IT is not too often you see horses in the centre of Naas town, so heads were turned when two were spotted outside Hugh Statham Jewellers on the Main Street on Friday of last week.

In the run up to any wedding most people opt to collect their wedding rings on foot, but just 24 hours before his nuptials, Jamie Bullman, along with his mother Kate, decided to be creative and collect the family heirloom on their trusty steeds.

“At first it seemed like a crazy idea but when we worked it out, we thought it was be rather nice to do it – especially as we had our own horses,” said Dunlavin-based Kate, who then relayed the story of this family jewel.

“This wedding ring has been in the family for almost 100 years,” she said.

“It was first worn by my grandmother, Marian, on her wedding day in 1922. She and my grandfather Charles were both doctors and he used to visit his patients in London on horseback.

“Horses have been in our family ever since.

“My grandmother died in 1984 and shortly afterwards my father, Charles Jnr, offered me the ring for my wedding. Nick and I were married the same year.

“Nick later bought me another eternity ring and so this ring had not been used for several years. When Jamie proposed to Phoebe (McCarthy) during Christmas week two years ago, we thought it would be a nice gesture to offer him the ring, which was then resized and engraved for his big wedding day.”

When Kate and Jamie rode into town on the family’s two hunters, they were joined on the street by Kate’s husband Nick, along with their other son Joe, daughters Catherine, Phoebe, Posie and Tish, and Catherine’s fiancé Max Grawe.

“Posie and Tish are now fourth-generation doctors, so it was a rather special occasion,” Kate concluded.

Over 170 guests attended the wedding celebrations at the luxurious Clonwilliam House near Avoca last Saturday.

And the party will get started again in a few weeks’ time when Catherine and Max tie the knot in Germany.