‘Are you going to marry me or what?’ When romance meets rescue mission

Joan and John Gallagher met in June 1983 after a Lough Key windsurfing session went wrong. Now, they're gearing up to open their own hotel in Spain

Joan and John Gallagher met after Joan got into difficulties whilst windsurfing on Lough Key.

In 1983, Joan Tuohy (64) was living and working in Boyle, County Roscommon. One summer’s day she was out windsurfing on Lough Key when she got into difficulties. 

“It’s quite a big lake and when the wind changed I realised I wouldn’t make it back to shore,” Joan says. Luckily, she was able to raise the alarm and her friend, who had a speedboat, came to her rescue. Also in the boat was a young man she didn’t know.