Wedding of the week: Abbey and Tadhg wed nine years after meeting in Cork's Havana Browns

Abbey Desmond and Tadhg Lane celebrated their wedding in Fernhill House Hotel with heartfelt vows, colourful flowers and endless dancing

Sat, 20 Sep, 2025 - 17:18

Eve Kelliher

They met on their first college night out, in Havana Browns in Cork in September 2016. Almost nine years later, Abbey Desmond and Tadhg Lane said their “I dos” in Fernhill House Hotel in Clonakilty, Co Cork.

Tadhg popped the question on Abbey’s birthday in March 2023.

Abbey Desmond and Tadhg Lane. Pictures: Dermotsullivan.com

“On a ski trip in February 2023, after dinner, Tadhg and my dad stayed on having a few drinks after the girls went to bed and so he took the opportunity to ask for my dad’s permission,” says Abbey.

Back home, Tadhg hid the engagement ring behind his PlayStation, “where Abbey would absolutely not look”, he says.

Abbey Desmond with Niamh Desmond, Aoife Desmond, Eleanor Lane and Sinead Kelleher. Pictures: Dermotsullivan.com

The bride, from Glengarriff, and groom, from Clondrohid, were married by celebrant Alison Driscoll of Bespoke Words. Singer Lorna Moore performed for the ceremony and drinks reception.

Abbey chose her sister Aoife Desmond to be her maid of honour and Tadhg’s sister Eleanor Lane, together with her friend Sinead Kelleher, were her bridesmaids. Tadhg’s friends Cian O’Leary, best man, and Timmie Desmond and Kevin O’Connell were the groomsmen.

Abbey admits to feeling nervous that morning.

“My bridesmaids did a great job of keeping me calm with the help of some champagne!” she says.

“We were all so nervous to walk down the aisle. Just as Aoife had gone through the curtain, myself and dad lined up to go down and all I hear is dad start crying and I said, ‘Oh no, you can’t cry because I’ll cry!’ So the two of us went down the aisle crying! We’re an emotional family.”

Tadhg, who drove himself and his groomsmen to the ceremony, kept the jitters at bay by staying busy.

“I took the car for a wash in the rain to have it at the required standard, and then spent the rest of the morning with my groomsmen,” he says.

“We even collected my friend Damo on the way to the wedding, and the conversations were as normal as ever — talking about anything but the wedding!

“Once we arrived at Fernhill, we grabbed a pint, visited the fernery, and chatted with guests, which really helped keep the nerves buried.”

Celebrating the occasion with them were the bride’s parents Niamh and Kieran and her grandmother Joan Desmond, and the groom’s mother and father Eileen and Peter Lane and his grandmother Mary Lane.

The couple wanted “a relaxed day, celebrating with our close friends and family”, adds Abbey.

“We also wanted it to be bright and colourful, Catherine in West Cork flowers helped us create the perfect bouquets for the day they were stunning! Our bridesmaid dresses from Folkster were also a beautiful pastel blue.

“Arklight kept us all dancing all night, they created such a great atmosphere and really made the night unforgettable.”

Abbey bought her Justin Alexander dress in Lilac Rose in Limerick. Maria Coleman was the makeup artist and Audrey Cashman was the bridal hairstylist.

“Tadhg, the groomsmen, both fathers, and my brother all got their suits in Mick Murphy’s,” she adds.

Capturing the day for posterity were photographer Dermot Sullivan ( dermotsullivan.com) and videographer John O’Sullivan (Event Videography).

Abbey Desmond and Tadhg Lane with their wedding party. Pictures: Dermotsullivan.com

“We never felt like the day was getting away from us. This was helped massively by Dermot keeping us on schedule,” says Abbey.

The newlyweds honeymooned in Bali for three weeks. Abbey, who is an analytical chemist and Tadhg, a data engineer, live in Crosshaven, Co Cork, with their two dogs Nina and Lola.