Daithi O'Se and Rita Talty married in Kerry last Thursday

They laughed, they cried, they ate and drank. They fell and got up, and all this before the church. I didn’t know how I’d be. I wasn’t nervous, but the feeling of excitement was unreal. All my boys were at the top of the church with me as all seven bridesmaids came up the aisle one by one.

People were saying not to look as the bride walked up, others were saying to look, so, as always I had no plan. I didn’t look and when I did see Rita I felt a lump in my throat.

We both settled down nicely a few minutes into the mass. We were both really enjoying the occasion. It was great to see all our friends from the altar. I remember saying to myself at one point ‘Jesus I’ve just gotten married.’ I said this to herself and she said she said  the same.

When we went out after the mass we got a huge shock as there were around 300 people there to see us. We were very humbled! So we went down to chat to people and I got an even bigger shock when I saw the news cameras outside as well. I thought that there might be some interest, but nothing like it was.

When all the pictures were taken we headed for the Carlton Hotel in Tralee. On the way there were a few groups of people who had made banners for us with the Irish and American Flags on them. We were really blown away by this.

I did have a ‘Janet Jackson’ moment in the car. I sat in and I slid across the back seat and I tore a hole in the ass of my trousers. Rita didn’t believe me when I told her, then she couldn’t stop laughing. One of the bridesmaids had a black thread and a needle. I was up in the room in a bathrobe while the pants were being seen to. I never thought I’d have another woman’s hands in my pants the day of my own wedding in front of my wife!

There is no hiding it , this was an American wedding from beginning to end, with a few Irish twists. One of the Irish twists came out at 3 am in the form of a roasted pig! It really hit the spot.

At this point too the disco started and in the middle of it was a ‘Riverdance dance off’. This was priceless. It did what it said on the tin. This dance off sent everybody into overdrive.

This part of the party finished at 5 when the residents' bar opened and a sing song started. A man called Don Stiffe from Co. Galway was in charge of the music in the church and was a guest on the day as he is a very good friend of mine. He sang like a lark at 6 am and I remembered how great a singer he is. He travels to the states a few times a year and is certainly worth seeing and hearing.

There were 20 left at 8 when they were serving breakfast. These are seasoned drinkers, my brother Dan in the middle of them or as they were calling him ‘the Dan’.’ The Dan’ comes with a health warning, he’d fool you to look at him but he can shift porter.
The following day we hit O Flaherty’s pub in Dingle. This was great fun as we got a chance to catch up with our friends and hear more of what went on the night before. There was great singing there too.

The party finished on Saturday night in my own parish in the Bóthar pub where they had a bonfire for us. This party went on until the small hours. The last thing I remember was waltzing with my father in law while the bar owner waltzed with his dog!

A great start to married life!