllr who postponed his own wedding because of Covid regulations blasts 'Golfgate' gathering

Navan Cllr Eddie Fennessy and fiancée Lynn among local couples who cancelled weddings left disgusted by action of politicians who attended Oireachtas Golf Society dinner in Galway

A MEATH county councillor and his fiancée are among a number of couples who have had to cancel their weddings because of Covid-19 restrictions who have expressed fury at the Oireachtas Golf Society function in Clifden last week.

Navan's Cllr Eddie Fennessy was due to marry Lynn Boland at Halloween, but had to take the difficult decision to cancel.

“In line with public health advice, Lynn and I were forced to cancel our wedding. Weddings can be rearranged, funerals can't. Thousands of families throughout this state buried loved ones during the lockdown. The shindig held in Galway last week was a slap in the face to those families, many of whom were prevented from saying their goodbyes to loved ones.

"My first reaction when news broke on the golf party was one of absolute shock. When I read the attendance list I was completely flabbergasted. TDs, senators, councillors, an EU Commissioner, a Supreme Court judge, senior banking officials, vulture fund executives, senior Leinster House staff and retired politicians saw fit to risk public health for the sake of an old boys network knees up.

"When I think of what people have endured over the past six months, their disregard for public safety is shocking."

Lynn and Eddie were due to marry on 31st October with a reception for 220 in the Newgrange Hotel,

Lynn explains that they put it off for a year and are now hoping it will go ahead on 31st October 2021.

“We would really have preferred if it was this year and even now we have to wonder will there still be problems next year.

“Will we have to cut the guest list? We don't know what will happen. I really didn't want to have a long engagement.”

Something that really upset Lynn was conversations with her best friend during the height of the pandemic.

“She lives in Cork and works in a nursing home and the heart-breaking stories she told of moving patients to windows so they could wave at their families.”

Lynn was also upset by the death of a young woman the same age as her recently. “People couldn't go the funeral. Family and friends couldn't come together to mourn.”

She was very angry at what happened in Clifden.

“It just shows how disconnected from the people they are, They are on their own planet.”

Emily Angus and her fiancé, David Coleman were due to get married at The Ardboyne Hotel on the 20th June last.

“We were very sad and disappointed that we had to postpone to next year,” says Emily.

“We had been planning for just over two years. As the time got closer to our wedding day it got more upsetting, thinking about what we should be doing to get ready.

“We feel it was a disgraceful act for people in power that are supposed to be leaders, who make decisions on what the public can do, to take part in what happened in Galway”.

Emily said they marked the day that should have been their wedding day with a small get together in their home with immediate family and a couple close friends.

“It was nice to mark the day even though it wasn't how it was supposed to be! Hopefully we can go ahead next year with all 180 guests. Our hotel was closed at the time of our wedding so it did make the decision to postpone a lot easier, I feel for the couples who now have to decide if they want to go ahead and cut down their guest list or postpone altogether, it can't be an easy decision.

“We both have large families and a large circle of friends, and my sister, the maid of honour and my best friend who is my bridesmaid both live in England, and we couldn't imagine getting married without every one present. We also didn't want people to feel at risk or put them in danger by having a large get together.”

“We want to get married when everyone can be safe and enjoy themselves without having to worry about social distancing! We want our wedding to be remembered as a good time, not the time of the Covid outbreak.”

Laura O'Brien was due to marry her fiancé, Simon Gibney next March, but they too took the decision to cancel.

“It was a very difficult decision. We didn't know what to do but our hotel, the Headfort in Kells were very supportive.

“We both have big families and we believe that there will still be restrictions in March. We have postponed until October next year and we hope it will be alright by then.”

She said the incident in Clifden was a disgrace.

“It was a kick in the gut to all of us. My mother was in hospital for six weeks and we couldn't visit her. It was dreadful but we did what we had to keep her safe,” she said.