An Irish couple who met at the altar as part of a 'social experiment' have called time on the marriage just two days into their luxury honeymoon.

Nigel Finegan and Ann Marie O' Neill have split, one week after meeting - and marrying - at the Hodson Bay Hotel in Athlone.

Anne Marie (28) told the Irish Sun that the two had a 'heart-to-heart', with Nigel admitting there was 'no spark'.

"I'm not that naive", Anne-Marie told the Sun. "I sensed it anyway but I was willing to give it a go and see what happens".

"But we needed.... to just be honest with each other".

The pair were flown by the radio station to Turkey last Sunday on honeymoon but the marriage lasted less than 48 hours into the stay.

"We all wanted the fairytale", Nigel said.

"We do get on really well but there just wasn't much of a spark".

"I still believe in love", Ann-Marie added, "but I was invested in this and it is disappointing. I won't be rushing out looking for love anytime soon".

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Irish radio station iRadio conducted the ceremony as part of a 'social experiment' called 'Three Strangers'.

Men and women from around the country applied to be part of the experiment, which aimed to find out if true love really is blind.

Three strangers, one woman and two men, were chosen as finalists and two of them walked away a married couple.

The three strangers had been on two 'blind dates', where the bride and each potential groom were separated by a wall.

"Juno" had to pick either "Jupiter" or "Janus" to marry upon arrival at the altar at the The Hodson Bay Hotel in Athlone.

The bride was chosen by the public and the two potential grooms were chosen by Juno - which was whittled down to one at the altar.

Just as "Juno" went to walk in, though, there was almost disaster - "Jupiter" had to run to the bathroom with a case of nerves, before returning to the altar, ready to go.

"Juno", real name Ann-Marie O' Neill, walked up the aisle to meet Cooper from the morning show at the top. He asked her who she chose to which she replied "Do I get to see them first?"

The answer was no but, unfazed, Anne Marie announced that she had chosen "Jupiter".

"Janus" and his wedding party had to immediately leave the venue while "Jupiter", real name Nigel Finegan, removed his mask.

The couple were introduced and then wed, choosing not to kiss at the altar but instead kissing later in the day for the photographs.

Ann-Marie's vows promised to "do my best to be your other half... Though I don’t have the patience of a saint".

Nigel's vows promised that "As freely as God has given me life, I join my life to yours".

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