A Fermanagh couple who have been together for more than 11 years finally got to tie the knot yesterday (Wednesday) in one of the first weddings following the coronavirus lockdown and only the second ever to take place at Enniskillen Castle.

While specific Covid-19 guidelines remain in place, Christopher Read and Leona Rooney were granted permission by Fermanagh and Omagh District Council to get married on the grounds of the historic building in recent days.

The Council provided a registrar for the service which was held at the renowned site as Enniskillen Townhall remains closed due to the pandemic.

Only 10 people could attend the ceremony because of the restrictions but Christopher (35) and Leona (29), who have a seven-month-old daughter called Martha, were more than happy to finally married after their initial date in April was delayed.

“It feels great to get married at Enniskillen Castle as it is a very important part of the town's history," Christopher told The Impartial Reporter.

"It’s a bit of an honour its somewhere I have spent a lot of my time, from going around the museum to fishing around the outside walls. It is an honour to use it as a venue for our wedding

"We were supposed to get married back in April, we had it booked so when we found out we were going to have another chance we said just give us the first service available," he explained.

Christopher is the son of Shirley Read from Enniskillen and Ivan Read while Leona is the daughter of Louise Rooney and step-daughter of Jim 'Ziggy' Davidson.

"As we are only allowed ten people we are going it to get this part out of the way. We plan to have a family bash later in the year when we can.

Both families have a long history of service. The bride's grandfather was a police sergeant in Lisnaskea while both the groom's paternal grandfather Fred Read and maternal Granduncle Jack Latimer were in the RAF during World War Two.

Fred was an English man stationed at Castle Archdale. He met Martha Fyffe and stayed here after the war ended while the groom's father, Ivan, has spent most of his career with the DOE at Castle Barracks.

"This has set in stone something I have known since first getting together that we would spend the rest of our lives together and to do it here at this culturally important site is even more special," said Christopher.