Roscommon County Council has widened the roadway to Ballinasloe from around the turn into Correen Ford and has built new concrete walls to replace the old stone walls. But don’t despair. Aiden Carry has been employed to face the concrete with the natural stone on the mouth of the Correen roadway. He is using stone that was taken from the old walls and stone that came from the old Clonfad Church. This stone was stored in the bog and is now being put to good use. Well done to all concerned.

Our Kate in Uganda girl has been off visiting foreign parts for the past few months and is presently in Vietnam. We hear that she is texting some great stories and descriptions of the people and locations and if you are good hopefully she will share some of them with readers of this website.

On Saturday night three people arrived in around 8 pm and one of them said “I’m Freddy Mc Knight and this is Sid Shine and this boy is my grandson”. They were travelling by river and were taking The Fox, a barge, from Dromineer to Athlone. The Fox is the home of Sid Shine and it had been in Dromineer to have its wheelhouse refitted. They ran out of time and were staying overnight in Shannonbridge. Mick arrived in from evening Mass and in a few minutes Sid Shine was playing the piano playing a bagful of old favourites like – As time goes by, Danny Boy, Pennsylvania 6500, Big red rose, When you’re smiling, I love you because you understand, I could have danced all night, Cruising down the river, etc etc.

Sid once owned The Crescent Ballroom from 1948 to 1962 and his band Sid & The Saints provided the dance music. He also owned The Jolly Mariner Pub in Athlone.

Sid told us that he celebrated his 85^th Birthday last July. You can drop him a belated birthday card c/o The Fox Barge, Athlone, Ireland. He looks mighty fit and well.

Shannonbridge Active Retirement group started off their 2006 programme with Mass in Ard Chiarain this evening followed by a welcome cup of tea afterwards provided by Sisters Maura and Marie. They will get together after 10 am Mass on each Tuesday morning and old and new members are welcome.

Had a call from Brendan Scanlon, Birmingham? this morning telling that he is well and had looked at Louise on ‘You’re a Star’ last night. Louise sang Star Man, a David Bowie song. After last night seven acts remain including five solo girl singers, a male duo and a quartet of four girls. Louise will keep you updated on her webpage www.louisekilleen.com I think she will be singing one of her own songs next week and the week after the theme is A Love Song.

The Table Quiz in Killeens on this Wednesday night is in aid of Louise and she hopes to be around for it. Come along to support her or listen.

A number of people around are sick and a few little prayers might not go amiss. About a dozen come to mind and the first letter of their Christian names read K,J,M,J,G,P,E,R,M,A,U,M. Every little helps.

The paper today tells us that so far in January 36 people were killed on Irish roads. There was heavy fog around for most of the day with fairly heavy frost at night. The sun broke through for two hours this afternoon.

Meath beat Offaly in The O’Byrne Cup Gaelic Football Final yesterday. While eating lunch I was half listening to the local radio commentary and was convinced Offaly had it all wrapped up. Meath won by three goals or nine points.

Must say Happy Birthday to the nephew Robert in Dublin. By co-incidence Tullamore staged the musical 42^nd Street only last week.

The hairdresser Ultan Keena who works in Athlone was telling Pat that he is one of a family of 13 children and they live in Bel-Air near Boher, which was once the home of the Daly Family. The Daly family had four children who all became doctors with three of them in the USA and one in Meath. By co-incidence Mrs Daly was a Keena. Ultan thinks they are not related. Ultan often takes off into a Michael Flatley type dance so perhaps they are not.

A group of University students stopped off on Saturday after visiting Clonmacnois and the professor that was leading the group told us that they were studying church architecture. They had been in Rome for a few days and were now trying to find out what effect, if any, the Roman architecture had on Irish monasteries. He had been to Saint Brendan’s in Clonfert many times and knew in which house the church key was kept.

The draw for the European 2008 international soccer competition was made at the weekend. Ireland was drawn in Group D along with Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia, Wales, Cyprus and San Marino. Two teams to qualify and four of the more important home games will be played in Croke Park as agreed with the GAA. Steve Staunton is the newly appointed manager and he has the veteran Englishman Bobby Robson as his assistant.

The RTE Guide at the weekend had a free poster on Wading Birds and a CD of some of the birds recorded around the country.

Peter the fisherman caught a pike that weighed 25 Lb last Friday using a dead fish as bait.

The river level was 3.5 Metres on Saturday and it has dropped to 3.4 Metres this morning.