By Tommy Curran
CLOSE family, friends and neighbours gathered on Saturday to celebrate a remarkable milestone in the lives of Seán hAnraoí Ó Gallachóir and his beloved wife Róisín of Magheraclogher, Gaoth Dobhair who joyfully marked their 60th wedding anniversary.
The occasion was filled with “craic, ceol, comhrá agus cuimhní cinn”.
The couple were married on a Monday at 12 noon in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh – an unusually late start for weddings at that time. Family and friends from Gaoth Dobhair travelled on Dawson’s bus to be there.
It was very uncommon at the time to hold weddings after 10am. However, a special allowance was made when the priest Monsignor McKee, on discovering that Seán was a native Irish speaker from Gaoth Dobhair, allowed them a later start on the understanding that he would conduct the marriage ceremony through Irish.
Monsignor McKee had a great grá for the Irish language and had spent many a holiday in Gaoth Dobhair learning Irish. He stayed in the Rosehill Guest House (Paidí Jimi) at Middletown, Derrybeg.
His gesture set the tone for a marriage deeply rooted in culture, community and language. The best man was the late Liam Hickey of Upper Cotteen Magheraclogher. He stood in for Pat Lynch who was unable to perform his duties on the day as best man due to the passing of his mum the night before. The bridesmaid was Róisín’s sister, Teresa.
The couple spent the honeymoon on a tour of Ireland.
At the time, Seán was teaching at Aughnakerr NS in Lough Egish, Co Monaghan. One evening, he went along to the Fireman’s Ball in Monaghan — a simple night out that changed the course of his life.
He asked Róisín (née Grimley) for a dance, and by the end of the night he had already proposed.
That chance encounter became the beginning of everything. A year later, they were married and settled in Monaghan, where they welcomed their first three children — Brídín, Gráinne and Seán. They also have 12 grandchildren.
Seán’s commitment to education was matched by a strong sense of community spirit, and he devoted countless hours to a variety of voluntary organisations and local initiatives.
He served for two terms on the Board of Údarás na Gaetachta. In the early millennium he was a member of Coiste Mhuire to oversee development of footpaths, lighting, walls and drainage from Bunbeg to Derrybeg. He also served on voluntary organisations including the St Vincent de Paul and others.
In 1972 when a teaching opportunity arose in Rann na Feirste, Seán and Róisín made the decision to return home to Gaoth Dobhair, where they continued to raise their growing family.
Two more sons, Emmett and Rónán, completed their family. The children were raised proudly through Irish, and Róisín quickly immersed herself in the local community, forming lifelong friendships.
To mark their Diamond Anniversary, Fr Seán Ó Gallchóir celebrated Mass in the family home on Saturday evening and that was followed by an evening of food, music, dancing and storytelling that lasted into the early hours.
It was a celebration not only of 60 years of marriage, but of a life lived with generosity, humour, resilience and deep love of family and community.