Yesterday Billy Soden was in Shannonbridge with his friend Brian De Courcey from Ahascragh. They have been friends for many years as Brian was the Warrant Officer with the Gardai in Ballinasloe and Billy Soden’s taxi was used regularly for transporting offenders to prison in Dublin.

Billy Soden was born in Ballinasloe and in 1956 when the Galway Football Team went to New York they travelled on The Franconia ocean liner. The trip to America took the normal seven days on the boat. The Aughrim Slopes Ceili Band travelled with the team. Billy Soden was the Drummer, Pat Corbett played the Piccolo, Dan Tracey played Banjo, Johnny Hynes and Paddy Fahey played Fiddle, and Jennie Fahey played the Organ.

Jennie later married Frank Campbell who owned Kiltormer Hall.

The Aughrim Slopes played in Carnegie Hall to an audience of 8,000 and they also entertained the crowd during the half-time interval at the football game in Gaelic Park played between Galway and New York.

Billy Soden did not return to Ireland with the others but remained in America. In 1971 Billy came home to Ballinasloe and operated The Burma Grill for a number of years.

Later he sold it to the Supermacs Fast Food chain.

Then he set up a taxi service and provided a useful service to the town. He is now retired and living in Kilgorve Park. His friend Brian now operates The Spailpin Fanach pub in Ahascragh.

I was surprised that our own Tommy Corbett did not travel to America with the band but Tommy was a painter and he had to look after his business. Some other names mentioned in connection with The Aughrim Slopes include Joe Mills on Accordion, and Georgie Shanley, Frank Walsh and Tom Corbett who were all drummers

Shannonbridge has got a new window cleaning service called "Clean As A Whistle".

Contact 085-7346307 if interested. Cost for cleaning the outside windows on a normal house runs at about 15 Euro. Inside windows also cleaned if service needed..

River level continues to creep up. On Tuesday it reached 3.7 Metres and today it is 3.76 Metres. Last few days have been rather mild with an odd drop of rain. Some strong winds that were forecast did not materialise.

Met eight people from Austria on Tuesday who are enjoying a horse riding holiday in Ireland. One of them told us that the translation for House To Rent goes Haus zu Vermieten but I am not sure if it is Austrian or German.