Friday night saw a great turnout in Cloghan Hall where a fund-raising night was held for Gerry Mc Cabe who was injured when he fell from a building. The popular all girls group The Biddys provided the entertainment and there were bar facilities and an auction. Heard The Biddys sing one of their songs on the radio over the weekend called Four and Nine. Four and nine, take a tip from me, never take a lady out to dine, with nothing in your pocket, but your four and nine etc.
Birthday time in Shannonbridge on Friday night for Declan Kelly's girlfriend Caroline Ryan from Cork went off very well with Declan's mother keeping everyone well fed and Sean Crehan providing the music. Caroline's parents declared they were going to buy a house in Shannonbridge after their first visit.
Saturday morning the remains of Sam Robinson from Banagher was taken from the Priory Nursing Home in Ferbane to Banagher Church for service and burial. A prayer for his soul.
On Saturday afternoon it was good to meet Father Larry English originally from Tullamore and now based in Kilkenny after a lifetimes work in the Philippine Islands with The Mill Hill Fathers. He is a brother of Phil Beary who died recently. Father Larry and some friends visited Clonmacnois where they met a group of Philipinos. So Father Larry went to speak to them and found that they were from a different island and spoke a different dialect.
Yesterday morning at Mass in Clonfinlough there was an enrolment ceremony for children hoping to have their First Communion which is planned for May 2005. Ten children enrolled.
News of the death in Chicago of Joe Dunican who was born in Cloneish and is a brother of Johnny and Brendan. There are arrangements being made to take the body home for burial. May he rest in peace.
Yesterday news of the death of Jack Kiley in the Isle of Man. Jack was married to a cousin of ours Frances Killeen from Main Street Ballinasloe. Burial takes place in Isle of Man on Wednesday. Say a prayer for his soul.
After a mild few weeks with little rain the river level is easing back that little bit. Today is promised mild and misty with temperatures of 50 to 55 F.
Glad to see our Birdwatch Shannonbridge news and to see Louise's thoughts under Entertainment after the Clonmel Song Contest win.
Got the bundle of photographs back from Irishphotosales and was talking to our webmaster about the possibility of setting up a local collection of photographs with this website or a companion site and he said it was possible but it would take time and money. Time is approximately five minutes per photo to scan it in and the money would be for extra space and an ongoing yearly charge for this space of about 200 Euro per year. Still a dream.
Sister Maura from Ard Chiarain tells us that she has a boxfull of books for the library.