Offaly GAA hit the news this week with both the trainers of the Senior Football and Senior Hurling resigning and then the Senior Football panel withdrew their services.
Father Jim Cecil from Grayslake district near Chicago called yesterday. Not sure if he was checking up on Jim and Maureen who are in his parish but he was very welcome and he set off to visit Clonmacnois. Next Wednesday Geoff Cox, an Australian who presents a television programme aptly called Cox's Big Break is taking a trip to Clonmacnois traveling from Shannonbridge on a Silverline Cruiser and I have been asked to take the trip and fill in bits of information on route. So if you have any snippets that may be useful let me know. Saw an item in The Fort Restaurant yesterday that the cast metal swivel bridge was designed by Robert Mallet and erected in 1843 over the Navigation Channel that allowed it to open for sailing craft with fixed sails. This bridge was replaced in 1980 with a stronger permanent span.
Joe Coleman and Mary have just returned to Leeds after their holiday. Joe was looking for the words of the poem "In a Quiet Watered Land, A Land of Roses" and if you have it please forward it to 19, Strickland Avenue, Shadwell, Leeds 17 8JX. Joe was telling that he was one of a small group that were employed to dig Test Holes on the proposed site for Shannonbridge Power Station in the late 1950's. Under a young engineer named Michael Mc Donagh from Galway City Joe and Jimmy Murray from the Kilcummin, Pat Curley from Annaghmore and Jack Connaughton the famous runner dug the test holes. One of the local farmers was very much against a new power station being built so Garda Pat Fallon joined the four diggers as security.
Last evening while visiting Dick and Doc the conversation somehow got around to a famous trio of brothers that lived in Taughmaconnell. Pat remembered that at John's First Mass the three boys cycled from Taughmaconnell to join in the celebrations and at the meal afterwards Jack would say "Tom wants more meat" while Frank would say "Jack wants more tea" and so on. This method was in use for many years after. When the electricity was first installed the same three brothers were connected and after two months their first bill arrived by post. Jack was able to read so he opened the envelope and read the contents for the brethren. Two months later the second bill arrived and again Jack read out the contents to his brothers. Two months later another bill arrived marked Final Notice and Jack went through the reading to the boys. When he was finished he threw the bill onto the window sill on top of the other two bills and said "Well that's the end of that, we won't be hearing any more from the ESB"