lowfaresbuster
8th Sep 2003, 21:22
from ninemsn.com.au (http://news.ninemsn.com.au/Business/story_51550.asp)
Michael O'Leary, the multi-millionaire head of the Ryanair Irish budget airline, has surrendered his title of Ireland's most eligible bachelor.
The 42-year-old chief executive wed banker Anita Farrell in a ceremony at a tiny Roman Catholic church not far from his mansion home near Mullingar, in the Irish Republic's Co Westmeath.
Afterwards the 300 guests crowded into three marquees, erected in the grounds of the airline boss's Gigginstown House, for a reception.
Unlike the strictly no-frills regime imposed on Ryanair passengers, the celebration was a no-expense-spared event, featuring two bands and what was described as a "gastronomic extravaganza".
A footbridge was specially built over a swimming pool outside the mansion to permit guests to make their way to the reception.
Among those attending the post-marriage party, reputed to cost close to a million euros, were two senior members of the coalition Irish government - deputy premier Mary Harney and Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy.
Mr O'Leary and his 30-year-old wife met at the wedding of mutual friends in Co Tipperary last year.
At today's ceremony, in the church of St Livinius, in the small village of Delvin, Mr O'Leary's racehorse trainer brother Eddie acted as best man.
Honeymoon plans were thought to focus on Mauritius - a destination not yet featuring on cut-price Ryanair's timetable.
also from the Irish Independent- NOTE AER LINGUS Quipp in bold- this man cannot resist an opportunity.....
Bride delayed as O'Leary lands the love of his life
WHEN Ryanair's Michael O'Leary married Anita Farrell, it was just a normal country wedding.
It really was - apart from the security guards, the proof of admission wristbands, the journalists, the photographers with ladders, the policemen, the PR woman, the thin blonde ladies in black suits with clipboards, the renovation of the church, the obsession with total secrecy and the alleged pre-nuptual agreement.
Word was that the groom had handled the whole operation himself. Nothing as naff as a wedding planner involved. Then again, two vans parked across the road from the church told a different story. Bearing the corporate livery of a company called Ovation, they advertised "Conference Management, Destination Management, Event Management".
Which explains the blonde ladies and the clipboards. Either that, or the lovely old chapel of St. Livinius does a handy sideline in trade exhibitions and corporate seminars when brash millionaire airline bosses haven't booked it out.
It was a weekend of comparisons. First Dunphy, Kenny and the quality of the chat. Then Ryanair, Westlife and the quality of the weddings.
The jury is still out on the two broadcasters. But in Co Westmeath on Saturday afternoon, locals were expressing quiet satisfaction that their resident celebrity had shown a certain group of celebrities from Dublin how a high-profile Irish wedding really should be conducted.
"At least he had it here for us locals, not like that other one, in the south of France," said one onlooker.
It was difficult not to contrast the recent publicity fiasco that was the magazine-sponsored wedding of Bertie Ahern's daughter to Westlife's Nicky Byrne, with O'Leary's understated but breathtakingly extravagant nuptials in a small church in Killulagh, outside Delvin.
When the first guests arrived to be checked in by the clipboard ladies, they had to wait outside for some time while last minute preparations were carried out.
The 42-year-old groom appeared ten minutes early, looking relaxed. Soon afterwards, he came out for some air with his groomsmen. "I'm terrified. I've never been more nervous in my life," he shouted down to reporters, before quipping his bride would be late because she was flying Aer Lingus.
The guests were mostly family and friends of the bride and groom - there were few business big hitters on the list. PJ Mara and Donie Cassidy, both long-time friends, were among the first to arrive, both wearing black tie as stipulated in the invitation. JP McManus and wife Noreen were among O'Leary's horsey pals, while Mary Harney and Charlie McCreevy completed the political line-up.
And still, we waited for the bride. And waited, and waited. "She's playing hard to get, obviously that's the way to snag a millionaire," huffed a disgruntled journalist.
