A Dublin bride-to-be has urged the magazine behind a dream wedding package to pass the prize on to another couple.

The Irish Wedding Journal made the drastic move after claiming the prize was "tarnished" following the winning groom's conviction for lewd behaviour towards women.

The publication said they took the decision to withdraw the €46,000 dream wedding prize after Aidan Clifford (28), who had originally won it along with fiancee Ellen Spence, admitted before Galway District Court to following young women around Galway city in his car and performing the indecent acts in their view.

Cop-out

However, Dublin bride-to-be Lynda Penny (29), who was one of nine other women who made it to the final, is urging organisers and sponsors to rethink their decision.

"I just think it's a big cop-out. They got great publicity at the time and it was such a fantastic prize.

"They could split it between all the contestants. Many of us would be very grateful," she said. "It's just very disappointing. We entered the competition in good faith and honesty," the woman added.

Lynda has suggested that the Irish Wedding Journal split the prize among the remaining nine contestants. "I wouldn't see a €50,000 wedding package as 'tarnished'. It wouldn't be tainted, especially in these times when people are losing their jobs," Lynda explained.

"It's a disgrace. If they gave out the prize to the remaining contestants, it would allow the Irish Wedding Journal to take something positive from it."

Grapes

The mum-of-one, who is engaged to fiance Lar Wright (27), is originally from Tallaght and is now living in Meath. The couple are busy saving for their big day, but Lynda couldn't hide her anger when told that the prize was to be withdrawn.

She urged the magazine and sponsors to rethink their decision on RTE's Liveline

Since the broadcast, she has been inundated with messages of support from brides.

Lynda told the Herald that she does not have "sour grapes" about not winning the prize - and would prefer to see it going to any of the finalists rather than being withdrawn.

The magazine, a publication favoured among thousands of brides, told the Herald their €46,000 prize was no more and that it had been "tarnished" due to bad publicity surrounding the actions of Aidan Clifford, the winning groom

In April, Aidan Clifford and Eileen Spence were hailed as Ireland's most romantic couple as their tale of long-distance love won over the judges.

However, just two weeks later, it emerged that Mr Clifford had admitted before a court to committing two offensive acts.

Galway District Court heard he drove to the city from his workplace in Co Clare specifically to follow women around in his car while fondling himself.

His solicitor said at the time that his client's problems stemmed from his lifestyle -- and that he was "working himself to the bone".

After news of his admission emerged, his fiancee Ellen said she was standing by her man. "I am still with Aidan, yes. We haven't done anything wrong," she told a newspaper last week.

"If I'd known this was a problem for people, I would never have entered the competition, hand on my heart.

Forfeited

"We are not in the competition any more. We voluntarily forfeited the prize," Ellen added.

In a statement to the Herald, the Irish Wedding Journal said they were devastated by the affair and were not aware of Mr Clifford's conviction when they awarded him the prize.

"The nature of his conviction is entirely incompatible with the ethos of Ireland's Wedding Journal and the competition and we regard his entering this competition in the first place as a breach of good faith on his part," said Irish Wedding Journal publisher Wynn Penton.

"With regret we have come to the decision that no prize will be awarded this year."

jlast@herald.ie

- Jane Last