It was the wedding of the decade.

The biggest Limerick has ever seen, and one which is not likely to be repeated in Martinstown.

Wedding fever gripped the South Limerick townland last Saturday as the country's top entertainers, businessmen and financiers to see JP McManus's only daughter, Sue Ann, wed her Killorglin college sweetheart Cian Foley in a lavish ceremony believed to have cost up to €10m.

The ceremony was due to begin at 2pm, and onlookers and media eagerly awaited the bride's arrival in her €20,000 Synan O'Mahony dress.

Using the monument of three-time Olympic hammer- throwing champion John Flanagan as a vantage point, photographers settled in and awaited the arrival of the bridal party.

At 1.45pm, the groom arrived.Dressed, like his seven groomsmen, in a charcoal grey suit with tails, and a silver waistcoat and matching tie, he waved to onlookers and shared a joke with some guests.

Just 150 people attended the church ceremony, with many of those invited unable to attend because of the funeral of former State solicitor Maurice Power in Kilmallock earlier that morning.

Minibuses ferried guests down the winding, and newly-resurfaced road to the church.

The first guest to arrive was close friend of JP and former Limerick hurling manager Joe McKenna, followed by another 1973 All-Ireland winner Eamon Grimes.

Coolmore stud owner John Magnier arrived, with jockeyturned- trainer Charlie Swan following minutes later.

Mother-of-the-bride Noreen McManus arrived next, looking dazzling in a fitted red two-piece jacket and skirt suit with matching hat.

The bride's entrance at 2.27pm drew gasps from onlookers.

Wearing a simple white bustier-style dress, with lace detail a short train and a two-tiered veil, beaming Sue Ann waved to onlookers as she was accompanied into the church by her proud father.

Ten minutes later, Dermot Desmond, along with son Brett and his girlfriend Andrea Corr, dressed in a purple floor length gown, black wrap and brown platform sandals, made their way inside.

And onlookers, who had travelled from all over South Limerick to catch a glimpse of the blushing bride, managed to infiltrate the media circus to take some photographs of their own.

Sue Ann & Cian

After an hour, the bride and groom emerged from the church and the bridesmaids showered them with rose petals.

The couple waved to the crowd and posed for photos and then left for the McManus mansion. JP and Noreen emerged and stopped to pose for photos and shook hands with onlookers.

"Thanks very much, thanks for coming out," JP told those who congratulated him.

Robert O'Sullivan from Martinstown declared it to be a "first class occasion". "This is a great occasion for Martinstown.

Everything was done with simplicity and class, which sums up the McManus family. They spoke to people and made themselves available for photographs, that is the type of people they are."

"JP is such a lovely person," agreed Martinstown resident Bridget Flynn, "God was smiling down on him today with the weather."

Also present were JP's schoolmates from CBS Sexton Street and members of the 1973 Limerick senior hurling team.

Before leaving everyone was presented with his and hers specially inscribed Cartier gold pens worth €500.

The wedding spectacular is already regarded as the social highlight of the year with the floral bill alone costing an estimated €850,000.

The celebrations continued at the McManus mansion .Mr and Mrs Foley flew out this week for their honeymoon in Costa Rica.