Family events can be broadcast live on television

A NOVEL idea from a Co Kildare company means family and friends who can’t attend a wedding, baptism or other family event can watch the event live on television.

Swish Television is a concept developed by Adrian McGibbon of The Swish Arthouse Studio which allows people to have their wedding, baptism and potentially even a family funeral broadcast live.

It means that if Aunty Joan is in hospital for your wedding or your old college friend can’t make it home from the US, they can tune in to the event by obtaining a password from the event organiser.

“It’s great for people who, for reasons beyond their control, can’t attend a event. Also, people don’t like to admit it but it can save you money, allowing you a smaller wedding without offending people,” said Adrian who has been running the business since the summer.

Passwords are sent to the cyber guest and they can just log on as the first few notes of the wedding march are sounded on the organ.

So far they’ve had a wedding viewed by an aunt in hospital in Chicago and a baptism broadcast to family overseas.

Adrian cautions, however, that their service won’t take the place of a wedding photographer or video artist.

“We just film the ceremony and don’t take in all the guests and the atmosphere in the Church. We make that clear to people,” he said.

The password is valid for the length of the ceremony.

Swish are well-known for their matchbox-size tracking devices, which can be used by people with dementia and Alzheimer’s. A phone call to the GPS device will tell you exactly where the person is, should they go wandering. The devices can also be programmed to ring you if a person, who has the device attached to their belt, has moved outside a pre-defined perimeter fence such as outside their garden.