News
“Patience” the secret to 50 years marriage
WEDDING DAY: James and Sheila Looney pictured on their wedding day in March 1971.
50 YEARS STRONG: James and Sheila Looney, Gortroe, Fossa celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at the weekend.
By Michelle Crean
The secret to a successful and happy marriage is "patience" according to one local couple who celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at the weekend. James and Sheila Looney, Gortroe, Fossa may not have had the day out that they dreamed of all these years as they approached the 50 year mark - but instead a small gathering with family on Easter Saturday was just as special.
The couple, James originally from Park Road, and Sheila (nee Sugrue) from St Brendan's Terrace, met at a dance in the town hall in October 1967.
However, it wasn't for the love of trying to get her attention as it took a persistent James a few goes to get her to agree to dance with him.
"I asked her to dance three times but she refused," he told the Killarney Advertiser this week.
"I went back and asked her again and it worked."
The couple got engaged in 1970, and the following year married in St Mary's Cathedral on March 31.
[caption id="attachment_36970" align="alignleft" width="398"] WEDDING DAY: James and Sheila Looney pictured on their wedding day in March 1971.[/caption]
The wedding was officiated by James' brother Fr Thomas, a curate in Wembley at the time, who came home from England for their special day. Best man was Sheila's brother Teddy Sugrue, bridesmaid was James' sister Mary Looney, pageboy was Alan O'Connor and flower girl duties fell to Eileen Buckley. All enjoyed a wonderful reception in the Dromhall Hotel afterwards.
They settled in Gortroe where they raised six daughters Jacqueline, Sharon, Sandra, Allison, Siobhan and Patricia. And as James added, he was "blessed amongst women".
The weekend just gone should have been a huge celebration for their family, friends and neighbours, including those who attended their wedding all those years ago. However, COVID meant other plans had to be made.
Instead, the couple gathered at the home place in Park Road with a select few family members where their union was once again blessed by Fr Thomas. James brother Fr Donal beamed in from Sacramento in California and also gave them a special blessing, while other family members joined in online.
"Due to to restrictions it was completely curtailed," James, who said they're still madly in love today, added. "What we would have liked was to gather again with our family, neighbours and anyone who was there [at the wedding]. We'd like to thank everyone who sent cards and well wishes on our days ahead."
Two young local girls showed great business initiative on Saturday ahead of the Kerry v Donegal match at Fitzgerald Stadium.
Erin McSweeney and Jessie Doolin set up a sweet stall outside a house on Lewis Road, catching the thousands of football fans walking towards the grounds.
The enterprising pair did a busy trade selling soft drinks, sweets, and chocolates to the passing crowds before throw-in.
Their match-day venture also caught the attention of the national sports media, with a photograph of the girls at their stall captured by Sportsfile photographer Stephen McCarthy ahead of the game.
Noel O’Neill has claimed first place in the Unrestricted category of the latest Killarney Camera Club competition, which focused on the theme of the ‘Kerry Landscape’.
His winning photograph, titled ‘Conor Pass Lake and the Three Sisters’, features a detailed study of Mullaghveal located beneath the Conor Pass.
The image captures the wide sweep of the valley, utilizing an elevated viewpoint that allows the glacial landscape to unfold toward the Atlantic horizon. The composition highlights the quiet lakes in the foreground against the dark, rocky slopes of the valley, with the distant outline of the Three Sisters adding further depth and scale to the scene.
The judges praised the photograph as an outstanding example of landscape work, noting its effective balance of composition, light, and perspective to capture the vastness of the West Kerry terrain.
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