BBC to air documentary on country music wedding of the year

A unique behind the scenes look at the celebrity wedding of Westmeath musician Simon Sheerin to Tyrone country music singing sensation, Cliona Hagan, is set to air on BBC Northern Ireland later this month.

The documentary is being made by independent TV and film production company, Green Inc., and is expected to feature a number of Midlands-based businesses who were involved in the star-studded wedding in St. Mary’s Parish Church, Tang on Wednesday of last week.

Offaly-based wedding and events planner, Corrinne Claffey Concannon, worked closely with Simon and Cliona in advance of their big day, and she said both of them were “very keen to engage as many local businesses as possible” in providing services for their wedding.

Chief among the local businesses was Colm Quinn BMW who provided a fleet of luxury black BMW cars to ferry the wedding party to and from St Mary’s Church in Tang; The Sheraton Hotel where Cliona Hagan and her wedding party spent two nights in the Presidential Suite in the lead up to the wedding and another local company, Stodge Face bakery who supplied a magnificent display of colourful cupcakes instead of a traditional wedding cake.

In another break from tradition, Simon Sheerin, opted to wear skinny black jeans, trademark Chelsea boots, a very fitted waistcoat, black shirt and tie and a heavily embossed black jacket which proved to be “quite difficult to source”, according to Corrinne Claffey Concannon.

“Simon has a very distinctive style,” she said, “in fact he has a great sense of style so he knew exactly what he wanted, but when we went to GUY Clothing in Tullamore to see if they had a similar jacket we were told they didn’t but were assured they would source one.”

Simon’s bestman and groomsman, his two older brothers Tom and Des, wore black velvet jackets and skinny black jeans, while his Dad, Dan, and the bride’s father, Joe, wore black tuxedos, all supplied by GUY Clothing.

Meanwhile, the Midlands-based dress designer who spent the last year designing the magnificent bespoke wedding gown worn by Cliona Hagan is set to feature in the upcoming BBC documentary on the celebrity wedding.

Geraldine O’Meara, who is based in Birr, cdesigned the bridal gown, and also the eye-catching burnt orange two-piece worn by her mother, Claire. A team from Green Inc production company travelled to the dress designer’s studio in Birr to film a consultation between the renowned dress designer and her celebrity clients.

The buttercup yellow bridesmaid dresses worn by Cliona Hagan’s sister, Theresa, and her best friend, Amy were supplied by My Fair Lady in Tullamore while Athlone-based Carries Beauty Salon supplied a number of beauty products including tan and nails to the bride and her wedding party.

As well as filming the behind the scenes lead up to the country music wedding of the year in Tang last week, a team from Green Inc productions also filmed the wedding ceremony, which was performed by the Parish Priest of Drumraney-Tang parish, Fr. Oliver Devine, and the wedding reception in the 5-star Kilronan Castle in Roscommon.

The new bride who is planning to trade her native Tyrone for a new life in the Midlands– also belted out a song or two along with her fellow Northern Ireland country music star, Johnny Brady, who is one of three lead singers in the Eagles Tribute Band, ‘Take It To The Limit’ which was set up by Tom Sheerin in 2018 and features seven members of the multi-talented Sheerin Family Band, including Simon, who is the youngest member of the Sheerin family.

Simon Sheerin and Cliona Hagan met when he joined her band as musical director in 2016. While they knew each other for many years through the music scene, love blossomed when they began working together and they announced their engagement in December 2020.