Deirdre Mulligan took the initiative on February 29th as she popped the question asking her boyfriend Diego to marry her.. he said yes! Picture: Ronan McGrade
A NEWTOWNBUTLER woman has turned the tables on her boyfriend by popping the question to him on February 29 – the extra day in a leap year when, according to tradition, a woman can propose to a man.
The date which comes around every four years will forever be special for Deirdre Mulligan and Diego McAdoo, from Newbliss, County Monaghan after the Fermanagh woman proposed on Monday via Facebook.
The pair first met two years ago at a Derek Ryan concert in the Hotel Kilmore, Cavan and became “best friends” from the moment they met. Speaking to the Herald this week Deirdre explained that marriage was on the cards even after two months.
“We weren’t even two, three months together when Diego said ‘I’d marry you in the morning’ and then he always took this notion saying ‘It’ll not be long until it’s a leap year and you can ask’ and I said ‘yea, yea’ brushing him off.”
She continued: “For the last six months he would have said nothing about it, the closer it was getting he said nothing, he had no inkling, no clue. Both of us were working at the time and I just decided I was going to do it, because I’d been thinking flat out about it.”
So on Monday 27-year-old Deirdre posted to Diego (29) ‘Baby will you marry me?’ The initial response however, was not what she had expected.
“He told me he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but he just wrote underneath it ‘Rare breeds on babe I’ll get back to ye’. Of course I saw this and was shocked, I thought what have I done, but then he said ‘Of course I will’.”
The happy couple are going ring shopping at the weekend, but this time, keeping with tradition it is Deirdre who will wear the engagement band.
“I had thought of this wondering what I would do and I spoke to his aunty previously saying I was going to buy him a ring, but she said for me not to and still let him buy the ring.
I thought that was wrong as if he had asked me he would be coming to me with the ring. We’re just going to both go at the weekend and I’ll get the ring.”
Wedding preparations are now underway for the couple, but first there will be a few celebrations with family and friends.
“It’s been flat out with people getting in touch wishing us well, it’s unreal, the whole excitement’s taking over. To celebrate we’ll go out for a big family meal. We’re big into the jiving so no doubt there will be a country night afterwards.”
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