Mayor's ball is 'engaging' as marriage proposal accepted
Cllr Adam Wyse, Cllr. Eamon Quinlan, Minister Mary Butler, Mayor of Waterford City & County Cllr Jason Murphy and Cllr John O'Leary, at the Mayor's Charity Gala Ball in the Tower Hotel. Photo: Joe Evans
This year's annual Waterford Mayoral Ball took an unexpected turn when those in attendance witnessed Waterford City & County Mayor, Cllr Jason Murphy, propose to his longtime partner, Nicola Coughlan, onstage.
Thankfully, she accepted the proposal and the moment was met with instant applause and resounding cheers from those in attendance.
Always one of the most eagerly anticipated events on the local social calendar the marriage proposal made the event even more enjoyable and certainly memorable for those in attendance.
In addition to being a social event the annual ball also raises money each year for deserving local charities and organisations.
This year was no exception with the three worthy recipient organisations comprised of The Red Cross (Waterford City and Portlaw area), Little Sisters of the Poor and Autism Friendly Waterford.
There was great excitement ahead of the event and the buzz of anticipation was matched only by the positivity that emanated from the room as the capacity crowd of guests settled back for a night of relaxing and informal chat and fine food. The event was co-hosted by Metropolitan Mayor, Cllr Joe Kelly who said the event has become "one of the most anticipated events on Waterford's social calendar.
"We are delighted to be able to contribute to important causes that will benefit from this year's proceeds," he said.
One aspect of the fundraising on the night is the annual auction and this year a Brazilian soccer jersey signed by arguably the greatest player of all time, the legendary Pelé, was auctioned off for an amazing €1,350.
The event took place on Saturday, May 17, at the Tower Hotel and without doubt the absolute highlight was Cllr Murphy's marriage proposal which took everyone by surprise - including his now fiancée, Nicola.
In commenting on the event itself Cllr Murphy said: "We are proud to once again host the Mayor's Ball, a special evening to bring our community together and support these incredible local charities that provide vital services across Waterford."
