Last Tuesday Mick the brother had an operation in Galway for a detached retina on the eye. Everything went well and he was discharged on Monday of this week. On his way home he got a pain and Conor drove to Portiuncula hospital where he is being treated for a clot on the lung and today they told him that he can expect to be discharged on Tuesday next 7^th March.

Last Thursday the river level was 2.9 Metres. Weather has been fine with frost most nights and sunshine during the daytime. Yesterday was that little bit colder and we had a sprinkle of snow. River has continued to drop to 2.66 Metres on Monday, 2.6 Metres yesterday and 2.56 Metres today. Brian from the barge is keeping a check on the river levels and on the large flock of wild duck that have settled near his barge. He is prepared to feed them any stale bread you may have.

Our cousin Frances from the Isle of Man called yesterday and she is in great form and hopes to come to Ireland in the next few months. Our code letter for her phone number is ncciia . She told us that John Francis and Aidan are planning to visit from Manchester sometime soon.

The funeral took place of Mick Turley from Garrymore and Athlone yesterday in Clonmacnois. Mick is survived by his wife Eileen and four sons and two daughters and family. Shannonbridge folk will remember him as a brother of Tom and Kieran. May he rest in peace.

On Saturday night Louis and Mairead Darcy celebrated their 40^th wedding anniversary.

They were married in High Street Church on April 12^th 1966 with Canon Earley and Father Pat Lane conducting the wedding ceremony. Oliver Darcy was best man and Mairead Ryan was bridesmaid. The reception was in The County Arms hotel in Birr. Music was provided by Johnny Duffy, Clondelara. The wedding was at 10.00 am and the reception was over at 3.00pm which was usual at that time. Louis remembers that the late Johnny Flynn and Sonnie Keena were among the guests but for some reason they did not get home until the following day. Nearer to the actual day Louis and Mairead are planning to visit Rome. Congratulations and hope that they enjoy Rome in April.

Tony Lyons was on a flying visit to Shannonbridge yesterday by car. Tony told us that he is a keen supporter of the Munster Rugby Team and attends nearly all their matches. Now in future you will know the owner of the Dublin voice singing The Fields of Athenry.

Tomorrow night 2^nd March there is a launch of Original Irish Stories by Pat Watson in the Shamrock Lodge Hotel at 8.30 pm. Many of these stories have been read on Shannonside radio and on Radio Eireann. Contact number 090 6492118.

Yesterday there was a notice on the restriction on cutting or destruction of vegetation and hedgerows from 1 March to 31 August 2006 which should make the birds sing. The National Parks and Wildlife in 7 Ely Place Dublin, Tel 01-8883214 published the notice.

Took Moby for a walk as far as Grouse Lodge. Noticed that the two neat rows of daffodils in Mick Mac Evoy’s garden are almost ready to open. The fresh furze looked well near Grouse Lodge. There is an amount of careless litter all along the way including the school yard.