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Couple celebrate 50 years of marriage

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By Sean Moriarty

It only took 50 years of married bliss but one couple were finally able to invite one of their brothers to their wedding celebration.

50 YEARS MARRIED: Chris and Christy O'Brien (seated centre) with their family at the International Hotel on Sunday celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary. Front row l-r were: Denise McSweeney Chris and Christy O'Brien and their son Alan O'Brien. Photo: Marie Carroll-O'Sullivan

Chris (nee Cronin from Aghadoe) and Christy O'Brien from Marian Terrace were married in the now disused Saint Lelia's Church in Fossa on December 9, 1972.

Chris comes from a large family; she has 10 sisters and five brothers.

The second oldest or “second in command" as she jokes herself, was 21-years-old at the time of her wedding.

Her youngest brother, Michael had yet to celebrate his first birthday so he was unable to attend the ceremony or the celebration afterwards in The Gleneagle Hotel.

“He keeps asking me who was minding him that day, I keep telling him he was home all alone,” Chris jokingly told the Killarney Advertiser.

“We made up for it, he was at our 50th celebration in the International Hotel on Sunday.”

It was a double celebration for the O’Brien clan. Not long after their marriage they were one of the first couples to take up residence at the then newly constructed Pinewood estate in town.

On Sunday last they also celebrated 50 years in their home.

Chris and Christy have one son, Alan, and he and his wife Denise recently celebrated 10 years of marriage.

“I keep telling them they have 40 more years to go,” added Chris, who will be 72 in January.

She paid tribute to the staff at the International Hotel who organised a memorable celebration for the golden couple and their extended families.

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Ireland’s oldest citizen has Killarney connections

Ireland’s oldest woman met with President Michael D. Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin this week. Máirín Hughes, who turned 109 on May 22 has strong Killarney connections. The previous record […]

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Ireland’s oldest woman met with President Michael D. Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin this week.

Máirín Hughes, who turned 109 on May 22 has strong Killarney connections.

The previous record was held by 107-year-old Nancy Stewart who died on September 10 2021.

Although born in Belfast, Máirín went to school in the Mercy Convent. Her father was a customs and excise officer and the family moved around a lot eventually coming to Killarney after spells in County Down and Dublin.

Her mother came from the Rathmore area and her father was from Newmarket in County Cork.

She attended the Mercy Convent and has, in previous interviews, recalled growing up on the shores of Lough Lein.

“Neighbours who had three children were given the job of taking me to school,” she said. “They were annoyed because the children were going to school for two or three years but I was put in to the same class as them – my mother had taught me.”

In 2021 she featured in the book ‘Independence Memories: A People’s Portrait of the Early Days of the Irish Nation’, sharing stories of being kept in school in Killarney during an attack on the RIC barracks down the road.

In 1924 she started a degree in science and a diploma in education at University College Cork, before working in the pathology lab in University College Cork’s Department of Medicine for 16 years.

last year she recalled her story on the podcast: ‘Living History – Irish Life and Lore’.

During the broadcast she talked about her parents’ membership of the Gaelic League in 1910; the Spanish Flu in Ireland in 1918; The Black and Tans in Killarney in 1921; the early days of the new Free State; Eucharistic Congress in Dublin in 1932, visiting the Basket Islands in 1929; and working in the UCC medical laboratory from 1932 until 1948.

This week President Michael D. Higgins hosted an afternoon tea event to celebrate the important role that a variety of people have and can play in different communities and Máirín was among the guests of honour.

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Philip is running over 100kms for Cancer charity

Local runner and charity fundraiser Philip Kissane is set for the biggest challenge of his career as he lines up for the Cork City Marathon on Sunday. Phillip has already […]

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Local runner and charity fundraiser Philip Kissane is set for the biggest challenge of his career as he lines up for the Cork City Marathon on Sunday.

Phillip has already completed four half marathons at various locations around Killarney – all in aid of Kerry Cancer Support Group – or the Cancer Bus as it popularly called.

This is the second time that Phillip has run four half marathon and an official race for the charity.

Back in 2021 he finished with 5km Run Killarney event but his finishing race this time around is over eight times the distance at 42kms.

“We are delighted with Philip’s continued fundraising support but also with his awareness raising for the charity,” Breda Dyland, Service Manager Kerry Cancer Support Trust.

“We are getting busier all the time and still get no statutory funding so are dependent on fundraisers like Philip’s to keep us on the road. We have just put our new wheelchair accessible bus on the Cork route so Philip’s funding will be going towards the operation of this vehicle.”

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