News from India is that Kerrill Thornhill will be home in about a month.Colin Killeen was about to leave India and head for other places for two months.Both were trying to link up with Mark Kelly who was home for Christmas and is now back in India.

River level is medium level flood conditions with swans swimming along at the back of the houses.
Work on fixing the new floating jetty in the bay upstream continues using Cil an Eo boat to hammer down the support poles.There will be water and lighting supplied and there is a promise to look after mooring for the large number of local lake boats using the area.

Lorraine Mc Kenna writes to say she enjoyed the link up to www.sacredspace.ie so much that she has recommended it to all her friends.Noticed that the number of visits to the site since 1999 is now between five and six million.

The weekly table quiz last night attracted ten tables and proceeds were for the local Library.
Kieran Coakley called the questions and Mary Kelly corrected the answers.Do you know what bird makes the largest neck and what is the name of the new manager of the Irish Soccer Team?

The editorial in The Irish Messenger for February tells of a website set up by the Irish Jesuits in 1999 for Lent called www.sacredspace.ie
This site caught on and still continues to be visited by up to 8000 people daily

Latest epistle from Colin Killeen and Kerrill Thornhill arrived today continues their tale of their journey to India and Goa and of hurling in front of The Taj Mahah.
At this stage they have parted with Kerrill returning home and Colin off to Bali.
Better wait and buy the book.

Death occured on Friday of Doctor Michael Brown from Mount Pleasant Avenue in Ballinasloe.The good doctor was 84years old and had served the community for almost sixty years.Burial in Creagh cemetery today.

Gus Claffey was telling about the old house he owns near Clonmacnois that is a real eye-catcher with its whitewashed walls and red painted roof.The original roof was a scraw roof and had straw thatch treated with bluestone and fixed with scallops made from sally branches.While doing work around the fireplace he found a stone dated 1819.The original roof was blown down in the Big Wind and
Gus reckons that the house was rebuilt some years afterwards on the same site.

Tony Ellis tells of catching a pike weighing 8 lbs on the Grand Canal on Saturday
and of meeting an angler from Birr who caught two pike weighing 12 lbs and a
specimen weighing 22 lbs also on the canal.All fish were returned alive and well.

The Shannonbridge Ice Pack returned after their weeks training in Italy.Reports
of a good weeks fun except that Dara Moran had an accident and chipped a bone on his arm on the slopes.Dara says she was not half mad when he ran into her.

Good news from Gerry Green that he is coming home today after his operation.
His son Michael returned to Boston on Monday after his visit.
Danny Costelloe is looking very well in bed in Portiuncula hospital and is only
waiting for an Angeogram before being discharged,

Today saw the opening of a building at the local ESB power station which will used as an artefacts center for a range of electrical items.The center will be known as The Dalton Center and will become available to public view in 2005.
Formerly built as a blending bunker for mixing peat deliveries a lot of work remains to be done before it opens for public viewing.Government Minister Dermot Aherne performed the opening in the presence of power station staff and
invited guests.Afterwards everybody was invited to a buffet lunch served in the canteen by staff from The Bog Oak bar and restaurant.
It will be used to store / re-store large inustrial artefacts relating to the energy sector and will be open from Monday to Friday when it opens in 2005.

Shannonbridge girl Orla Finn who was well known at the paper counter
in Moran's shop sets off for New Zealand shortly for a few months and
while she is down yonder Ann Kearns will step in to fill Orla's spot.

Come Fly With Me
Some years ago Michael John Coleman found a young wounded hawk at the back
of the Hill and took it home and cared for it.Before long he took it out for flying
lessons using a ball of wool as the control bar.The hawk was now known as Joey
and a spare room upstairs became Joey's Palace.Soon Michael John began to
leave a window open allowing freedom to the bird to fly around.Every night Joey
returned to roost in his room until about two years ago when he went away.
And that was that until this week when Joey arrived back.Next week we will have
Joey's tail.

Sweet note from Lorraine Mc Kenna yesterday recalling her three weeks
holiday in Creggs S.C. while listening to Paudge Bennett's tape.
Her lasting memory was a visit to Claffey's Quarry one day towards
the end of her holiday.Lorraine felt sorry for not having a camera but
she" don't need a camera "as she says "it's in my mind's eye as plain
as can be".Can you remember it like Lorraine?

The Shannonbridge ski party now in Livingo Italy also includes
David Thornhill and Dara Moran whose names were ommitted
from the earlier snippet.

Great to read The Sunday Times travel section starting to name their
Top 100 places in England and Ireland to visit..The three Irish entries
mentioned were The Burren in County Clare, The Giants Causeway
in County Antrim and of course CLONMACNOIS
which is our local gem.The otherS ?.Buy your own Times

Irene Mc Loughlin Clonfad and Sinead Killeen shared the same birthday
on Saturday last.
John took Irene out for dinner in The Fort restaurant and later joined the
surprise party for Sinead in The Tavern.

Good news from the people sick or in hospital recently.
Gerry Green is recuperating well in hospital in Dublin.
Mick Coakley remains in Portiuncula and is doing well.
Pat Killeen is home and now saying the odd word after
her operation.
Geraldine Mc Manus was home from Ferbane Nursing Home
for Tommies anniversary Mass on Saturday night in great form.

