A NORTH Down couple recently marked a major milestone in their relationship – their diamond wedding anniversary.
Together now for 70 years in total, Evelyn Meneely and Thomas (Tommy) Peden first met in 1955 when they were 14 and 15 years-old while Tommy was working at a garage owned by Evelyn’s father and well-known local businessman, John Meneely.
Evelyn, originally from Holywood but who grew up in Donegal, had not long moved back to her hometown before meeting Tommy, a motor mechanic from Knocknagoney, who would become the love of her life.
After Evelyn heard that her school friend’s brother had started working at her father’s garage, she took a trip down during her lunch break to see if she could spot the new recruit.
From the pair first laid eyes on each other when Evelyn peeked under the car that Tommy was fixing at the time, the couple have been inseparable ever since.
Following a decade of dating, Evelyn and Tommy married at First Holywood Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church on Saturday, October 23 1965, and hosted their reception at the Windsor Hotel in Knocknagoney, which is currently used by the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
The couple went on to have four children, Michael, Nigel, Amanda and Samantha, and now have 12 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren, with whom they celebrated their anniversary at a special party.
Also to mark the occasion, Evelyn and Tommy took a sentimental trip down memory lane to Church Hill, Donegal, with their four children to reminisce Evelyn’s childhood before she returned home to Holywood at the age of 12.
Speaking of her parents’ remarkable achievement, Samantha Murdock said her mum and dad, who are now 84 and 85 years-old and reside just outside of Holywood in Knocknagoney, ‘just don’t know where the time has gone’.
“They can’t believe it’s been 60 years. They say it has went in that quickly, they just can’t get over that all those years have passed,” she said.
She said of her parents’ anniversary celebrations: “It was great to get away with them to Donegal to reminisce mum’s early life as well as get family and friends together to celebrate them.
“It was lovely to share that with them.”
