Shay Given got married on Saturday. Only took him ten years from proposal to altar.
The former Republic of Ireland goalkeeper wed Rebecca Gibson — now Rebecca Given — in the Lady Chapel at Westminster Abbey in London, with photos shared on his Instagram showing the pair walking down the aisle. Given wore a black velvet tuxedo. Rebecca went with a white long-sleeved lace and sequin bodice gown. Westminster Abbey as a venue is not exactly low-key, which feels appropriate for a man who played 130-plus games for his country.
From Lifford to Westminster
Given, who grew up in Lifford, Co Donegal, proposed to Rebecca in 2015 — she was working in PR when they met after his split from first wife Jane Cunningham in 2013. The couple have two daughters together. Saturday was the finish line on a very long engagement.
On the pitch, Given's career holds up well to scrutiny. He's one of the most capped Republic of Ireland players ever, sitting second only to Robbie Keane. He came up at Celtic, won the Football League First Division with Sunderland and the Second Division with Swindon in the same 1995-96 season — a quirk of loan football that rarely gets mentioned. Newcastle signed him for £2.5 million and he played Champions League football there, including the 2001-02 title challenge that ultimately fell short. Manchester City came next, a £6 million move on a four-and-a-half-year deal.
He's 50 now, long retired, and works as a pundit for BBC, RTÉ, and Premier Sports. The goalkeeper who was once considered among the Premier League's best has swapped clean sheets for studio analysis.
Congratulations to the Givens. The decade-long wait is officially over.
