Joe Gavin late of Derrylahan and Dublin was buried in Moore last Thursday. Archbishop Cassidy told in his homily that Joe was one of a family of 21 children. He is survived by a brother and five sisters. In 1936 Joe competed in the County Galway Athletic Championships and won gold medals in the 100, 220, 440 and 880 yards races and then won the mile event. It was good to hear the Bishop send greetings to Mrs Turley, a sister of Joe, who was tuned into the Moore community radio at home and listening to the Requiem Mass. May he rest in peace.

On the way to the funeral in Moore Drumalga Wood looked a sorry sight as the trees are being harvested. And this present week is Tree Week in Ireland.

Met Doc and her friend Norah in Portiuncula Hospital on Friday when we went to visit Mick. Doc was telling us that a Maisie Harris attends a weekly painting class with her in Oughterard and only last week Maisie told Doc that she was a niece of Garda Anthony Mc Quinn who was stationed in Shannonbridge years ago. The same Garda Mc Quinn met and married Florrie Luker while in Shannonbridge.

And yesterday Johnny Hanley and his wife Angela and daughter Siobhan stopped off on their way home from a funeral in Oughterard. Johnny is the son of Garda Hanley who was stationed in Shannonbridge for many years and Johnny and his brother Fursey and sister Angela were frequent visitors during the school holidays. Johnny is now living in Edenderry where he has a shop. His phone number is 046 – rcdmdar for brother Jim or John in code.

Seems that Jack Wilde is dead. Jack played the Artful Dodger in Oliver and after that Shannonbridge and Ireland got to know him as they made the film The Flight of The Doves with Jack playing as one of the children with Helen Raye and of course Ron Moody and Dana and Brendan O Reilly as a Garda. May Jack and Ron and Brendan rest in peace.

Ireland’s new soccer manager Steve Staunton had a dream start to his management career last week when Ireland beat Sweden 3 – 0 in a friendly in Landsdowne Road.

Brian from the Barge says that the river has been constant at 2.5 Metres for the past three days. Weather has been glorious with sunshine by day and frost at night. Father O Hanlon told us this morning that Lent was an old word for spring and last night it did not freeze and some of the daffodils opposite the Church were in full bloom.

Mike Harding from Bournemouth spent a number of days pike fishing on the Suck, Shannon and Grand Canal using spinners and diving Rapala baits. His best fish was a 9 Lb pike on the River Suck. He also caught his rubber boot on a wire fence.

The first hire boats appeared last weekend when a Stag Party from Birmingham hired out three cruisers from Silverline Cruisers in Banagher.

We are looking forward to seeing our cousins John Francis Killeen and his two sons Aidan and Oliver when they visit Shannonbridge and area for a week commencing 15^th March.

Was this a co-incidence or what? Yesterday a couple stopped off at the pub for a coffee. The man’s face looked like someone I knew so I asked him if his name was Farrell. He said that it was not but that his wife’s name was Farrell. It turned out that she is a sister of Jimmy Farrell who works in the local power plant. And I thought well ….

Recently I was asking the new curate in Moore Father Tom Ryan what were the five new decades of the rosary. He named them off as – The Baptism in the Jordan, The Wedding Feast, The proclamation of The Kings, The Transfiguration and The Institution of the Blessed Eucharist.

And on religion Martin Heavey from Rhode and ESB had this story on Friday.

One day Gad said to Adam “ I want you to go down into the valley”

What is a valley asked Adam. God explained.

There you will find a river said God.

What is a river asked Adam. God explained.

I want you to cross the river where you will find a hill said God.

What is a hill asked Adam. God explained.

God told Adam to climb the hill until he reached a cave.

What is a cave asked Adam. God explained

There you will find a woman said God.

What is a woman asked Adam. God explained.

When you find the woman you can begin recreating said God.

What is recreating asked Adam. God explained.

So Adam set off and found the valley, crossed the river, climbed the hill, reached the cave and found the woman.

Shortly afterwards God heard a voice from the cave asking what’s a Headache?

Enough.