February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Leading figures from the worlds of show business and politics will mingle with family and friends at the 16th century Chateau d’Esclimont to celebrate the country’s equivalent of a royal wedding.
The fact that Georgina is the daughter of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and the sister of a millionaire unpublished novelist Cecilia and Nicky is a member of Westlife, currently one of the world’s most successful groups, makes the party big news.
Westlife have had 11 No. 1 singles in Britain – more than the Rolling Stones or Madonna.
Celebrity magazine Hello! have bought up the rights for the extravaganza, reputedly for the best part of a million euros.
With the August silly season setting in and the news agenda looking increasing anemic, the wedding of the 24-year-olds is a boon for newspapers who are trying hard to get around the news blackout.
Speculation is centering on the estimated 400-strong guest list. There are numerous articles about whether the couple will actually marry in France or beforehand in Ireland in a civil ceremony with a blessing in the church near the chateau.
To hold both the civil and church ceremonies simultaneously in the St. Peter and Paul church, it seems the couple must have been resident in the locality 37 miles south west of Paris for 40 days.
The Evening Herald said the childhood sweethearts will marry in Dublin this week and the Sunday World suggested they were already Mr. and Mrs. Byrne. But it’s also been hinted that they’ve gotten a waiver to allow them circumvent the French legal requirement and the wedding will indeed take place on Saturday.
It’s all shrouded in secrecy.
At the chateau nothing is being said either, where the official view that it’s simply private wedding booking and that the couple’s confidentially should be respected.
Because of the Hello! contract, little is being revealed by the family and government spokesmen are also being very discreet – as they have been for weeks about the apparent split between the taoiseach and his long-term girlfriend Celia Larkin.