Two birthdays of note were celebrated over in England recently. Our own Helen Bantleman nee Carry celebrated her 40^th Birthday in London when Lou and Helen had a group of forty people to a party in her home. Just up the road Queen Elizabeth for her 80^th Birthday in Buckingham Palace last evening.

Tomorrow in Landsdowne Road Munster play Leinster in the semi final of the Heineken Cup in what promises to be a cracker of a match, and the winners will play the final in Cardiff.

Well done to the people responsible for giving the shrub-bed a trim and clean at the entrance to the New Houses opposite the church. It looks very well. Further in the road the heat has brought a carpet of daisies into bloom. Wonder why people then get out the lawn mower and give them the chop.

The Supermac premises have been painted in the company colours and it looks bright and warm.

Tomorrow in Ferbane at 3.00 pm the local bridge club are holding a fund raising bridge competition in aid of Saint Luke’s Hospital in Dublin known as the cancer hospital.

Pat Watson author of Original Irish Stories was here yesterday. He said he only spent the first term in Garbally and he remembered the Killeen brothers – Jim and John as he shared a table in the refectory with them. He can still remember the small potatoes as the dish was passed around the table in seniority and he was a chaw and got the remains. Pat had barely gone when Abi Noonan from Papamoa, New Zealand came in and bought two copies of the Watson book and a CD of Louise to boot. Louise also happened to drop in yesterday and she told me that she keeps her website www.louisekilleen.com updated regularly. She was on her way to a birthday party for Shane and Sinead’s daughter Aoibe who is three. The party was in Galway.

Yesterday was a glorious day and it seemed a good time to have a look at the new house being built by Joe and Patricia Kenny in what was a tillage field at the top of Cloniff Hill on the right hand side. Joe was busy placing floor insulation at the building is just at floor level. It has a wonderful view of the river and eskers and the Slieve Bloom Mountains. It has the makings of a lovely home and best of luck with it. Went for a visit to the Clerhane Quarries and everything is starting to come to life. Blackthorn bushes are a mass of white and there are primroses and cowslips and other flowers and plants a budding. The lilies under the water are showing signs of life and a few small fish were moving about.

On the way home I visited a display area on the bog where different sections of the bog are sign posted dating back over 5000 years. The area has a raised walkway through the heather and wild plants and there are notice boards to point out their names. A few revisits would be enjoyable as more life appears. Noticed a crowd of midge like flies on the water. Colin caught the first wasp of the year.

Some good fishing reported in the past few days with a 65 Lb bag of roach and hybrid topping the list. I will make out a report on Monday.Hopefully.

Val Joyce on his Late Date radio program last night mentioned that the first ever Steeplechase was run in Roscommon. Prize was twenty guineas and the course included 4 Foot high walls and 10 Foot drains.

The current edition of Alive, a free Irish newspaper printed in Mt. Argus has lots of interesting items including –

A report last year told how Pope John Paul 11’s body was lying in state with the bishop’s crozier in his hand. The New York Times said the pope had a “crow’s ear “ by his side.

And a man in Italy requested a court to allow him spend nine months in jail rather than under house arrest at home after he breached immigration rules. The Algerian, 24, begged to be jailed because he couldn’t take his wife’s nagging. You know the feeling.

Starting on Monday the 24^th of April, Remzy will be conducting a seven week dance workshop in the Church Hall, Shannonbridge. Time 6pm – 7pm. The first class is free.

The six following classes cost ^0 Euro in total. As it says on the handout leaflet, join the new Hip-Hop, R&B, Funk, break dance and free styling team in town