Kodaline stars party with Ed Sheeran after onstage proposal

Guests attend Ed Sheeran's secret Croke Park last night concert after party at Hacienda on Little Mary Street. Ed attended but avoided being snapped. But the big story was Kodaline's Jason Boland who proposed to girlfriend Etaoin Corr live on stage at the show! Dublin, Ireland - 25.07.15

Jay Boland of Kodaline proposing to his girlfriend on stage at the Ed Sheeran concert in Croke Park

Steve Garrigan, Diana Bunici

Croke Park

Ed Sheeran

Gillian Quinn & her daughter, Aisling Q.

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thumbnail: Guests attend Ed Sheeran's secret Croke Park last night concert after party at Hacienda on Little Mary Street. Ed attended but avoided being snapped. But the big story was Kodaline's Jason Boland who proposed to girlfriend Etaoin Corr live on stage at the show! Dublin, Ireland - 25.07.15
thumbnail: Jay Boland of Kodaline proposing to his girlfriend on stage at the Ed Sheeran concert in Croke Park
thumbnail: Steve Garrigan, Diana Bunici
thumbnail: Croke Park
thumbnail: Ed Sheeran
thumbnail: Gillian Quinn & her daughter, Aisling Q.
Sharon McGowan

THE stunned girlfriend of Kodaline rocker Jay Boland has said that his onstage proposal at Ed Sheeran's Croke Park on Saturday night took her by complete surprise.

Jay is used to playing in front of big crowds but the bass player put on the biggest performance of his life when he got down on one knee in front of 80,000 concert-goers and popped the question to his childhood sweetheart Etaoin Corr.

Speaking to the Herald last night, Etaoin admitted she's still getting over the shock.

"I think I blacked out a little bit when it happened. I don't even know if I remember my name being called out but I was surprised when he took the microphone because he's usually the quiet one," she said.

Olivia Boland, left, and Erin Ralph, from Dundalk, Co. Louth, on their way to the Ed Sheeran concert in Croke Park, Dublin. Picture: Caroline Quinn

Therese Murray, left, 26, and sister Niamh Donohoe, 31, fro Cabra, on their way to the Ed Sheeran concert in Croke Park, Dublin. Picture: Caroline Quinn

L-R; Caoimhe Cowman, 14, Shona Geoghegan, 15 and her mother Catherine, Lauren Guider, 15, and Molly O'Dwyer, 15, from Carlow, on their way to the Ed Sheeran concert in Croke Park, Dublin. Picture: Caroline Quinn

24/7/15 Ed Sheeran in concert at Croke Park, Dublin. Picture:Arthur Carron

Bronagh Nugent, Ciara Thorney, Marissa McGuinness

dating

Kodaline made guest appearances at both of Sheeran's sold-out shows in Dublin over the weekend.

Etaoin and Jay - both 27 - have been dating for almost eight years but have known each other since they were just four years old.

The pair kept in contact even after Jay moved to Kilkenny to go to boarding school, but it wasn't until college that love blossomed.

"We went to primary school together in Straffan in Kildare... We just kept in touch and I suppose music was the reason - we both love it so much," Etaoin, who works as a music publicist, explained.

After the gig, which was captured in in a spectacular series of aerial photos by the Irish Air Corps, the newly engaged couple were among of a host of famous faces at an exclusive after party thrown by Sheeran.

Kodaline frontman Steve Garrigan was joined by his presenter girlfriend Diana Bunici, while TV presenter Laura Whitmore brought along her brother Adam to the bash at the Hacienda Bar on Little Mary Street. Gavin James and Glen Hansard also partied into the small hours at the city centre haunt.