Saint Patrick's Day turned out dry and mild and ideal for watching parades , racing and games.
Mass in Shannonbridge kicked off with all the responses and hymns sung in Irish, which sounded so well that they should consider having a few repeats at intervals during the year.
Shannonharbour boat people had a parade along the street with four men marching with an oar over the shoulder followed by six men carrying a canoe. It must have been nearly as short as the shortest parade of the day claimed by a village in County Cork, where they paraded from one pub across the street to the other pub. Many of the youth decided to head for Wales in time for the rugby match at the weekend, while others headed for Twickenham to see Manchester United play. Frank Guinan was saying that there would be no proper training session for the local footballers until Tuesday because of this.
Reports that the parade in Ballinasloe was very good with lots of children taking part. Barry Quinn was telling us on Wednesday evening that he would be marching in Ballinasloe with the FCA. Barry reckons that there would be about thirty military marching. He remembers only a few years ago that over ninety FCA marched in three squadrons and attended Mass in Saint Michael's Church before the parade. A colour party was included. This year they were instructed to assemble at a meeting point and just join the parade.
Weather news told us that Scotland had the highest temperature in Edinburgh for a very long time.
Here at home today we are promised sunny intervals inland. It will be mild with temperatures from 13C / 55F to 16C / 61F.
Met about twenty-five people from Wales who arrived yesterday morning and had called to Clonmacnois on their way to Galway. Seems that the White hotel group is offering them an attractive package for a four-day mini break. One lady told us that she had been over to Dublin twice. She had considered coming over and taking a car but the ferry price was too expensive.
The table quiz next week will be in aid of the children's orphanage in Uganda where Kate did her volunteer work last year. The village felt very close to Uganda at the time and the idea for the table quiz is to keep in contact someway. Seems they need a little help as Kate tells us in her corner.
Finally RUBBISH. Doc was here yesterday and she took her dog Mollie along the riverside downstream from the old jetty as far as the Cut for a walk. She discovered a great lot of litter, mostly bottles along the way and filled two sackful.. They were too heavy to carry home. Mentioned it to Oliver Darcy and he says that the ditches along the Clonmacnois road have an amount of rubbish thrown into them including a television set close to the gateway leading into his field.
The death occured on Wednesday of Tony Rogers from Donard in Wicklow, a brother of Jim Rogers Shannonbridge. Tony was a frequent visitor to Shannonbridge over the years. His remains were removed to the Donard church last evening and his funeral took place today in Wicklow. May he rest in peace.