Finally, 37 minutes late, a gleaming old Bentley drove up the country road and swept past the small crowd of applauding locals. Everyone craned their necks to get a glimpse of the bride - on her way into the flower bedecked fairytale chapel on the hill, there to marry one of the richest men in Ireland.
"She looks absolutely stunning," cooed one woman, as the bride arrived to meet her millionaire. "Oooh stunning. Beeeuatiful," sighed her friend. There was a jealous pause, then the two turned to each other and in miffed unison they loudly giggled "bitch!"
A perfectly normal female reaction.
Just over an hour after the service began, the happy couple emerged through the garlanded church door and faced the cameras.
The bride's Vera Wang designed dress was brilliant white and very simple. Appropriately enough, there were no frills. Her veil was impressive, masses and masses of net, it tumbled behind and billowed in the wind as the bridesmaids struggled to control it.
Anita's blonde hair was studded with white rose buds, matching the groom's buttonhole and her bouquet of roses and pink tinged white Anthurium.
Meanwhile, the men wore black morning suits with rose pink waistcoats, a colour picked up in the bridesmaids' dresses.
The wedding party then moved up the road to O'Leary's Gigginstown House, where champagne was served on arrival and they had the choice of three marquees for dancing and dining. The photographs took an age, and guests didn't sit down to dinner until half past seven. Provided by local caterers Woodville House, they enjoyed Asparagus salad, fish, Aberdeen Angus beef from the Gigginstown herd and summer fruits. The music, classic hits, was provided by a local band.
There were lots of speeches - from both fathers, the bride, the groom and the best man, his brother Eddie. "It was most unlike Michael, he didn't speak business, he spoke about himself and his feelings for Anita, how much he loves her," said a guest. "It was nothing more than a simple country wedding, done on a grand scale - we all had a ball!" he added.
There was a full bar all night, and a bus laid on to ferry people to and from hotels in Mullingar. And there was a very impressive wedding cake. Despite fears of a security breach, Mary O'Rourke didn't jump out of the bottom tier wearing nothing but a bath towel and brandishing a loofah. But you can never be too careful.
[B]
Michael O'Leary, the multi-millionaire head of the Ryanair Irish budget airline, has surrendered his title of Ireland's most eligible bachelor.
The 42-year-old chief executive wed banker Anita Farrell in a ceremony at a tiny Roman Catholic church not far from his mansion home near Mullingar, in the Irish Republic's Co Westmeath.
Afterwards the 300 guests crowded into three marquees, erected in the grounds of the airline boss's Gigginstown House, for a reception.
Unlike the strictly no-frills regime imposed on Ryanair passengers, the celebration was a no-expense-spared event, featuring two bands and what was described as a "gastronomic extravaganza".
A footbridge was specially built over a swimming pool outside the mansion to permit guests to make their way to the reception.
Among those attending the post-marriage party, reputed to cost close to a million euros, were two senior members of the coalition Irish government - deputy premier Mary Harney and Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy.
Mr O'Leary and his 30-year-old wife met at the wedding of mutual friends in Co Tipperary last year.
At today's ceremony, in the church of St Livinius, in the small village of Delvin, Mr O'Leary's racehorse trainer brother Eddie acted as best man.
Honeymoon plans were thought to focus on Mauritius - a destination not yet featuring on cut-price Ryanair's timetable.
also from the Irish Independent- NOTE AER LINGUS Quipp in bold- this man cannot resist an opportunity.....
Bride delayed as O'Leary lands the love of his life
WHEN Ryanair's Michael O'Leary married Anita Farrell, it was just a normal country wedding.
It really was - apart from the security guards, the proof of admission wristbands, the journalists, the photographers with ladders, the policemen, the PR woman, the thin blonde ladies in black suits with clipboards, the renovation of the church, the obsession with total secrecy and the alleged pre-nuptual agreement.
Word was that the groom had handled the whole operation himself. Nothing as naff as a wedding planner involved. Then again, two vans parked across the road from the church told a different story. Bearing the corporate livery of a company called Ovation, they advertised "Conference Management, Destination Management, Event Management".
