Congratulations to Lucia Evans from Galway on winning this years ‘You’re a Star’ competition at the weekend.

The Inland Waterway magazine has a good photograph of the late Tommy Henshaw and some nice tributes to Tommy written by Sean Fitzsimons and Paddy Mullins. Tommy died some months ago and he often played the banjo and sang in Shannonbridge when he was part of the Two Tommies music group.

Brian from the Barge told us that Pat Corbett informed him that the 60 wild duck on Lamb Island were actually Widgeon and their number increased to about 300 at the weekend. When Moby and self delivered some briquettes to Brian today the widgeon were nowhere to be seen. Brian has his own favourite wild duck in the bay and they are well fed.

Read some welcome news on yesterday’s newspapers. It seems that an agreement has been reached to put a finish to the salmon drift netting which for many years has had a huge effect on the numbers of salmon reaching our rivers. The drift net fishermen will have to be compensated. Let’s hope that the salmon anglers follow the example of the Navan anglers that fish on the River Boyne. They allow only one salmon to be taken and killed by each angler. The rest are put back alive.

The brother Mick was discharged from hospital this afternoon after treatment and a good check out.

Last evening in Ferbane I met Tim Devery’s brother Jimmy from Glebe and he told that Timmy had been in hospital with a leg injury. He was moved to the Gallen nursing home in Ferbane yesterday. No doubt that soon Timmy will entertain the nursing home with his accordion.

After a few weeks of frost and sunshine the weather changed at the weekend. It is now milder and there has been an amount of rain falling. Shannonbridge fared out lucky enough.

Angler Mick Peake has decided to come coarse- fishing to Shannonbridge in August this year. Generally he visits in May, June or September. It will be interesting to see his tactics for August.
Mary Burke, Brigie Cassidy and Ann Marie Burke stopped off on Monday evening on their way home from Limerick where they visited Martin Burke. Martin has been in hospital for about seven weeks recovering from an operation on his jawbone.They had good news from Martin and he is progressing well. When Brigie came in she hit the shop counter with her fist fulfilling a promise that she made to Martin as he has a distinguished habit of driving home his opinion by hitting the counter. He is being fed by tube but has now commenced to eat icecream and softer foods as well.Keep him in your prayers that he will be better soon and back banging the counter.