Pat Gleeson from The Gables, Moystown celebrated his 91st Birthday last Friday and he was saying that he was the weakest gosson that ever was born and that he was reared on Virol.
It turned out to be a sort of funeral weekend. Starting with a phonecall on Friday night from Michael Scotney in Peterborough to tell us that that wonderful woman who used to visit Ireland with Michael and Audrey - Eileen Walters had been found dead in her sleep in her apartment that morning. Memories of George O Neill taking her out to waltz came to mind.
On Saturday the remains of Annie Kenny late of Cloneish, and sister of Pat Joe,were taken from Dublin after Mass to Clonfad Church for Mass at 3 pm and burial in Moore afterwards.
Saturday evening the remains of Martin Mc Manus from Bermingham and Drum arrived into Drum Church. Martin is a brother of John Mc Manus from Clonburne. Yesterday the remains of Ann Grogan Ferbane were removed from the Priory Nursing Home to Ferbane. She was mother to Maura Sean Leo Tommy Michael and Seamus. May they all rest in peace.
News over the weekend that Bewleys are to close their two Coffee Houses in Dublin sounded like another death in some peoples lives.
Went to Ballinasloe on Saturday for a haircut, peanuts for the birds and called into cousin Eileen. Heard that the Barrett Hardware has been sold. Failed to get my haircut as Joe Keogh had a Sorry sign stuck on his window that he was closed Wednesday to Saturday. Suppose I was lucky enough to get my nuts and also get a lift home with Mark Donegan who was leaving two Dutch friends to the bus. The girl's brother had committed suicide and they found a map of Ireland which he had marked out in red of places that he had planned to visit. Shannonbridge was the last X as he wanted to see where Daithi Rua was born as he had heard Daithi sing a few times.
His sister and her friend decided to do the trip in memory of him and so ended up in Shannonbridge on Thursday evening. Say a prayer for his soul.
News on the paper yesterday of the engagement of our local TD Olwyn Enright from Birr and congratulte her.
Lots of fireworks and bangers last night and Patrick Kenny was telling about the woeful pile of timber that they had collected in Drum for a bonfire but they were having their own bonfire at Falty and good to hear that they were not burning any tyres.
Weather has been mild over the weekend with Saturday like a summers day. Yesterday was good but it got a bit overcast and the hour made a cod of it. Lovely moon in the sky with daytime temperatures in mid 50'ties. Birds are busy eating away and there are some lovely autumn colours around. Went down to the garden nursery in Correen on Saturday and many of the fields along the way are flooded. Mark who runs the nursery tells us that there is great fishing in flood conditions and that he was heading out on Sunday to anchor his boat on the river Suck and catch roach which of course he returns alive. Mark has a wonderful nursery for bedding plants if you are interested. Roadways near Shannonbridge are providing their own speed control with a hefty bumb at Ashbrook house and an uneven area a few hundred yards down the Clonmacnois road that is capable of throwing your car into the drain. Good to hear that Michael Green plans to visit from Boston in November. Ciara and Laura and Kate will be glad to hear that Declan Kelly has become engrossed in your correspondence and is reading the lot at present. The papers every Sunday are trying to out do each other with free CD's and Ireland On Sunday had a free Roddy Doyle book - 'Snapper' as their offering yesterday.