What a day!

What a beautiful setting.

I'm so chuffed you can all be here to enjoy the day with us.

It’s been a while coming but I’m over the moon to finally call Danielle my wife.

A special thanks to those who have travelled from abroad to be here today - we really appreciate the effort.

Hannah, Danielle’s sister, has come all the way from Perth in Australia. Stevo and Mia, where are you??,flying in with two young kids from Sweden and Richie leaving two young kids behind in Switzerland. Also a special thanks to the London crew for coming over, it’s nice to see friendships like that last over the years and it’s great to see you all.

I'd also like to thank Karine who has been meticulous in her preperation for today and of course Richard Corrigan for laying on such a wonderful feast.

To my family, I love you all dearly. Aoilbhe you look beautiful today and its been a real pleasure see you with little Eve this past year, motherhood really suits you and Danielle and I wish you and Colin many more years of happiness.

To my Dad, we've had our moments, anyone who knows my Dad would know he wouldn’t have the highest level of patience and I tried my best to push what patience there was to the limit. I was always last out of the changing rooms in Barnhall Rugby Club to the point he became know by the calling card of OOOOOOLAN, from shouting. But you’re always there when we need something, be it checking insurance our car or fixing the blocked sewer in my old house (hold nose) you’re always there to help us.

To Zippy Zita, my Mum, you have some unique talents: asking a million questions per second and speaking an octave higher than the rest of us, but you’re generosity and love has been the cornerstone of my life. All my friends have countless examples of me being a Mammies boy from my titanic sized packed lunches through to packing my bags when I was going on holidays…right up to before Danielle came on the scene. Thank you for everything!

Now the Mallens! Brigid and Paddy from the time Danielle and I started going out together…all those years ago, you welcomed me into your home. There is a real sense of togetherness between you all, the bond between the girls is particularly special…and Paul’s not that bad either. I look forward to more Stephen’s Day celebrations in Nigel’s and many more family occasions together.

To my wife.

Doesn’t she look beautiful!!!

I fist saw Danielle back in September 2002, on the first day of our Masters in DCU. I had just arrived back from a month long jaunt in South Africa. I remember having a quick scan of the class and there being a little twinkle in my eye when I saw Danielle. We shadow boxed for the next few months and eventually got together after an event in the Department of Foreign Affairs. After a few dates in the Romantic Hollows of McGowan’s in Phibsborough we started as my Mum would call “a steady line” and we’ve pretty much been inseparable ever since.

I know we’ve taken our time and 13 years is a long time, but honestly it hasn’t felt like that at all. We never seemed to sit still long. Within a couple of months of graduation, we were off to London, then back home, travelling for a year, a Company and most recently 6 months in South America. We do like to keep busy.

We’ve been really fortunate to travel the world together and have some really incredible experiences. Some great moments stand out, such as seeing the Dalai Lama on the side of a mountain in India, diving in Borneo or sliding down a snow capped Volcano in Chile. But mainly it’s simple funny things that are really memorable.

One that stands out is from a trek we did in Peru. The place we were going to stay was described as an oasis and to be fair from the distance it looked amazing. We were surrounded by dry clay and earth and deep below us we could see a swimming pool, grass and what looked like a hotel. It looked amazing.

On the way down our guide kept asking us did we want the "matrimonial room”. At the time we thought that he thought we were on honeymoon, but it’s actually a fairly standard description of a double room. Anyway we felt chuffed that we were getting a private room while everyone else was sleeping in a dorm. As we got closer the “Oasis” began to look a little less appetising. When we arrived we were escorted to our “matrimonial room” which turned out to be a double bed wedged into a mud hut. Anyway, we were tired and hungry, so we dropped our stuff and went down to the others for dinner. After dark we headed back to the room. We thought it was a bit odd that the door was slightly open, but in we went. I was sitting on the bed just shining my flashlight on the ground when I heard this almighty roar and as I jumped a pig came hurtling out from under the bed. Eventually we got him out, but he wasn’t happy, we’d obviously taken his bed for the night as he spent the rest of the night head butting the door.

We’ve had some great times together, we’ve travelled, lived and worked together. We do have the odd disagreement but in the main we just enjoy each others company and laugh. As my cheesy line goes: “You are my love, my soul, my everything”.

So let’s raise our glasses to my beautiful wife!