Last evening a tall robust grey haired man wearing a back pack and carrying a long
handle as a walking aid came into the shop and asked for Pat.Pat was having a nap
in the garden so I asked him his name.When he said Brian Mooney many years
rolled back and I remembered a younger Jesuit student from Rahan College who was
part of a group of students that often visited Shannonbridge cycling the 20 miles.
They were friends of Ken Mc Cabe from Birr who was also in the seminary.
Anyhow Brian told us that he was trying to retrace the steps of Saint Cillin who came
from the Cavan area and spent time in Clonmacnois and Clare before going to Germany
about the tenth century and settling in Wartsburg where he became the patron saint
for southern Germany.
Brian had used the Esker way and visited a number of religeous places like Clonmacnois.
After a cup of tea he set out for Clonfert and onto Banagher .
Patrick Kenny was in the shop as he left and commented on seeing Brian with the long
handle that he should fit a brush head on it.