TWO Barrhead couples who were married in the same church on the same day are preparing for golden celebrations as they reach their 50th wedding anniversaries.

Rita and Brian Connelly and Margaret and James Reilly tied the knot at St John’s Church on September 30, 1967.

And the connection does not end there.

Barrhead girl Rita, whose full name is Margaret, and Greenock-born Margaret are second cousins.

And a third couple – Margaret Green and James Bell – were also married at St John’s that day.

Sadly, James has since passed away.

The Connellys and the Reillys are well-known in Barrhead.

Rita and Brian, both 70, have led the Auchenback Active organisation at Auchenback Resource Centre since 1998, while 69-year-old Margaret and James, 70, oversee the running of Barrhead and Neilston Disabled Forum (Band F), as chairwoman and treasurer.

Both couples have arranged trips to mark their special anniversary.

The Connellys are embarking on a 28-day cruise from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to the US Virgin Islands next month.

And the Reillys have organised a jaunt to Dunoon, followed by a family holiday to Fuerteventura, in Spain’s Canary Islands.

Rita and Brian first met as pupils at St John’s Primary School, at the age of 12.

However, it wasn’t until they reached their late teens that they became a couple.

Similarly, Margaret and James became an item aged 18 and 19 respectively after they met at the bowling alley in the old Dilearn House.

Both couples have spent the whole of their married lives in Barrhead.

The Connellys first moved into a flat in Newton Avenue before settling in Fenwick Drive in 1977.

They have remained there ever since.

Margaret and James began married life at a flat in Glen Street.

The pair then relocated after 10 years to their current home in Patterton Drive.

The quartet’s passion for Barrhead and its people is obvious from the work they do in their community.

However, family has always come first for the Connellys and the Reillys.

Rita and Brian have two children of their own – Brian jnr, 49, and 45-year-old Debbie – and helped to raise three others who they regard as their own kin.

They are also proud grandparents to six grandchildren.

Margaret and James have brought up three sons – John, 48, Patrick, 47, and 45-year-old James – as well as two daughters, Cathy, 49, and Gayle, 46.

A total of 17 grandchildren and one great-grandchild have followed.

When pressed to reveal the secret to a happy marriage, each of the husband-and-wife teams offer interesting answers.

Rita said: “Honesty and trust. We’ve got the same interests and work as a team.”

Husband Brian joked: “The only thing we don’t share an interest in is shopping.”

Margaret believes compatibility is all important.

She said: “We’ve got the same sort of nature, so we get on well.”

James added: “It’s important to have a sense of humour and to be able to count up to 10 and try to calm down before you start arguing.”

If you have a special anniversary coming up, call the Barrhead News on 0141 435 8839 or send an email to editorial@barrheadnews.co.uk