Shane Lowry had a good reason for missing Rory McIlroy’s wedding in Cong on Saturday,
.McIlroy’s wedding to Erica Stoll had Ashford Castle in lockdown, with the 200 guests arriving in helicopters and blacked-out cars, security teams placed on boats on Lough Corrib and anti-drone experts also on duty.
Stevie Wonder was rumoured to have performed at the ceremony, having been pictured buying headphones at a computer shop in Galway.
He just called to say … pleasure to have the one and only #StevieWonder in our #Galway store this afternoon !! 😎 pic.twitter.com/2sd5Krj1rT
— Select IE - Your Local Apple Expert (@SelectTech_IE) April 21, 2017
And Masters winner Sergio Garcia flew in and out before appearing for the ceremonial kick-off at the Clasico derby at the Bernabeu.
Thank you @realmadrid and their fans for an incredible welcome at the Bernabeu, just SPECTACULAR! Something I will never forget 🏌🏼⚽️🏟 pic.twitter.com/IEL2o5b3KX
— Sergio Garcia (@TheSergioGarcia) April 24, 2017
As for Lowry; well, he’d a family event to attend in Offaly that night…
“My granny was 80 on Saturday night and we’d a birthday party for her at home. Family comes first,” he told a disbelieving Sean O’Rourke on RTÉ Radio 1.
“Genuinely, I was at my granny’s 80th in Esker Hills Golf Club on Saturday night.
Great night in @EskerHills for my granny's 80th Saturday. Always great to get home and see everyone. #familycomesfirst pic.twitter.com/KY9N64LFbC
— Shane Lowry (@ShaneLowryGolf) April 24, 2017
“We’d a great night and she’s still flying at 80 years of age. She has 13 kids and almost every-one of them was there, so we’d a great night.
“There’s no big deal made about me when I go down there. I’m just going home and it’s great to be able to go home and keep my feet on the ground.”
Lowry was speaking ahead of this weekend’s One for Ireland campaign in aid of youth mental health services.