An Annagry man who enquired about an old photograph he believed was taken on his wedding day in Donegal Town has finally learned its background.

Paddy Joe O’Donnell and Maire (nee O’Byrne) from Kilcar got married in 1962 and were fortunate enough to be reunited with additional photographs from their reception, which took place at the Central Hotel, Donegal Town.

This came about as Paddy Joe and Maire were surprised when they saw an advert in a local newspaper that the photographer Denis Tynan’s former home was sold. Bridie Boyce came across some photos of the wedding last summer while tidying the house which is situated in Glenties, behind the Limelight. 

Bridie put a notice in the local papers at the time to say that she had discovered a batch of films with names. Paddy Joe followed up and Bridie told him that his name was on the list. Paddy Joe and Maire were reunited with a batch of photos from their big day, which took place on November 28, 1962. Last summer, Bridie was travelling to Donegal Airport and dropped the roll of photos off at Paddy Joe on the way.

After developing the 44 black and white pictures Paddy Joe and Maire were able to identify everyone except those in one photo. The couple were intrigued as to who the four female staff members were, who they believed were from the Central Hotel in Donegal Town, seen enjoying their dinner.

“I didn’t even know this batch existed and we were looking through the pictures and up pops these four women, I knew everybody else but I didn’t know these four,” Paddy Joe told DonegalLive.

This week, Paddy Joe made the trip to Letterkenny and asked the Donegal Democrat to share the photograph of the four waitresses, as to help to find out their identities. The story was posted online on Tuesday afternoon and Paddy Joe admits to being  “inundated” with calls since. 

“Since I received the pictures, I have always been wondering who these women are,” Paddy Joe continued. “This week, there was an advertisement in the paper about the school my wife worked in and they were looking for old photographs of the school. This is when I found the picture and decided once and for all I am going to take it to The Donegal Democrat.”

The ladies have been identified as Tessie Melly, Anne Connaghan, Nancy McLoone and Mary Houston, who worked in Glenties’ Highlands Hotel.  Paddy Joe believes that the ladies were working as waitresses that day at the Central Hotel though, and that’s how they ended up pictured at the wedding.

“They were at the wedding,” he said. “They were there as staff. All of the back and white photographs are of the wedding. They were there as staff. They worked as a team doing weddings.”

All of the ladies were from Glenties and worked as waitresses in the Highlands Hotel. Now, 62 years later, it is only Mary Houston that is still alive of the four. 

“The four waitresses in the photograph was probably taken in the Highlands Hotel, Glenties, not in the Central Hotel, Donegal Town owned by the Hyland Family,” Eamon Brolly emailed. “I married Anne Connaghan in 1970 and her only surviving sibling, Madge Sharkey, named the photograph for me.”