Friday’s Weather Eye in the Irish Times tells us that the swallows have departed from his garden on their way to Africa for the winter. Friday was also the first day of the duck shooting and after Mass there was a chorus of Bang Bang Bang ringing out. Surely an area of conservation is required in the area.

Father Joe Flannery from Brisbane called today before he returns to Australia. This year he was home to celebrate his ordination in Mount Mellary fifty years ago. Father Joe is from Clonmel but his family were closely connected to many of the Flannery families in this area including Martin ‘The Dane’, John and Kieran from Aughnacabe. It would be nice to know if his family or his Aughnacabe cousins travelled with the stone quarries years ago.

Pat Mc Cambridge from Galway and a friend called in Shannonbridge on Friday. There had been at a demonstration of a wood chipping machine somewhere between Tullamore and Kinnity. Pat was in school with my brothers Jim and John and he was hoping that one of them might be home. It surprised me when he said that he had never been to visit Clonmacnois but he has a cruiser on Lough Corrib and plans to bring it onto the Shannon maybe next year. His friend was once editor of The Connacht Tribune and is currently writing a history of the GAA in the County Galway.

Saw a website advertised on television called www.irishjobs.ie

It was sad to hear Val Joyce broadcasting his last Late Date program on the radio this morning. For 19 years he hosted a Saturday ‘Airs and Races’ radio Eireann programme and then some god moved him to a 12 to 2 night slot called Late Date where he made many friends. Then some months ago a new goddess arrived and shuffled the programs and gave Val the heave ho. He finished his last night with the song he played for his first program; a song by Neil Sedaka called Our Last Song Together. Thank you Val for many enjoyable programs over the years. His manager is Cathal Mc Cabe.