Star-studded guest list for Corr wedding

A Clare village was transformed into a celebrity-watchers’ paradise today for the country’s society wedding of the year.

Singer Andrea Corr kept stockbroker husband Brett Desmond and a star-studded guest list that included Bono and golfer Padraig Harrington waiting a nail-biting 30 minutes.

At risk of breaking wedding etiquette, U2 frontman Bono almost stole the show as he pulled up with wife Ali in a sleek Italian Maserati sports car.

Singing sensation Corr, a chart-topper with her family in the late 1990s, waved to hundreds of cheering fans as she calmly strolled into St Joseph’s Church in Miltown Malbay, Co Clare.

Her husband Brett is son of billionaire businessman and entrepreneur Dermot Desmond, worth an estimated €2bn and a major shareholder in Glasgow Celtic FC.

Guests had been bussed into the village from up to an hour before the ceremony while scores more high-profile well-wishers arrived in dark Mercedes cars and blacked out people carriers.

The ’who’s-who’ included former Celtic managers Gordon Strachan and Martin O’Neill, champion racehorse owner and breeder John Magnier and comedian Patrick Kielty.

Also on the guest list was billionaire media mogul Denis O’Brien, concert promoter Denis Desmond and race horse owner Michael Tabor.

Hundreds of fans stood outside the church, snapping the arrivals.

Andrea shot to stardom in the 1990s with her sisters Caroline, Sharon and brother Jim with the group The Corrs, releasing several hit singles.

The couple are notoriously private and their wedding plans were a closely guarded secret.

It didn’t deter hundreds of locals and fans, however.

Teresa Murphy, from Co Cork, who was holidaying in the area, said she was not a fan but just came to see the celebrations.

“I’m more interested in who’s on the guest list,” she said.

The service lasted around an hour and when the happy couple emerged they kissed for the waiting public, who then swarmed the church grabbing flowers decorating the aisles as mementoes of the day.

The couple were whisked out the gates but Andrea rolled down her window as she left, smiling and waving to locals.

Bono earned almost as much attention as he drove away, with four security guards having to flank his luxurious Maserati car to keep the crowd at bay.

Rumours are rife the U2 frontman is providing some of the entertainment at the luxurious Doonbeg Hotel and Golf club before he jets to Cardiff for the next leg of his band’s 360 tour.

The event had prompted bosses at the exclusive resort to write a letter to members, who forked out around €43,000 to join, to stay away from the course today.

White and lavender flowers adorned the church – hydrangeas, delphiniums and the all year flowering stocks.

Wedding florist Mary Mulqueen, who was busy putting the finishing touches to the lavish work of art, revealed she only dealt with a wedding planner and not the happy couple.

“We were working away late last night,” she said. “We were sworn to secrecy as it was a secret location.”

Outside Corrs fans Kate and Tommy McEnteggart, from Corr’s hometown Dundalk, travelled to get a glimpse of the action.

They were holidaying in nearby Spanish Point and know Jim Corr, a friend of their son-in-law.

“This is fantastic to see it and the weather is wonderful,” Kate said. “Jim was great, a lovely chap, but we knew them growing up.

“We knew them going to Mass as kids.

“Andrea is beautiful, absolutely gorgeous, everybody knew them around town. They were into traditional music.”

Another Corrs fan Caragh Vaughan, from Miltown Malbay, said she came up to watch the rehearsal ceremony last night.

“She (Andrea) was beautiful,” Ms Vaughan said.

“They had umbrellas coming out of the church but she made them put them down and she waved to everybody and got into the car and thanked everyone for coming.”