Father Ted star Joe Rooney revealed he had married ‘the love of my life’ in a surprise ceremony.
The comedy actor – who played Fr Damo on the show – had previously said they were planning to get hitched in September but it seems they couldn’t wait.
After a year of being engaged, a delighted Joe took to social media to break the news to his followers.
He said: ‘I got married today to the beautiful, wonderful @nerea.inked.
‘It’s been an incredible journey, meeting, falling love with and marrying the love of my life.
‘She is such a genuinely kind soul. I’m so grateful she took a chance on me.
‘I’m proud to call her my wife. #married’.
Rooney’s big news was greeted with a whole host of fans offering their congratulations including from fellow comedian Fred Cooke who wrote: ‘Congratulations guys!!!’
Another friend wrote: ‘Congratulations guys all the very best in life. Life is short! Enjoy every moment’.
The Drogheda actor previously revealed how the couple had met online after Nera had liked a song he had done.
He told The Irish Sun they were initially thinking of getting married in Madrid in September where Nera is from, but it seems they couldn’t wait.
Nera had been living in the UK for ten years when she met photographer Rooney online during lockdown.
He explained: ‘I recorded a bit of Hurt by Johnny Cash, well it’s not a Johnny Cash song but he did a version of it, and she liked it. I was like ‘thanks’ and then we followed each other.
‘We were messaging first, then talking on the phone for ages and eventually FaceTimed.’
After lockdown, Joe travelled to Halifax in the UK to do a gig and then kept coming back to meet up.
He said: ‘It was back and forth a lot and then she decided to move over here to Ireland and moved in with me.’
