Our Wedding Story: Sparks fly between physics researchers

Ciaran Cleary and Jiadi Lu

Ciaran and Jiadi met at UCC where both were studying for postgraduate degrees in physics – he was completing a PhD and she was undertaking a research masters and they started going out in 2012.

Having graduated with an MSc, Jiadi moved to Leuven in Belgium to continue her studies, a PhD in bioengineering, and was joined by Ciaran before he returned to Ireland where he works as a process engineer at Intel.

“Nonetheless,” says Ciaran from Dunderry, Co Meath, “we continued our relationship and are constantly going back and forth between the two countries. When Jiadi finishes her PhD early next year, she’ll come back to Ireland and we’ll settle down here for good.”

Ciaran proposed in March 2015 – at a viewing point above Lough Tay in Co Wicklow – and while their wedding plans were put on hold after Ciaran’s father passed away in April 2015, they married in Bellingham Castle on October 25th, 2016.

Jiadi’s parents travelled from Shijiazhuang in China, the groom’s sister acted as bridesmaid and his close friend Anthony Walsh was the best man.

A traditional Chinese tea ceremony was incorporated into the ceremony – celebrated by spiritualist solemniser Miriam Fitzgerald, who also officiated at the groom’s sister’s wedding last June – along with a harpist to represent Irish culture.

After the wedding, the newlyweds took a short trip to Paris and are planning a longer honeymoon to Australia next year after Jiadi has finished her PhD.

Photographs: Nick O’Keeffe Photography

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