For Visitors from Afar

First, thank you so much for coming. It means the world to us that you are willing to travel often thousands of kilometers to be with us for this day. If you can't make it, we understand, we really do. In this economy? Sadly, yes, we fell in love and a wedding must follow.

A back garden party will be held in Toronto in August 2026 - bring your frocks and Hawaiian shirts!

• Visas: Irish border security is extremely lax and may only ask a handful of questions about where and how long you are staying. EU ETIAS is not required as it will only start in the last quarter of 2026.
  • Canadians: A visa is not required. You can stay for up to 90 days in Ireland. Ireland is not part of the Schengen Area so please check out additional requirements if you plan on visiting another European country.
  • British: Free travel into Ireland without any visa.
  • EU Citizens: You get to go through the fast track no questions asked!
• Currency: Ireland uses the Euro. At the time of writing, €1 = $1.58 CAD
• Driving: Ireland drives on the left side of the road! Please pay attention as the roads are narrow and windy once you go off the main motorways.
• Tipping: No.
• Uber: A confusing subject for many. If you call an Uber in Dublin, a taxi will arrive. It's far easier to hail down a taxi than call an Uber. The Uber app does not exist outside of Dublin — instead get a local taxi phone number. All taxis accept cash and card payments.

What is a Laois? Where am I going? Who are these people?!

Laois is 1 of 32 counties in Ireland. It is located in the centre of the country about an hour outside of Dublin. Pronounce it like "Leash", like what you use to walk a dog.

Portlaoise ("Port leash"), population 25,000, is the main town within Laois. Abbeyleix ("Abbey leaks"), population 2000, is a smaller town south of Portlaoise. Ratheniska ("Rat-en-esk-a"), population ... 40 (?)... is where Mark grew up, a rural area to the south east of Portlaoise.

You'll disembark the diesel pigeon (colloquially known as an airplane) in Dublin, drive to Portlaoise, offroad it to Abbeyleix, attend the wedding cermony in Ratheniska, then back to Abbeyleix for the wedding venue.

Weather

Irish weather is fickle, but June and July are the most pleasant. Average maximum daily temperature of 19C and a daily minimum of 12C. Ladies, bring shawls to keep you warm in the evening times! June and July has the lowest rainfall of the year, but that doesn't mean it will stay dry all the time. The weather nearer to the Atlantic is often more wet due to water being picked up over the ocean and dumped on the coast. A light rain jacket is recommended.

Average temperatures of the area from 2020 to 2024.

Flights & Travel

Flights from Toronto to Dublin are overnight. Expect to be horrendously jet lagged the next day. We recommend arriving in Dublin, getting straight to your hotel, taking a few hours nap (not too much!) and then going to bed at your regular time.

For those travelling from Toronto to Dublin, we will recommend a flight closer to the date. Those on that flight will be picked up from the airport and brought to Abbeyleix.

Wedding Acomodation

Abbeyleix Manor Hotel is 500m walk from the venue - They are offering a preferred rate for the wedding.

Day of the Wedding

Transport will be arranged for those without transport from Abbeyleix to the church, and back again.

Fintan, if you're reading this, arrive an hour early.

Beyond the wedding

We will ask around and see what people want to do. Some will want to tour the country, some just Dublin, others to travel on.

Dublin

Dublin has a lot to offer, but please reconsider using Dublin as a party town. The city centre is can be unsafe in places at night. Daytime activities like Trinity College Dublin Library and the Guiness Factory are strongly recommended, even Temple Bar, but not post 10 p.m.

There is a ban on private cars through the city centre, and the streets that are available are often one-ways. Some things to do in Dublin Guinness Brewhouse Guinness really does taste better at source. The brewhouse is an interactive museum showing how Guiness was made throughout the years and their mass marketing campaign (sounds boring I know, but it really is quite fun!). The highlight of course is having a lovely Guinness in the Gravity Bar overlooking the city.


Trinity College Dublin Library, you might recognize it from Harry Potter. The library also contains one of the most famous books in Irish history; the Book of Kells. The library has gone redevelopment in the past few years, including the removal of most books. Hopefully they will be back on the shelves in 2026.

The one week adventurer

June and July are peak tourism months, and there is a lot of country to cover. The following itinerary is for those willing to travel, but stay on the major routes.

If you want to see the rest of the country; Kerry in the south, or Mayo, Sligo and Donegal in the north west, please let us know. We'll be happy to provide a list of recommendations.