A DOOLIN celebrant, who attempts to capture the spirit of the North Clare village in her work, has just been crowned as Irish Celebrant of the Year for 2025.
Fiona Whelton, who styles herself as the Doolin Celebrant, picked up the prestigious award at a ceremony in Johnstone Estate in County Meath earlier this month.
She says she was drawn to be a celebrant when her friend, Fiona Cranwell, who is also a celebrant, described how one of her events took place.
“I love how Doolin has put its name on the map for music, for culture, for the beauty of the place. I always knew that when I became a celebrant, I wanted to be known as the Doolin Celebrant, that was very important to me. I want to showcase the place where I am from and everything about it,” she said.
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Andrew Hamilton is a journalist, investigative reporter and podcaster who has been working in the media in Ireland for the past 20 years. His areas of special interest include the environment, mental health and politics.