McGeeney wedding turns into real labour of love

All-Ireland winning captain Kieran McGeeney has seen his share of big day dramas, but few could trump his wedding this week, when his groomsman’s wife went into labour during the reception.

Armagh man McGeeney, 42, married Kerry girl Maura O’Rahilly in her native Ballymacelligott on Thursday before over 300 guests travelled to the Malton Hotel in Killarney for the reception.

However, shortly after the wedding party’s arrival in Killarney, Bernice Fagan, the wife of McGeeney’s groomsman, Mark Fagan, felt the pangs of labour coming on.

She was immediately rushed by ambulance to Kerry General Hospital in Tralee where she gave birth to a bouncing boy shortly afterwards. Her due date wasn’t until Jan 13 so, as she admitted yesterday, the drama had been more than a surprise.

The boy, as yet unnamed, is the couple’s third child. Her husband, Mark, is a close friend of ex-Kildare boss McGeeney, who also had Gerard Kelly assisting best-man Paul McGrane as groomsman.