Yesterday was Pattern Sunday in Clonmacnois and as in other years met with some tough counter attractions such as the Offaly football County Final between Rhode and Shamrocks which Rhode won by two points. Also the Annual Fair in Banagher was on and some of our ladies and men folk were engaged in hurling and football not to mention our own Paul Mc Ginley losing by two and one in Wentworth to Michael Campbell in golf.

Anyhow this year’s pattern started on Saturday night when a group of youth held an all night vigil before walking to Clonmacnois for the Mass at 3.00pm.Oliver Darcy reckons that there were over 200 youngsters taking part. The whole theme this year was a carry on from World Youth Day in Germany and a girl from Derry told us of her experience at World Youth before Mass and while we were waiting for the walkers.

There was a wooden cross two metres long decorated with petitions and Bishop Colm O Reilly did the commentary while some of the walkers carried the cross around in a five stop station with stops at Saint Ciaran’s Church, Cross of The Scriptures, Cathedral, The Round Tower and back to the altar at the Mass shelter.

Guest preacher was Bishop Moriarty from Kildare and Leighlin who spoke about Stars, an Alive Church and Pilgrimage. Afterwards he said he did not have his sermon written down but promised he would write the gist of it and share it with you. The day was fine and sunny with a small wind blowing so I took shelter at a tombstone with Lily Flannery and Mrs Dennis Lyons Kilcummen. Lily was remarking that it was unusual that her brother Johnny and his wife Myra and daughter Dora were not present as they are on holiday with Johnny’s sister in Hartford.

Mrs Lyons was telling us that the photograph of the Shannonbridge schoolgirls was part of Mrs Mary Ann Lyons, Kilcock photos. Mary Ann went to school in Clonmacnois but her sister Nellie is in the photo. Mary Ann is in great shape and going well for the hundred. We are still trying to identify the thirty girls in the picture.

After the Pattern ceremony I caught up with Michael and Marie Donegan chatting to Mary Kelly . All three taught together in Shannonbridge School. The Donegans made a trip by river to Clonmacnois and they are in great form. Michael may even share his thoughts with you on the Pattern. Bishop O’Reilly finished up by telling the story of Ciaran’s Wind. It is said that Saint Ciaran and Saint Manchan had a dispute about their boundaries and made an agreement to set out walking from dawn on an agreed morning and wherever they met would be the boundary. Saint Ciaran was a late sleeper and on that morning Saint Manchan walked into his cell. Ciaran asked for leniency and suggested that he throw his hat in the air and wherever it landed would be the boundary.

Manchan agreed and when Ciaran threw his hat up, a wind arose and carried it to Boher nearly thirty miles away. Then Bishop Colm invited everyone for a cup of tea in the school.