As they celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary last weekend, George and Edith McBride from Belleek commented that their 60 years of marriage had “flown in.”

The couple first met at a comedy show at a hall in Belleek when they were in their teens. They started dating not long after.

“All I remember is for my 16th birthday he bought me a present,” said Edith, smiling.

“That was the only one,” George added laughing.

When asked what the present was, Edith shared that it was a necklace. Jokingly she added that it “probably wasn’t gold.”

George didn’t comment on whether it was gold or not, but he confirmed that he had picked it out himself from a shop in Bundoran.

“We spent a lot of our time in Bundoran,” said Edith, revealing that the seaside spot was where George asked her to marry him.

Following their engagement, the couple travelled to Enniskillen to choose the ring but it wasn’t a straightforward journey.

“We chose the ring together, from Mercers in Enniskillen,” said Edith.

“We went on a motorbike,” added George smiling.

He continued: “We got a puncture when we had gone up the Shore Road, and McNulty had to come out. We left the motorbike at a house and went on to Enniskillen. McNulty fixed the puncture and we went back on the motorbike home.”

The couple were engaged for just over a year before they got married on March 30, 1959 in Belleek Parish Church.

“It was the first wedding they had in the church,” commented George. “I believe it had no licence before,” added Edith.

Forty or fifty guests attended the wedding which was followed by a reception in Dorrian’s Hotel in Ballyshannon.

“We spent our first night with George’s sister and her husband, and they had put holly in the bed,” shared Edith, laughing as she reminisced. She explained that they then travelled to Belfast where they stayed with George’s brother and his wife for their honeymoon, during which they took in the sights of the city and visited the zoo.

Asking the couple what they believe to be the key to a happy and long marriage, Edith said: “I think if you have your health. When I think of it a lot of people younger than us aren’t here anymore.”

Talking about the special anniversary, Edith highlighted that they had received a card from Her Royal Highness The Queen during the week.

“It meant a lot,” said Edith. “I would be a bit of a Royalist. The postman, he had us sign for this card and of course it said on the envelope where it was from, I would hardly believe him you know. Of course, that I believe was arranged by some of the family.”

There has been much celebration in the McBride family for this special occasion with son Stephen telling this newspaper that the entire family passes on their congratulations to the much loved couple. George and Edith celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary with members of their family over the weekend.