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As Kieran Ryan approached 50, he felt he had reached a crossroads in life. One day in February 2014, he passed St Catherine’s Church (Church of Ireland) on Thomas Street and signed up to join a group travelling to Kolkata to support a Christian charity called Grandma’s India.
The organiser was Rodney O’Hara, whose daughter Emma has been living in the Sonagachi area for five years helping sex workers and their families.
Just over a year later, on February 7th, 2015, Kieran and Emma were married by Pastor Craig Cooney at St Catherine’s.
“There was no initial romance,” said Kieran, who was a general nurse in the UK for 10 years.
“But I look back now and feel I was probably falling in love with her then, I just didn’t know it.”
After Kieran returned to Dublin, romance blossomed over texts and three-hour Skype calls and the couple had their first kiss when Emma came home to visit in June.
“Despite the nerves, I think we knew there were wedding bells on the horizon,” remembers Kieran.
He went back to India with Emma that July and proposed during a four-month stay. “Why wait when you get to our ages?”
The groom’s suit, invitations, rings and four flower-girl dresses – worn by nieces Sinead, Maggie, Saoirse and Amy – were all bought in India. Emma found her ivory dress in Alexanders of Parnell Street.
On the day, one of Emma's sisters, her bridesmaid Michelle, decorated the church and made the bouquets while Lynne sang Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) by Hillsong United.
Their mother, Jane, made the cake. The bride’s uncle, Ian O’Hara, and friend Ken Managhan took the photographs; Joe O’Carroll, the groom’s schoolfriend was best man; and nephew Ben was pageboy.
The newly-weds hosted 100 guests afterwards at Leixlip House Hotel where the groom’s mother Joan was especially thrilled to be surrounded by her grandchildren, some of whom live in Denmark.
Kieran and Emma honeymooned in Ballyconneely, Connemara.
“We’re returning to Kolkata in May to continue our missionary work where the temperature will be in the 40s so I’ll have fond memories of Ballyconneely’s cool temperature.
“God only knows how long we’ll be living in Kolkata and we’ll certainly miss our families and friends but are looking forward to reuniting with our adopted families in Sonagachi,” Kieran says.
Photograph: Ken Managhan/ Ian O'Hara
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