Cork couple celebrate seaside wedding with fireworks display

Claire Dowling and Mark Geary marked their September wedding with a surprise fireworks display on the coast of Cork.

The ceremony took place in Star of the Sea Church, Ballycotton, Co Cork, before the newlyweds and their guests moved to the Garryvoe Hotel for the reception.

After being led outside under the pretense of “sparklers”, guests were treated to a magical fireworks show over the sea, which the bride described as setting a “let’s‑get‑this‑party‑started” tone before the band began.

Claire, originally from Fermoy, and Mark, from Spur Hill, were married by Canon Jim O’Donovan, who had previously baptised their son Tiernan. The bride’s father Bill Dowling walked her down the aisle, and both families were present, including parents Kaye and Maurice Geary and a large party of siblings, nieces, nephews and friends serving as bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower girls and pageboys.

Music featured a violin duo, Pizzazz Violin, and a late‑night rendition of the responsorial psalm “Here I Am, Lord”. The couple, who both work in finance, first met via the Hinge dating app and became engaged in January 2022 during a holiday in California.

Transport for the day was provided by a maroon 1963 Jaguar MK2 from Cork Wedding Cars, and the bride wore a silk halterneck dress by Martin Thornburg, while the groom’s ivory tuxedo was sourced from Morleys, Cork. The event was photographed by Matt Brooker, with floral arrangements by Florist4u and a gluten‑free cake from Trace of Cakes, Ballincollig.

Following the celebration, the couple honeymooned in Corfu.

Source: Irish Examiner. Photo: Stephen Leonardi / Pexels.