The corncrake count was 17 males with no information on the ladies or chicks. The corncrake coordinator was very pleased with the amount of help and cooperation given by farmers owning callows by the River Shannon. Drumlosh callows only started cutting the grass on the 7^th September and at that time Curraghnaboll callows were still untouched. Farmers were still ringing the corncrake office offering to put back their cutting until 15^th September.

Eileen Henry from Clonfinlough and Chicago celebrated her birthday on the 9^th September which is Saint Ciaran’s Day. She tells that she always celebrates her birthday by going to Mass in Clonmacnois on her birthday but surprisingly she never goes to the Pattern Sunday. Eileen has given up the cigarettes and uses liquorice sweets to overcome the longing for a cigarette.

Martina Kenny from Sydney and Moore celebrated her wedding on the 9^th September. The daughter of Eddie Kenny and his wife Dympna (nee Kilduff) flew home from Sydney to marry Josh Hunt from Birmingham with the wedding taking place in Meelick Church (1414) and the reception was held in St. Clerans, one time home of John Huston the film director. The celebrant was Father Abe Kennedy from Portumna. Josh Hunt it seems is a nephew of Tim Hunt winner of a Nobel Prize for micro biology in 2002. They choose to honeymoon in France.

The Nestor Family from New Jersey were in the area yesterday tracing their relations. One of the things they found out was that their great grand father attended Rashina School in 1880. They said he was not buried in Clonmacnois but in a cemetery near Rashina. They had made contact with an Irish friend who helped with the search. This friend again reminded me that he has information on the Keena family which he will forward to this site.

There was a very good turnout for the first opening of Shannonbridge Library last Thursday evening at the usual hours 7 to 9. Hopefully more families will come along to the library this year.

Shannonbridge Active Retirement had their first get together since the summer on Tuesday after 10.00 AM Mass in Shannonbridge Hall.

Met a group of three couples from Oregon last evening that were staying overnight in the village One of them told me his name was McAllister and the names Kelly, Carey and Robert also occur in the family tree. They had visited Cashel and Clonmacnois and Pat was telling how a Professor McAllister and P.C.Molloy who taught in Clonmacnois, found the famous Clonmacnois Crozier which is now in the National Museum.

They were very interested in flies for fishing as a friend of theirs ties flies back home and they brought samples of some Irish flies back to him as a present. The ladies are planning to visit Paris for a few days while the men go golfing.

Some old friends from near Atlantic City Dan and Claire stayed overnight in Ely House B+B last night and they ventured on a boat trip up the River Suck as far as Ballinasloe. The plan was to stop off at Moycarn House on the river near Ballinasloe for lunch. We set out too late to get there for the lunchtime slot but Robbie Finn and his son had a word and offered us the lunch menu which was very welcome and tasted good. I noticed that going through the lock gate near Moycarn the river drops by almost six feet.