Mr and Mrs O’Neill were married at St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Cessnock, on July 21, 1956.

“It was a wonderful day,” Mr O’Neill said.

“There was a huge frost, then the sun come out and it was a lovely sunny day,” Mrs O’Neill added.

Like many new couples in Cessnock of that era, they met at a dance at the Lyceum Hall.

Mrs O’Neill, a Spion Kop girl, said she had noticed Mr O’Neill at a football game, and when she saw him at the dance and found out her friend was related to him, they were promptly introduced.

They lived in Cessnock for the first 18 years of their marriage, with Mr O’Neill having established O’Neills Tyre Service in 1961.

Their first four children – sons Mark, Stephen, Paul and Bernard – were born in Cessnock.

Their daughter, Monique was born after the O’Neills moved to Luskintyre, where they owned a horse breeding property.

Many successful horses were bred here, including 1977 Golden Slipper winner Luskin Star, who was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in May this year.

“He was a freak,” Mr O’Neill said, recalling the champion horse’s record of 13 wins from 17 races.

Clay Hero, Road to Glory, Short Crust, Looking Fur Lang and Gold Seventy Seven were also bred at the O’Neills’ Luskintyre stud.

The couple moved to Bellbird Heights in 1989, but the property still holds a special place in their heart, naming their home “Luskin Lodge” in its honour.

Reflecting on 60 years of marriage, Mrs O’Neill said its hard to pinpoint the secret to a successful marriage, but that they have had a lot of happy times.

The couple now has 16 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren, the most recent born last Monday.

Their phone rang off the hook with well-wishers on Thursday, and they also celebrated the occasion with a family lunch at Daniel’s Restaurant at West Cessnock on Sunday.