Wedding of the Week: Funnyman Bernard Casey marries Laura Fitzpatrick in Kerry

Laura Fitzpatrick and Bernard Casey are married in their native Co Kerry, in a ceremony in St John the Baptist Church, Lispole, followed by reception in the Dingle Skellig Hotel

Sat, 21 Mar, 2026 - 01:00

Eve Kelliher

Cork-based Kerry couple Laura Fitzpatrick and Bernard Casey will celebrate 12 years together in June.

Laura, from Caherciveen, and Bernard, from Portmagee, were married this month in St John the Baptist Church, Lispole, by Fr Derek O’Connell, and held their reception in the Dingle Skellig Hotel.

Laura Fitzpatrick and Bernard Casey. Pictures: Padraig Healy Photography

“From the second we went to the church to the end of the night, it was just fun; it was easy. We felt loved,” says Laura.

She and Bernard became an item in 2014.

“My dad and I would go to Bernard’s shows when he first started out in comedy,” says Laura. “One time, dad said to him: ‘You’ll be bigger than Tommy Tiernan yet.’ Bernard was on cloud nine.”

Laura Fitzpatrick with her dad Jack Fitzpatrick, Laura Ryan and Kara McDonagh and Rosie and Liam Casey. Pictures: Padraig Healy Photography

Laura was in a band at the time.

“It was a folk band called Wayfaring Strangers, and Bernard would come to see our gigs,” she says.

But the funnyman had spotted Laura onstage long before that.

“I was in first year in secondary school and was at our Christmas concert in the hall in the back of the old hotel in Caherciveen,” he says.

“For the grand finale, there was a girl singing All I Want for Christmas Is You. And I was in the front row, thinking, ‘who is this girl, this phenomenal human being?’”

Almost a quarter of a century later, Bernard relishes his Love, Actually moment: “If I had a time machine and could go back, I’d sit next to my 12-year-old self and say: ‘Someday, you’ll marry that girl.”

Laura Fitzpatrick and Bernard Casey with Rosie and Liam. Pictures: Padraig Healy Photography

Now based in Ballincollig, they were joined by Rosie in November 2018 and Liam in November 2021. Rosie and Liam were flowergirl and pageboy on the big day.

Laura chose her pearl-trimmed satin wedding gown in Memories, Cork.

Laura Fitzpatrick. Pictures: Padraig Healy Photography

Bernard wore a navy two-piece tux from Red Church, Cork. Laura presented him with a watch, chosen at Keanes Jewellers, Killarney, with the help of manager Susan Moriarty. Cork makeup artist Joanne Sexton and Kerry hairstylist Pat O’Neill ensured the bride was camera-ready.

Bernard Casey. Pictures: Padraig Healy Photography

Wedding photographer Padraig Healy ( padraighealy.comtarget="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">) was behind the camera, as was videographer Greg Mulcahy ( gmvideo.ie).

A highlight for the groom was when Laura, Rosie, and Liam surprised him as he waited at the altar by having a fun recorded message play over the sound system.

“Rosie was all happy tears going up the aisle; both she and Liam love it now that I share their last name,” says Laura.

Rosie and Liam Casey, front, and Laura Fitzpatrick and Bernard Casey with their wedding party. Pictures: Padraig Healy Photography

Adding to the joy of the occasion were the bride’s parents, Ina O’Dwyer and Jack Fitzpatrick, and the groom’s mother and father, Eileen and Johnny Casey.

The newlyweds travelled in style in a bentley from Pristine Classics, chauffeured by Brendan.

Pauleen Scanlon, of Lumiere, sang Elvis Presley’s And I Love You So for the couple’s first dance, and Tropical Storm entertained the guests during the meal with the Pat Fitz band and Kerry DJ keeping the dance floor full throughout the evening.

Laura Fitzpatrick and Bernard Casey with their wedding party. Pictures: Padraig Healy Photography

Laura’s friends, Laura Ryan and Kara McDonagh, were maid of honour and bridesmaid respectively, while Bernard’s cousin and friend James O’Sullivan was his best man, and his brother Jonathan Casey arrived from France to take on groomsman duties.

Laura Fitzpatrick with her mother Ina O'Dwyer, daughter Rosie Casey, maid of honour Laura Ryan and bridesmaid Kara McDonagh. Picture: Padraig Healy Photography

The event had what the bride describes as “a light Disney theme”.

Ensuring all went to plan were Dingle Skellig Hotel’s wedding co-ordinators Rosarie Galvin and Edel Sheehy, with the help of Bernie O’Donoghue from Elevate Weddings.

The Event Edit transformed the venue’s children’s club into a haven for the younger wedding guests, complete with white teepees.

Sui Candles, owned by Laura’s friend Noreen Clifford, supplied the pearled wax candles for the drinks reception. Sinead Sheehy baked the wedding cake, and Shades of Bloom, Killorglin, created the floral décor.

“Brendan Fuller of Radio Kerry — Jessie Buckley’s cousin! — provided our introduction as we arrived at the reception venue for the meal,” says Laura.

Páidi Ó Sé Pub set the scene for day two, during which Kerry footballers Paul Geaney and Aidan Walsh stopped by, as did Cork musician Derek Burke.

The bride, who manages Bernard’s marketing and PR, and the groom, who teaches drama workshops as well as performing comedy, enjoyed a five-star Kerry mini-moon, spending time in the Muckross Park Hotel and the Europe Hotel & Resort Killarney as well as Sheen Falls Lodge in Kenmare.

The newlyweds will go on honeymoon in May with Rosie and Liam.