Thursday 16^th November 2006

Athlone Town soccer team played their last game in Saint Mel’s Park last weekend.

After 78 years the park is closing and a new 4.5 million Euro park awaits them north of the town.

The Irish Soccer team also played their last international in Lansdowne Road last night .They defeated San Marino 5 – 0.Landstowne was the oldest international soccer stadium in the world.

Cloghan Church celebrated its 150^th birthday recently.

On Monday night Tony Kenny, Banagher / Ferbane and Dick Stokes launched their new CD in Hineys in Ferbane. It is called ‘Lift Your Feet Up Higher’. There was good coverage on the local papers and Ollie and Patricia Keenaghan were among those present.

The death has occurred in England of Maureen Sinnott nee Kenny who was a member of the Kenny Family of Clondelara. May she rest in peace.

The annual Mass for deceased members of the Shannonbridge ESB staff will take place on the 6^th December at 8.00 pm.

The Senior Citizens Christmas Party will be held in the parish hall on the 1^st December.

That well known singer Big Tom of The Mainliners is suffering from a heart attack. Over 25 years ago at Shannonbridge Carnival someone asked him his age. Big Tom reply was

‘my manager says I’m 39’.

News this week of the death of Charlie Iarrobino an American cousin who lived for many years later near Lecarrow. May he rest in peace.

On returning from Galway on Monday I was delighted to see that the floodwater had eased back on the callows. But rain through the day on Tuesday has raised the river level once more.

Thursday the sunshine returned and there was a special Mass for the bereaved of the parish this evening. When in Oughterard I noticed that they were preparing for their annual candlelit Mass for the dead. Candles are given in memory of the dead and the church uses only candlelight during the Mass. Last year there were over 600 candles lit.

On Monday we celebrated my sister Doc’s birthday by attending a Kiri Te Kanawa concert in the Concert Hall in Dublin. She has a marvellous range in her voice but the programme was a wee bit short. Starting at 8pm with a long interval and off the stage after two or three songs the show finished before 10pm.

Last night our neighbouring Parish Priest Joe Cassidy launched a follow up book to These Might Help which was launched in 2000 and gives helpful hints to priests and bishops preparing their sermons. The new book is called These Might Help Too’ and is published by Veritas Press (www.veritas.ie ) Archbishop Cassidy dedicated the book to the people and parishioners of Moore. A lifetime friend from Mayo Sean Freyne launched the book. Sean Freyne compared the book to John Mc Gahern’s Memoir.

At the launch I met an old school pal Sean Tully and he told how two of his brothers and himself became grandfathers on the same day. A Father Monaghan from Tuam told us that his father Tom Monaghan was at school in Garbally in the 1950’s.

Joe Cassidy remembered playing golf regularly with Sean Freyne in his youth and reckoned that both were fit to play on the Ryder Cup team. Somehow they were never asked.

The book will make an ideal Christmas present for a clerical friend and their sermons are bound to improve.

Today we got a request looking for a photograph of the old RIC barracks in Shannonbridge that was knocked down in the 1970’s to make way for the present structure. And if anyone has a photograph of Mannions Halfway House which was a thatched house at the butt of Clerhane Hill it would be appreciated. Finally

Motorists'

Prayer

Grant me a steady hand and watchful eye

That no man shall be hurt when I pass by.

Thou gavest life, and I pray that no act of mine

May take away the gift of Thine.

Shelter those, dear Lord, who bear me company

From the evils of fire and all calamity.

Teach me to use my car for other’s need

Nor miss through love of speed

The beauty of the world, that thus I may

With joy and courtesy go my way.