Which explains the blonde ladies and the clipboards. Either that, or the lovely old chapel of St. Livinius does a handy sideline in trade exhibitions and corporate seminars when brash millionaire airline bosses haven't booked it out.
It was a weekend of comparisons. First Dunphy, Kenny and the quality of the chat. Then Ryanair, Westlife and the quality of the weddings.
The jury is still out on the two broadcasters. But in Co Westmeath on Saturday afternoon, locals were expressing quiet satisfaction that their resident celebrity had shown a certain group of celebrities from Dublin how a high-profile Irish wedding really should be conducted.
"At least he had it here for us locals, not like that other one, in the south of France," said one onlooker.
It was difficult not to contrast the recent publicity fiasco that was the magazine-sponsored wedding of Bertie Ahern's daughter to Westlife's Nicky Byrne, with O'Leary's understated but breathtakingly extravagant nuptials in a small church in Killulagh, outside Delvin.
When the first guests arrived to be checked in by the clipboard ladies, they had to wait outside for some time while last minute preparations were carried out.
The 42-year-old groom appeared ten minutes early, looking relaxed. Soon afterwards, he came out for some air with his groomsmen. "I'm terrified. I've never been more nervous in my life," he shouted down to reporters, before quipping his bride would be late because she was flying Aer Lingus.
The guests were mostly family and friends of the bride and groom - there were few business big hitters on the list. PJ Mara and Donie Cassidy, both long-time friends, were among the first to arrive, both wearing black tie as stipulated in the invitation. JP McManus and wife Noreen were among O'Leary's horsey pals, while Mary Harney and Charlie McCreevy completed the political line-up.
And still, we waited for the bride. And waited, and waited. "She's playing hard to get, obviously that's the way to snag a millionaire," huffed a disgruntled journalist.
Finally, 37 minutes late, a gleaming old Bentley drove up the country road and swept past the small crowd of applauding locals. Everyone craned their necks to get a glimpse of the bride - on her way into the flower bedecked fairytale chapel on the hill, there to marry one of the richest men in Ireland.
"She looks absolutely stunning," cooed one woman, as the bride arrived to meet her millionaire. "Oooh stunning. Beeeuatiful," sighed her friend. There was a jealous pause, then the two turned to each other and in miffed unison they loudly giggled "bitch!"
A perfectly normal female reaction.
Just over an hour after the service began, the happy couple emerged through the garlanded church door and faced the cameras.
The bride's Vera Wang designed dress was brilliant white and very simple. Appropriately enough, there were no frills. Her veil was impressive, masses and masses of net, it tumbled behind and billowed in the wind as the bridesmaids struggled to control it.
Anita's blonde hair was studded with white rose buds, matching the groom's buttonhole and her bouquet of roses and pink tinged white Anthurium.
Meanwhile, the men wore black morning suits with rose pink waistcoats, a colour picked up in the bridesmaids' dresses.
The wedding party then moved up the road to O'Leary's Gigginstown House, where champagne was served on arrival and they had the choice of three marquees for dancing and dining. The photographs took an age, and guests didn't sit down to dinner until half past seven. Provided by local caterers Woodville House, they enjoyed Asparagus salad, fish, Aberdeen Angus beef from the Gigginstown herd and summer fruits. The music, classic hits, was provided by a local band.
There were lots of speeches - from both fathers, the bride, the groom and the best man, his brother Eddie. "It was most unlike Michael, he didn't speak business, he spoke about himself and his feelings for Anita, how much he loves her," said a guest. "It was nothing more than a simple country wedding, done on a grand scale - we all had a ball!" he added.
There was a full bar all night, and a bus laid on to ferry people to and from hotels in Mullingar. And there was a very impressive wedding cake. Despite fears of a security breach, Mary O'Rourke didn't jump out of the bottom tier wearing nothing but a bath towel and brandishing a loofah. But you can never be too careful.
[B]