Congratulations to Aisling Loughnane, Clonfad and Declan Higgins who were married on Friday and had their wedding reception in the Hodson Bay hotel in Athlone. If memory serves me right Aisling was born in Grouse Lodge on the Clonmacnois road.

Also congratulations to Fergal and Lynda Moran from The Fort Restaurant on the birth of Conor today. A brother for Katie and a lovely birthday present for Conor’s Grandmother Maura Moran.

The death has occurred of Mary Kenny late of Clonfad, Tanvey and London. Mary was a sister to Mrs Byrnes, Culliagh and Nellie Tumulty, Tanvey. Mary worked for many years in The Irish Center in London before retiring to Tanvey. She was a sister of

the late Peter “Mate” Kenny of Cloneish. Funeral took place yesterday.

The death has occurred in London of Sarah Claffey, sister of Patti Corbett. No funeral arrangements as yet but the remains will be taken home to Ireland for burial. I have pleasant memories of being on a flight from London to San Diego back in the mid eighties and having Sarah as a Hostess on the flight. She spotted Pat and me and soon after take off we were moved into two vacant seats in first class. May they rest in peace.

Home on holiday at present is Margaret Egan’s daughter Aisling and her two sons and a three month old daughter.

Also home on holiday from England is Martin and Mary Burke’s son Dermot and his wife Sandra and children Craig and Stacey. Looks like some fishing will be on the menu.

The Galway Races seven day festival starts this evening in Ballybrit.

The Moore Football Club weekly lottery jackpot of 14,600 Euro has been won by Mary Duffy Drumlosh. Well done Mary.

Johnny Flannery from Crevagh has retired from Bord na Mona after a lifetime career and held a retirement party / get together on Friday night. It was good to see so many old and present workmates attend on the night and hope Johnny has a happy retirement. Of course he sang his party piece “There’s one fair county in Ireland”.

Remember Frank Belton from The Lockhouse and San Francisco who wrote Memories of Shannonbridge. Well on Saturday night a grand-daughter of Frank Belton a Kathleen Morgan and her husband John arrived in Shannonbridge. Kathleen’s sister was in Shannonbridge some years ago and brought along her father’s memorial card that featured Memories of Shannonbridge.

Kathleen told us that Frank Belton opened a bar in San Francisco in 1920 and she has some photographs of Frank from that time. Frank had five children

– Francis Develera Belton, RIP. John Patrick Belton, Robert Joseph Belton, Mary Belton and Kathleen Belton.

– Father Paul Keane from Moore held a presentation ceremony for Pioneers who had abstained for forty years from alcoholic drink at Mass in Clonfad. When he asked those Pioneers to come forward for a presentation and blessing, our Patrick Kenny from America ,who had only caught the blessing bit joined the others and Father Keane had to tell him he did not count for a medal but gave him a blessing