Just to let you know that our youngest son, Jim Cullen, is getting married to an Indianapolis girl, Lydia Campbell Maher, Saturday, 1st June, in Indianapolis. Jim has only moved to Indianapolis in April having been engaged to Lydia since summer 2012 and working on securing his visa for the last year. They will be married in Lydia's parents house in Norwaldo Avenue and we'll watch it on Skype and pop the champagne together.

We live in Cork, Ireland and Lydia and Jim met here in April 2011 and fell in love at more or less their first meeting. Lydia is an Ethnomusicologist, specialising in Sean-Nos (old-style) singing. She had originally come to Cork to pursue a semester of studies in Irish music and culture in 2008 and returned in 2010 to earn her M.A. From the moment they met it was very obvious for all to see that this was a very special relationship.

Jim had been working for himself in print and design for some years and had moved into the recruitment business and was really building a good career but the heart dictated that his future career would be in America with the lovely Lydia. Naturally we were very concerned at the idea of our son going to America and I think Lydia's parents were equally concerned at their daughter picking up more in Cork than her M.A. The loving couple headed for Indianapolis near the end of 2011 to meet the parents, Jim and Mary Maher, who live just south of Broad Ripple in Norwaldo Ave. Apparently they got on really well with Jim even cooking a shepherds pie dinner for thirteen of the family in a log cabin in the woods where they stayed for a few days.

Jim and Mary and her sister and brother then visited Cork in the summer of 2012 where we all met up for dinner and drinks and got on great and put our hearts completely at ease as we saw what a lovely family they are.

Lydia had to go back home last November as her visa had expired and she was a little homesick. Jim moved back in with us while he prepared to follow and Skype helped keep their relationship blossoming. A difficult time for them but it showed how strong their relationship is that it could survive.

They are both now living on Hillside Avenue and Jim has to wait for 3 months before starting work due to visa restrictions but he's planning to do some voluntary work in the meantime. He's passionate about Manchester United Football Club (soccer) so he's hoping he might be able to do some soccer coaching to children or/and do some Irish Language teaching in the Irish Arts Academy of Indianapolis where Lydia is teaching some classes. Anyway, whatever they end up doing we know they'll be very successful and will contribute to Indianapolis in a very positive way.

Myself and Assumpta are naturally missing Jim but are delighted that he's marrying into such a wonderful family and are looking forward to our new and future relationship with Indianapolis.

Alan, as we are going to have a relationship with Indianapolis and more particularly the Broad Ripple area, feel free to contact us at any time if you ever feel it would be of interest to you or your readers to hear what's happening in Ireland or get a flavour of what it's like to live here.

Regards

Dermot and Assumpta Cullen