Great excitement in Shannonbridge last evening when Louise Killeen qualified for the final of “You’re A Star” singing contest on television along with Ciara Mc Ginn from Oughterard. It was a phone in to select the winner and Ciara received 24 % of the votes and Louise got 17 %. For the next few weeks they will be airing those selected from the other places of audition. Sometime after Christmas Louise expects to be back on screen. Don’t worry we will let you know in time. She was lucky that I slept it out for Mass and had to go to that great stand by in Clonfad at 7.00 pm and I missed the performance. Kieran Feeney was showing me the phone number that he used to vote for her. Well done to Louise and you can visit her website www.louisekilleen.com and listen to her voice or send her a message.

Jane Mooney, nee Rothwell was telling us late last night that she was on her way back from an auction in Hynes’ Pub in Aughrim where lots of interesting items were up for grabs including cannon balls, pub signs and even a rat trap with a rat that used to hang from the ceiling.

Mags Doolan who was our hairdresser for many years until recently gave birth to a baby girl in Portiuncula Hospital today and both are fine but Bridie Carry tells us that Mags texed her today and said she was very tired. Mother and baby are in fine form and well done Mags.

Bridie Carry took a friend along to an Isla Grant concert in The Tullamore Court Hotel and they enjoyed the Scottish singer very much. She had just returned from a singing tour of Australia.

Heard a group of our Shannonbridge singers arranging to meet tomorrow Tuesday night in the Health Center to practise a Christmas programme like last year when the funds that they raised were donated to The Offaly Hospice.

When trying to get information last week on the Kelly / Egan families it was interesting to hear that Flynn’s Bar which was once operated by the Egans was granted its first official license in 1845 on the same court day as Lukers Bar.

Brian tells us that the river level on Monday is 3.15 Metres and the temperature is about 8 C / 48 F in the sunlight and 4 C or 49 F in the shade.

Had a welcome phone call today from a Michael Connaughton from Tuam who is doing research on the Connaughton Family. He used Google as a search engine and this site was thrown up a number of times. Jack Connaughton the runner was mentioned. Somewhere along the line my Connaughton tree branch was mentioned.

Michael was able to tell that my great grandfather was Thomas Connaughton who was married to Kate Morris and their daughter Kate Connaughton married John Murray and were my grand parents. He plans to come to Shannonbridge on this coming Wednesday and hopefully give us more information.

Finally proceeds from this weeks Table Quiz in Killeens on Wednesday at 9.30 pm

will go towards Library Funds. Library is open on Thursday night as usual from 7 'til 9 pm.