Going out to Clondelara on Saturday to visit Jimmy Mooney I noticed some very large bales of hay in Duffys and Kennys fields.Was telling Jimmy about the Wild Woodbine tree at Kajon House and he took me out to the garden to see his pair of wild woodbine fully in bloom and with a wonderful perfume.He also has blackcurrant bushes laden with big ripe fruit but what really caught my eye was the gooseberry trees with the biggest gooseberries I had ever seen and all clean and unblemished.They were just starting to ripen and tasted marvellous. Jimmy told me that the best time to sow Wild Woodbine is in October from a slip.
Walking home afterwards Peader and Mary Allen stopped to give me a lift and there on the back seat was a huge bunch of freshly picked Woodbine.
The Shannonbridge Tourist Office will commence operations this week and will be open for three days with Dolores Donegan as host.No details of days or times available.Tel 090-9674344