The death occured yesterday in Tullamore hospital of Pat Joe Kenny from Garrymore brother of Kieran, Madge and Agnes. May the Lord have mercy on his soul.
Heather King the archeologist is back in the area and is leading a team carrying out restoration work on Saint Ciaran's Well and surrounds. She is hopeful in getting water back in the well and having work completed in time for the rededication of the Well on Sunday September 19th.
Heather was telling about Con Manning's theory about the Round Towers in Clonmacnois. Seems that O'Rourkes Tower - without roof - was built in the 11th century and was about a third higher originally. It was struck with lightning and badly damaged and much of the top portion either fell or was removed for safety. The stone in the tower was nicely rounded but none of the stone has appeared in churches or walls. So Con reckons that the stone was used in the building of Temple Finian Tower - the one with the roof. This Tower story is one of eleven papers presented for a seminar and now published as Clonmacnoise Studies Volume 2 and is available from bookshops or from Government Publications, Postal Trade Office, Sun Alliance House, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2. Tel 01- 6476835. Cost is 18 Euro. Post free. Very good.
See that the first commercial electricity generated using sea waves has been produced off the Orkney Islands. And in Australia they have plans to use about 50,000 tons of BANANAS that are bruised, pock marked or too small for the making of electricity by fermenting them in vast vats. About 800 householders will be supplied.