The weather has been fine this week with some warm sunshine on Thursday and Friday. Brian from the Barge heard the Corncrake calling at 1.30 am near The Cut downstream from the village bridge. When he reported this to Birdwatch Ireland in Crank House in Banagher today they told him that this was the third corncrake reported. Others have been heard in Clonown and on Bullock Island. Brian reckons that the one at The Cut is about a week earlier than last year.

Still on birds Joe Kenny heard the Cuckoo last weekend. Ryan Air must be flying them in.

It is hoped that the rubbish skip for the boating season will arrive in time for this bank holiday weekend as it was badly needed over the Easter weekend.

The river level is 2.65 Metres at Shannonbridge today.

The Active Retirement Group are considering going to Birr Castle and grounds for a day. They are also planning a day outing to visit The Japanese Gardens and The National Stud in about three weeks time. Their weekly meeting continues on Tuesday Morning after Mass at 10 am and their keep fit workout on a Wednesday evening from 7 to 8 pm.

Ard Chiarain is planning to have the Rosary on Monday to Friday evenings for the month of May. On Saturday 6^th May which is the Eve of Vocation Sunday ceremonies will be held in Clonmacnois, Glendalough and Gouganne Beara from 7 to 8.30pm for vocations. Keep an eye on the church bulletin.

On 23^rd May Ronan Collins on his radio programme played Waltzing Matilda as a request from M. Connolly in Western Australia.

Yesterday in Clonmacnois Rose Kenny was laid to rest alongside her late husband Charlie. Rose was from the Mill of Moore and married Charlie from Moystown who worked with Michael Kenny the building contractor in Ballinasloe. Rose’s sister Kathleen married Bern’ Kenny from Moystown and her other sister Lil married John Casey from Horseleap. Rose was scheduled to go on a cruise trip with the local Active Retirement group in Creagh but alas. Many people will remember the first carnival in Shannonbridge about fifty years ago which was held in a marquee behind the police station and the tragedy when David Kenny was accidentally drowned. David was a brother of Charlie.

After the funeral I met two priests named Egan from Tipperary that had travelled up to the funeral. One Father Egan worked in Ballinasloe on loan over twenty years ago. Very soon after arriving he called at a house in Portnick to enquire his way. Charlie and Rose Kenny gave him directions and told him that they were about to recite the Rosary and he was welcome to join them. This he did and as he was going Charlie told him that they said the Rosary every evening at 7 pm and he was welcome anytime to drop in. He took them up on their offer and they became good friends.

Today Joe Dolan was buried near Roscommon town. He was married to the late Gerty Murray a cousin of mine and they lived in Carramunia near the old Murray homestead.

May they rest in peace.

In Ferbane Bridge Club last evening the club President, Gay Claffey presented a cheque for 2260 Euros to a representative of the Friends of Saint Luke’s hospital in Dublin. This was the sum which was raised at the charity bridge drive on Sunday last for this worthy cause.

Tom Morley a well known fiddle player from Alabama and his wife Jean paid a return visit to Shannonbridge this weekend to visit their friends Harry and Ann Gunning Joe Hamm showed them the more intricate skills in handling a Bodhran.

A visitor from Oranmore who is a keen handballer was telling us yesterday that in County Galway every year a new ball alley is built. At present this costs about 160,000 Euros using direct labour.

The benefit table quiz on Wednesday for this website raised over 190 Euro. One of David Pickles fishing party took part in the quiz and won a disposable charcoal grill. David told us that he knew a bloke in England that bought a similar grill and brought it back to the store complaining that the food pictured on the wrapper was not enclosed.

Remember the Murray Family that once lived in the Gate-lodge near John and Vera Carty’s Ashbrook Guesthouse ?. Jim and Annie Murray lived there when Jim worked on the Lestrange farm. They had seven children named Mary (now living in Esker), Sean (living and working for John Sisk, the builder in Dublin), P.J. RIP, Pauline (now living in Manchester), Thomas (living in Dublin) Patsy (living in Lusmagh) and Theresa who lives in Clonfert.

Today Pauline and her husband, a Gavin from Westport called in to say hello and tell us where the family are.