Des Keighery the well known angler from Ballinasloe caught a 34 pound pike
while fishing on the River Suck recently and returned the fish alive and well.
On the shooting front a bit of history now but some years ago a group
of French shooters were shooting near Banagher when something moved
in the ditch alongside and a few brace of shots were fired killing
a poor innocent donkey.

The annual ski group from Shannonbridge went to Italy on Saturday 18th January
for a week and included are Mel Darcy, Colin Kenny,John D Carty,Conor Killeen.
Rumour that Mike Cunney is in New Zealand for a short break and is having a look
at some mountains for climbing in the future.

Ard-Chiarian the self contained group of private retreat units guided
by Sister Maura and Sister Peggy at Raghrabeg is now accessable
by footpath from the village.This pathway will be continued down to
the bottom of Gunnings Hill to give safe access to about five possible
walkways including Clonburren,two routes that give a return option
along the river bankside and another returning through the local bog.
Signposting and a map would be a help to locals and visitors.

Best wishes to Dannie Costelloe from Taughmaconnell who had a mild heart
attack and is now in Portiuncula hospital where he is doing well except he is
not allowed to smoke.Danny will be remembered in Shannonbridge as the
auctioneer at a number of famous auctions held in the old church for Barry King.

Kerrill Thornhill and Colin Killeen are presently in India and have sent back an
enquiry as to how they can contact another wandering Shannonbidge youth
Mark Kelly who they heard was in India.

Pat Killeen is home again after spending two nights in Tullamore hospital where
she had an operation on her throath for Collops.Everything went well except she
is not allowed to talk for four days and worse still she is not allowed to smoke
for four days.

Michael Green arrived home from Boston yesterday which was a pleasant
surprize for his family particularly his father Gerry from Blackwater who underwent
an operation for an anuerism in Saint James hospital in Dublin yesterday.
Early news is that everything went well and he is in intensive care for the
normal recovery program.

Shannonbridge Library got a pleasant surprize on Tuesday when Gerry Kenny's wife
Carmel from Clonburren arrived to join the Library with her six children.

Shannonbridge and many other rural areas were shocked at the announcement this
of the closure announcement of the Square D factory in Ballinasloe which employs
around 400 people making electrical switchgear.The factory has been in operation for
31 years in the town and about ten people from this area are involved.Looks like a six
month close down program.

The death of Mary Corrigan (nee Lyons ) from the pub in Killine and recently
living in River Street Ballinasloe occured last weekend.Her body was buried
in Clonmacnois on Monday.Mary was related to Patrick Kenny and theTurley
family from Raghrabeg.Her brother told us she was a great dressmaker and
was in great demand for her talents.

Ice skating returned briefly to the callows at the weekend after a few days of freezing
and cold chill factors during the day provided enough ice for youngsters to enjoy.
Changing temporate conditions yesterday and today have stopped the fun.

The parish and community were saddened to hear of the death of Peetie Kelly Carrowkeel on Friday.
Peetie died in Tullamore hospital where he had been a patient for four weeks.His remains were taken
to Clonfinlough Church on Saturday for burial in Clonmacnois after Mass on Sunday celebrated by
Father O Hanlon.Our sympathy goes to his wife Kaye and his family Padraic,Earl, Roisin and Conor.

The Shanahan brothers from Gorey County Wexford visited Shannonbridge for some pike fishing
twice over the Christmas holiday period.Using fresh herring as a bait they caught a 19 pound pike
on the Suck at the end of December and last weekend they used a boat at Clonmacnois in flood
conditions and caught two pike weighing 5 and 8 pounds.
Peter Hines was happy with his fishing last week and thats all he would say.

Table Quiz in Killeens Shannonbridge is in aid of LOD WAR. This is an area in Kenya and
all monies raised will be sent direct.The team of four quiz starts at 10.00 P.M sharp.

Good news over the Christmas was the recovery of Peggy Byrnes car which was missing
for over a week.An observant Joe Kenny spotted the car left outside Lydls in Ballinasloe and
contacted the Gardai and a happy Peggy.

Good news from Mike Coakley who has spent the last week or more in Portiuncula hospital.
His niece tells us that he is in great form and is expecting to be discharged next week.

Some pike fishing took place over the Christmas period as the flood eased back.
Gerry Casey and John Gleeson fished on the Suck at Creggan and had two good pike which
weighed in at 18 pounds and 14 pounds.
Meanwhile Mark Oberton from Correen caught a lovely
20 pounds pike - not once, not twice but three times on three different days.Mark recognised
the fish because it had a distinctive battle mark. Mark as always returned it safely to the waters
and he is one of an increasing number of anglers that use barbless hooks
Tony Ellis had some wonderful roach fishing using hemp and maggots on a whip while fishing
the Suck. Tony reckons it was possible to catch 200 fish in the available light.
Good news from Hugh Gough the man who carried out so much research for fisheries and produced
all those basic fishing maps years ago. Hugh has had problems with his sight and thanks to successful
catthract operations he is looking forward to be right back into fishing once more.

Shannonbridge Library now open on Wednesday and Thursday evenings
from 7.00 P.M until 9.00 P.M each evening.Visit the library which is based
in the Health Center smack in the middle of the village.
Great selection of books for children and adults.

Work on the building of the new West Offaly Power Station in Shannonbridge has commenced. Site preparation and work on foundations began autumn 2002. Erection of steelwork will begin early 2003. It will be in commercial operation by early 2005.

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