Ireland's Eye: What's going on in the old sod

Marriage blocked

A Pakistani living in Limerick who wants to marry a Latvian woman has told the High Court that they were "shocked and devastated" when they were told the day before their wedding that they could not marry.

Last week, the couple secured leave to bring a High Court challenge against the Limerick County Registrar's refusal to allow their marriage, following a Garda (police) objection.

The couple, Ina Aksjonova, 23, and Shahid Mahmood, 25, living in Clare Street, Limerick were due to be married last July.

However, they were "shocked and devastated" after being informed the day before their wedding that the ceremony could not go ahead because the Gardai had lodged an objection.

The couple told the court that their marriage is not one of convenience and have argued they should be allowed to marry because no impediment exists to their proposed marriage.

Justice George Birmingham granted the couple leave to bring judicial review proceedings against the registrar for Limerick and the commissioner for an Garda Síochána arising out of the decision to lodge an objection to their marriage.

In their proceedings the couple are seeking a declaration that no impediment exists to their marriage.

They are also seeking a number of orders from the court, including orders quashing the objection lodged by the Gardai, and the decision by the Limerick County Registrar to refer the objection to the Registrar General for consideration.

Sunniva McDonagh, solicitor for the couple, said that Aksjonova is a Latvian national who works in a cafe in Limerick, while Mahmood, from Pakistan, is an information technology student in Ireland. They met on a Latvian social networking website.

Counsel said that an objection can only be lodged in respect of a marriage on the grounds that an impediment exists. In this case there was no such legal impediment. Counsel said the couple are not related, have never been married, are over 18 years of age, are of sound mind and are of the opposite sex.

Counsel added that the decision taken by the respondents in this action amounted to an unlawful interference with their right to marry.
- Limerick Leader

Sleepless in Donegal

Donegal people don’t rest too easily, as the results of a study show that when it comes to healthy sleeping habits residents of the county rank way down the list in Ireland.

The new A. Vogel survey reveals that Donegal ranks 22nd out of the 26 counties in terms of getting a good night’s sleep. Near neighbors Leitrim claimed the title of soundest sleepers in the country.

Commenting on the results, A. Vogel’s herbal advisor Nicola Murphy confirmed, “Unfortunately Donegal appears to have some of the worst sleepers in Ireland.”

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Nster.com