Enduring love - couple affected by Alzheimer’s disease marks their 60th wedding anniversary while raising funds for The Alzheimer Society of Ireland

16/09/2023

Brid Kelly, who lives with Alzheimer’s, and Vincent Kelly her husband and primary carer, celebrated 60 years of marriage with a vow renewal ceremony at The Alzheimer Society of Ireland’s (ASI) Curlew Road Day Care Centre in Dublin, garnering national media attention. Brid and Vincent, a couple who navigate life with dementia, marked their 60th wedding anniversary with a special vow renewal ceremony at The ASI’s Curlew Road Day Care Centre in Drimnagh, Dublin on 15 September 2023. The event - which honoured the past while embracing the present - took place ahead of World Alzheimer’s Day on 21 September, to raise funds for the Centre. Brid has attended Curlew Road for several years, and the Centre has greatly supported the couple throughout their journey with dementia. Family, friends, fellow Curlew Road Service users and their carers, and ASI Staff attended the ceremony. The ceremony paid tribute to their original wedding day, which took place in Rathfarnham Church in Dublin on 16 September 1963. For Vincent, love means giving: “Love to me; love is giving. Bottom line.” Rather than wedding gifts, he encouraged well-wishers to donate to The ASI’s Curlew Road Day Care Centre in Dublin, which has made a significant difference in their lives. 64,000 people live with dementia in Ireland. Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia.