Rachel O’Hora Celebrant & Solemniser

21/11/2025

This day last year marked my first wedding as a celebrant, for the fabulous D & T! The heat of the Florida sun is a distant memory today, but what an incredible experience to unite two kindred spirits in front of their family and friends 🙏 Brazilian and Irish traditions were respected, and I was delighted to work alongside Ricardo, my co-celebrant, who translated my words into Portuguese 🇧🇷 The highlight was their little girl, P, who, at only two, placed her own ribbon on their handfasting cord. A ribbon was also placed to represent J, her little brother who arrived on the scene earlier this year. Magical, magical, magical ✨

Happy First Wedding Anniversary Mr and Mrs Morais, may the roads continue to rise to meet you and the wind be always at your back ✨🇮🇪🇧🇷🙏☘️

16/11/2025

Feeling every letter of this today…🙏🏻

This is the time to be slow,
Lie low to the wall
Until the bitter weather passes.

Try, as best you can, not to let
The wire brush of doubt
Scrape from your heart
All sense of yourself
And your hesitant light.

If you remain generous,
Time will come good;
And you will find your feet
Again on fresh pastures of promise,
Where the air will be kind
And blushed with beginning.

JOHN O'DONOHUE

From his books, Benedictus (Europe) / To Bless the Space Between Us (US)
Ordering Info: https://johnodonohue.com/store

County Clare, Ireland
Photo: © Ann Cahill

16/11/2025

Right about now, I should be sitting in the in Dún Laoghaire, captivated by the wonderful in full flow. Instead I find myself listening to the above playlist of Manchan’s podcast interviews with with a candle lit in his memory. Ní bheidh a leithéad arís ann 🇮🇪🌈🙏🏻

10/11/2025

Today was one of my favorite days in my celebrant career. Sometimes, as a celebrant, you are invited to participate in some of the most moving events in the community. Today was one such day, in which I was honored to be asked to be one of the celebrants holding a memorial service for the families of children taken too soon by congenital heart defects. Heart Children Ireland is the charity involved with supporting families through what is one of the toughest journeys they make together with a beloved child.
Today I was delighted to collaborate with my fellow .ie celebrants and . Nic opened the event by welcoming the bereaved families, who then went on a remembrance walk through the beautifully autumnal St Anne’s Park in Raheny, lead by a lone piper who is also a bereaved parent. I led the group in a guided meditation upon their return from the walk, after which Adrianne closed the ceremony with a poem by John O’Donohue, and a stunning light ceremony with the jars of light that the families had carried with them on the walk. Nic read out the names of the children we had gathered to remember, as each family selected a spot around the heart on the floor to place their jar; the families then took the jars home with them after the ceremony.

This ceremony today was a reminder of how short life can be. To paraphrase Nic’s introduction - it’s not about how long you love someone, it’s about how deeply that love touched you. The music today was provided by a wonderful guitar player called Andrew, and Yesterday was one of the gorgeous instrumental,pieces he played.

Thank you to Sheila from Heart Children Ireland for inviting us along today, I hope it’s not my last time to participate in this deeply touching event 💖✨🙏🏻

29/10/2025

‼️💍 WEDDING WEDNESDAY 💍‼️

Here’s a little reminder for all the beautiful nearlyweds: there are no rules when it comes to what you wear to say “I do.” You do you, babe! ✨

Your wedding look should make you feel like you — radiant, confident, and completely yourself. Whether that’s a timeless white outfit, a burst of bold colour, or something wonderfully unique that tells your story, that’s the right choice. ✨

Head to my stories and vote in today’s poll ⬆️ -
💫 Classic white, 🎨 Bold colour, or 💖 Totally unique?
I can’t wait to see your style shine! 💖✨

24/10/2025

Civic duty done! I voted for Catherine Connolly, for inclusion, for diversity, for Palestine, for Irish neutrality, women’s rights, for Gaeilge, for assisted dying, for humanity, for reflectiveness, for a Fíor Campaign rather than a Smear Campaign ✅✅✅