Dundalk couple in the running for dream Second Honeymoon

Grace and Emmet Byrne

A local couple are one of four who have been shortlisted for a trip to San Francisco in the Sunday World/Mooney Show’s Second Honeymoon competition.

Emmet and Grace Byrne made the shortlist after sharing the story of their wedding with readers of the newspaper in recent weeks.

The pair – who both work in Digiweb – had dreamed of a fairytale wedding in Spain but it turned out to be a nightmare when their church and hotel flooded.

Grace (27) and Emmet (34) first met at a house party Emmet threw and he quickly fell for Grace.

“She gatecrashed the party and three years later we’re married,” said Emmet.

They planned their wedding in Nerja in Spain in September last year. However, when they arrived there were the worst storms in 70 years and everywhere was flooded, including the church and hotel.

Raw sewage swept into the chapel and they had to open the doors and burn incense to get rid of the foul smell for a ceremony that lasted just 12 minutes.

Grace was hospitalised in Ireland before the wedding trip. She managed to still fly out but was then unwell for the whole week in Spain.

“Every girl dreams of the perfect wedding and she didn’t get it, so if we win hopefully it could make up for it,” said Emmet.

The pair now have a four month old called Jake.

All the couples who have made the shortlist are already triumphant, as they’ve earned a two-night break in Bewley’s Hotel in Dublin’s Ballsbridge and a case of Sutter Home White Zinfandel wine.

But the overall winner – who will be announced in the Sunday World on December 22 – will be whisked off to San Francisco courtesy of BudgetAir.ie for a seven-day holiday of a lifetime worth €10,000 and a further €1,000 spending money.

Full details on all the finalists can be found here.

Local couple aiming to win dream second honeymoon

Andrew and Aileen on their wedding day

Local couple Aileen and Andrew Nulty are appealing for votes to help them win a second honeymoon worth €10,000.

The couple, who celebrated two years of marriage recently, are one of 64 couples in the running for the dream prize in the Mooney’s Honeymooners/Sunday World competition.

Aileen and Andrew need votes to make it to the second round of the competition, which offers a dream trip to San Francisco with spending money for the winners.

You can vote for the couple here.

Sizeable crowd welcomes Tom to Dundalk

Tom is welcomed to Dundalk by local TD Peter Fitzpatrick

A sizeable crowd turned out at the Market Square in Dundalk yesterday evening to welcome ultra-runner Tom McGrath to Dundalk.

Tom was visiting the town as part of a 300km charity run for Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin and was met by a number of local athletes and triathletes, as well as Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick.

McGrath started out from Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin on Monday morning before taking in Navan and Dundalk. He will now move on to other towns, including Carrickmacross and Mullingar.

Tom is carrying the Olympic Torch from last year’s Olympic Games in London on his journey and showed it off in Dundalk last night.

Later that evening a bring a bag/buy a bag charity event was held to support him in McGeough’s Bar in Roden Place.

McGrath, originally from Fermanagh, but a US resident since the early 70s, made it into the Guinness Book of Records in August 1977 when he ran 3,046 miles unsupported across the continent, from New York to San Francisco, in 53 days and seven minutes.

He averaged a phenomenal 57 miles a day – five miles more than two marathons – and held the trans-continental record for three years.

In 1983 he came home to Ireland and ran 630 miles around the island in a week, while for three consecutive years in the early 90s, ran a 1,000-mile solo run each year for paediatric cancer charities in the US, each run taking an average of 15 days.

Asked why he was taking on this challenge, Tom replied: “When I finish these daily runs my body is weak, my muscles are sore, and I am really tired but I know after some rest I can do this again tomorrow. Some of these sick children will never be able to walk again, never mind run, so that’s what drives me to take on this challenge to make a difference for sick children.”

“For over a year now the hospital have been putting a huge effort into raising funds. They are nearly there with a total of €6m raised but they still need to raise a further €2m, and I wanted to play my part in that,” he concluded.

Tom to visit Dundalk on Tuesday as part of 300km charity run

Ultra-runner Tom McGrath

Ultra-runner Tom McGrath will be coming through Dundalk on Tuesday as part of a 300km charity run for Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin.

Tom’s run will be started by Senator Eamon Coghlan at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin on Monday morning, and from there he will run to Navan and then on to Dundalk before he moves on to Carrickmacross and various other towns around the country.

Tom is expected to be arriving in Market Square around 5.30pm and he will be carrying the Olympic Torch from last year’s Olympic Games in London.

To help Tom raise additional funds later that evening a bring a bag/buy a bag charity event will be held in McGeough’s Bar in Roden Place.

Ladies are asked to donate their favourite handbags to be sold on for sums ranging from €5 to €25.

Anyone who cannot attend can also leave their bags in to the Tourist Office at the Market Square before Tuesday.

McGrath, originally from Fermanagh, but a US resident since the early 70s, made it into the Guinness Book of Records in August 1977 when he ran 3,046 miles unsupported across the continent, from New York to San Francisco, in 53 days and seven minutes.

He averaged a phenomenal 57 miles a day – five miles more than two marathons – and held the trans-continental record for three years.

In 1983 he came home to Ireland and ran 630 miles around the island in a week, while for three consecutive years in the early 90s, ran a 1,000-mile solo run each year for paediatric cancer charities in the US, each run taking an average of 15 days.

Asked why he was taking on this challenge, Tom replied: “When I finish these daily runs my body is weak, my muscles are sore, and I am really tired but I know after some rest I can do this again tomorrow. Some of these sick children will never be able to walk again, never mind run, so that’s what drives me to take on this challenge to make a difference for sick children.”

“For over a year now the hospital have been putting a huge effort into raising funds. They are nearly there with a total of €6m raised but they still need to raise a further €2m, and I wanted to play my part in that,” he concluded.