Country music royalty set to descend on Tang for glamour wedding
Country music royalty from all parts of Ireland and abroad will gather in the tiny Westmeath village of Tang tomorrow (Wednesday) where Tyrone’s Cliona Hagan will say 'I do' to popular local musician Simon Sheerin in St Mary’s Parish Church at 1pm.
The showbiz couple will tie the knot in front of a huge crowd of family and friends from the world of showbusiness in a music-filled ceremony which they have been planning since announcing news of their engagement in December 2020.
Cliona, who is one of Ireland’s most successful country music artists, hails from Ballinderry in County Tyrone, but plans to settle down in the midlands after her wedding to Simon, who is the youngest member of the multi-talented Sheerin family band.
Rumour has it that the groom, who is known for his laidback, casual look will not wear a suit for the big occasion, but has opted instead for dark jeans! Tullamore-based Guy Clothing has been tasked with the job of dressing Simon, his 80-year-old dad, Dan, Cliona’s dad, along with his wedding party, older brothers Tom and Des, who will act as best man and groomsman respectively.
The bride, who is known for her glamorous look, will wear a snow white wedding dress with a low back and Pippa Middleton-style buttons running into a long train – which can be detached for dancing.
Although she played a large part in the design of the dress herself, she was assisted by renowned Offaly-based dress designer, Geraldine O’Meara, who has worked closely with Cliona over the last year and has added plenty of bling to the final design.
With musical talent in abundance on both sides of the Sheerin family, music will be front and centre of the showbiz wedding of the year, with Tom Sheerin’s wife, Claire, who is a member of another renowned musical family, the Rabbette’s from Clara in Offaly, joining her sister, Noreen and brother Joe, for musical accompaniment at the wedding ceremony in Tang Church.
The only tinge of sadness on an otherwise happy occasion for the Sheerin and Hagan families will be the absence of Simon’s beloved mother, Mary, who passed away on August 3 last year. A special candle of remembrance will be lit in her memory during the church ceremony.
Although the guest list has been carefully kept under wraps, certain to be included are Simon Casey, Nigel Connell and Johnny Brady, the three lead singers in the successful Eagles tribute band ‘Take It To The Limit’, established and managed by Tom Sheerin, and who have been playing to packed houses since the lifting of Covid restrictions.
The musical family are taking a couple of weeks off after the wedding, as Simon and his new wife jet off to Mexico for their honeymoon, which will also include a trip to the United States to take in visits to Miami, Las Vegas and the home of country music in Nashville.
The wedding reception takes place later today in Kilronan Castle, and there will be no shortage of volunteers to take the microphone and belt out a song, or 20, to toast the happy couple!