I’s on the World: A Proposal at Moher

The Connellys—an Illinois family through and through—fly their Orange and Blue at Ireland’s Cliffs of Moher. (Image courtesy of John Connelly)

When you’re young and in love and your name is Connelly, there’s no better place to pop the question than Ireland’s spectacular Cliffs of Moher. Just ask Patrick Connelly, ’20 ENG (second from left), who proposed to his girlfriend, Nicole Dowling, ’20 FAA (far left) on their recent vacation.

On hand for the special moment were (from left to right) Patrick’s dad John, ’90 ENG; brothers Eric, ’18 ENG, and Sean, ’16 ENG; Sean’s wife Becca; sister Meghan; brother Daniel; and mom Heidi (Blaumueller) Connelly, ’89 ENG. Daniel attended Illinois from 2019 to 2021, and Meghan has been accepted to the Grainger College of Engineering.

The family loves traveling together and, since the pandemic, they’ve taken their Orange and Blue to Switzerland and Alaska, as well. “Have flag, will travel!” John says.

For more photos of alumni around the world, check out our Flickr album. Send pictures of yourself clad in orange and blue to IllinoisAlumni@uillinois.edu. You also can post to www.Facebook.com/IllinoisAlumni and twitter.com/uiaa using hashtag #IlliniWorldwide.