'Inverness' couple celebrate 70th anniversary
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A couple who have celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary have attributed listening to Gaelic music as one of the reasons for their successful marriage.
Mary and Willie Mackintosh – both 94 – are “incomers” to Inverness, having only moved to the city a little over half a century ago, and said they had a quiet celebration to mark the happy day.
Now living in Glengarry Road in Kinmylies, they met when they both worked in Pitlochry and married in 1950.
At the time, Mrs Mackintosh, nee Maclean, from Scalpay, was working in a hotel while Mr Mackintosh worked on the railways.
They got to know each other through local dances.
When asked whether it was love at first sight, Mr Mackintosh said: “It was a long time ago now but yes, there was certainly a spark.”
He continued: “I was born in Perthshire, but my grandfather moved to Moy, so Inverness-shire was an area I knew.”
After marrying the couple moved around – living firstly in Pitlochry and Huntly before settling in Inverness in their 30s.
The couple have a daughter, Seonaid, two grandchildren and one great grandchild.
Speaking about their interests, Mr Mackintosh continued: “We share a love of Gaelic music and we enjoy attending Royal National Mods together. Mary is a fluent Gaelic speaker. I have never really picked it up but I do know all the names of fish as I am a keen sea angler.I have fished all over Scotland.”
Despite Covid restrictions, their daughter was able to join the happy couple as they celebrated their anniversary because they are in the same ‘bubble’.
“We enjoyed a feast of our favourite seafood,” Mr Mackintosh said. “We had scallops and prawns and a whisky to toast the day.”
He added: “I have learned over the years that the key to a good and peaceful marriage is knowing when not to speak!”
