Some recent deaths include the retired Superintendent Brendan O Callaghan, Athlone Also Father Reg Wilson, Ballinasloe and Idaho USA who died in Mullingar while on holiday with his sister Mary Doyle, Prospect Court, Mullingar.

May they rest in peace.

The corncrake people say that one new male bird has been calling in Woodbank on the Egan farm. In all some seventeen birds have been heard calling. The inspector looking after the project this year is from England and he is amazed at the cooperation and help from the farmers where male birds have been found.

On a visit to Ireland at present are Andrea Collin and her sister Angelina from Chicago who are friends of Siobhan Killeen. Unfortunately they were only able to stay one night in Shannonbridge.

Paul Mc Ginley was at the airport on Friday thinking that he had missed the cut in the European golf played at The K Club. A friend rang to tell him that he had made the cut and he ended up sharing third place.

A couple from Armagh stopped off in Shannonbridge today and the lady said that the voluntary tourist office in Shannonbridge was one of the best tourist offices she had ever come across. Well done to Dolores who is holding the fort. They had a very interesting 1970 AA book on Ireland with maps and descriptions and pen drawings of lots of places. I spotted four views of Clonmacnois as well as the Clonfinlough Stone and The Nunnery.

Hopefully they will appear here sometime. I noted that Cloghan was translated into The Stepping Stones in the guide.

On Sunday Ann Walsh was in Shannonbridge and she told me that she is a sister of the late Donie Walsh from The Stella Maris Hotel that was in Galway. Donie was in school in Ballinasloe about my time there but he died in 1985. Ann told me that years ago she was the nurse who helped transfer yours truly from Tullamore to a Dublin hospital for which I thank her.

Padraic Turley was telling that his aunt Sister Monica Claffey from The Rocks will be celebrating her 90^th birthday on 1^st August and hope she has a great birthday and best wishes.

Met a couple on the Shannon twice this week who are from Rosmuc and they told me that it is their tenth year to take a holiday on the Shannon and of course they enjoy it.

On the radio program Late Date during the week Val Joyce was giving out ‘The Saints of The Day ‘as he usually does and I took a bit more notice when he announced that the following day 8^th July was the feast day of Saint Killeen who died in 689 AD in Germany. At one time he was in Clonmacnois and one of the churches there was dedicated to Saint Killeen. The cathedral in Wartburg in Germany is dedicated to Saint Killen.

Sad to hear that Val Joyce is getting the boot from the midnight to 2 am radio slot at the end of the month. He will be missed by many including the saints.
Today was fine here after some rain at the weekend.