Mullingar Park Hotel marriage proposal on the site of couple's first kiss

A unique marriage proposal took place on Thursday May 15 last in the Mullingar Park Hotel, when Michael Duffy got down one knee and proposed to his girlfriend of ten years, Yvonne Brady.

A stretched limo pulled up outside the hotel, where, it was on that day ten years ago that Michael from Longwood, and Yvonne from Kilcock, had their first date at just 19 years of age.

Michael had taken Yvonne for a romantic meal and afterwards they shared a kiss in the car park outside the Park Hotel. It was on that same spot that Michael roped in Yvonne’s brothers, Brendan and Robert to set up a gazebo filled with 150 red balloons, and Michael got down on one knee to pop the question.

Yvonne had been blindfolded and had earphones on until they arrived outside the Mullingar Park Hotel where Michael gave her the surprise of her life.
“I’m delighted she said yes. It’s been ten years in the making,” Michael Duffy told the Westmeath Examiner.

“I’m over the moon. It’s a huge surprise!” said a still clearly shocked Yvonne.
“We had our first date here ten years ago. I booked us in for a meal here at the restaurant and we went to the cinema after that,” explains Michael. “That was the first time we went for a meal anywhere fancy, we were only young at that stage.”

“We were 19,” interjects Yvonne.

“And we had our first kiss out in that car park space. I remember the exact spot. I love her very much and I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with her,” continues Michael.

“I’m just laughing at the site of me walking in with the blindfold on and the earphones,” admits Yvonne. “I thought it might have been at the lakes to be honest with you, I think we had a picnic there at some stage. But it was a really thoughtful surprise!”

Afterwards, Michael whisked Yvonne away for a romantic break in Paris.

- Olga Aughey