Chef’s wedding prize won by ICU nurse
A Galway ICU nurse and her husband-to-be are the lucky couple to have won the once-in-a-lifetime luxury wedding prize organised by Celebrity Chef Richard Corrigan and his Virginia Park Lodge Estate.
Almost 3,000 entered the #CorrigansVowToTheFrontline competition, earning the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) over €36,421 in the process.
The competition was the brainchild of Chef Corrigan, who offered the prize - a wedding at his 18th century estate - as thank you in response to the incredible efforts of frontline healthcare workers during the ongoing Covid crisis in Ireland. The couple said they were overwhelmed, and could not believe the news.
Aileen Burke, from Corofin, is an ICU nurse at University Hospital Galway. She and partner Gerard Cunniffe, from Tuam, are set to meet with management at the Virginia Park Lodge Estate later this week with a view to setting a date and arranging other the details for their luxury wedding.
The couple had originally planned to marry on March 27, the day the full Covid-19 lockdown came into force in Ireland. The date would also have marked their tenth anniversary together.
“When Covid-19 hit Ireland and the U.K our whole world changed. We were forced to shut down our businesses without the knowledge of when we’d reopen,” said Chef Corrigan in response to the winners being picked.
“I’ve always had the utmost respect and admiration for anyone working for our public healthcare service which includes my two sisters, niece and wife, Maria. This initiative isn’t a scratch on the vital work our frontline workers are doing during this pandemic, however, I wanted to offer a token of our appreciation.”
SVP National President Kieran Stafford selected the winners from a shortlist of five couples.
“In my view Aileen epitomize the spirit of what this competition is about, to honour a front line worker who has made sacrifices for others in this crisis and put their own needs behind the needs of others. To brush off the disappointment of her wedding not going ahead and go straight into work to save lives in my view is amazing,” said Kieran.
Galway Girl
He added how grateful the national charity were to Chef Corrigan and his team for providing the public with another opportunity to show their support for frontline workers, whilst also raising much needed funds to help the thousands who contact SVP by phone and online now on daily basis.
As part of the package internationally renowned wedding specialist Collette O’Leary of Elegant Events will be responsible for the planning and styling of the wedding.
Chef Corrigan will meanwhile work closely with the couple to create a bespoke menu which he will execute personally on the big day, while singer/songwriter Mundy will preform at the reception.
As well as the food, matching wines, a champagne reception and an overnight stay in Virginia Park Lodge’s luxurious wedding suite, suppliers from across the country have also offered their services.