Yesterday Caroline Mitchell from Clondelara married Bill Loughnane from near Birr. The wedding was held in Shannonbridge Church with Father O Hanlon guiding the ceremony. The reception was held in Kinnity Castle. Caroline is daughter of Tommy and Maureen Mitchell. Tommy is a son of the late ‘Ta Mitchell and Maureen is a daughter of the late Mr and Mrs John Leary. For a number of years Caroline had been a great hostess on the local Bog Rail Tours. Then she worked in Hodson Bay Hotel and later in The Bridge House Tullamore. Congratulations to Bill and Maureen and wishing them well in their married life.

Shannonbridge girl Mary Quinn, daughter of George and Eileen Quinn, celebrates her 21^st Birthday today. Congratulations and Best Wishes Mary.

A new underground tunnel serving the Dublin Port opened this week which offers free travel to trucks. There was a bit of timing error and today’s newspapers have photographs of lines of trucks jammed in traffic. Santa promised to sort out the problem.

Burgess of Athlone has a fancy calendar with a ten euro gift voucher attached. They proclaim that they are over 150 years providing quality and service to Athlone and surrounds. See www.burgessofathlone.ie

After a couple of days of foggy weather the sun came out to shine brightly for the winter solstice and no doubt pleased the lucky dozen people waiting in the chamber at Newgrange. For a short time on that morning the suns rays shine along the passageway and light up the centre of the burial chamber.

The Offaly Independent has a lead story telling that the Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore has a waiting list of 575 adults and some 180 children who have been waiting a year for an operation. The hospital hopes that the plan to move to six operating theatres from the current four will ease the backlog situation.

The same paper carries a large colour photograph of some of those that attended last weeks Shannonbridge Active Retirement Group Bash in The Fort. The group were delighted to get a Christmas Card from Tom Mc Evoy in Sydney for their meeting on Tuesday.

That Midnight Mass in Sydney will be coming live from the courtyard of Hyde Park Barracks in Sydney at 11.05 pm Irish time. Bishop Donal Mc Keown, Auxiliary Bishop of Down and Connor will be the chief celebrant.

Glad to see that Val Joyce is playing his favourite Christmas selection on radio over the Christmas night on Late Date on RTE One. If you miss it you can pick him up on www.rte.ie/radio which has a selection of radio programmes. Gay Byrne and his Sunday Serenade should also be found there.

Almost missed the Christmas Penitential ceremony on Monday evening this week. The carols had been sung but there was an impressive arrangement of candles burning which was put together by Mary Kelly. I choose Father Ryan for confession and the penance he gave me was to spend five minutes thinking about God’s gifts to me.

The nuts in the bird feeders are popular with the little birds and at one time yesterday fourteen of them were trying to feed together. I noticed two willy-wags and one robin feeding on the roof.

Rose and Pat in the Library were delighted that four new children had come along and joined up last night. They are taking a well earned break and hope to reopen on Thursday 19^th January from 7 to 9. They wish all the users of the library and all those who helped in donating books, work, time and material a very happy Christmas.

Fog hit London Airport yesterday and a couple in the area today told us that they were 20 hours waiting for their flight.

There is sunshine today but temperatures are down to 8C / 46F.

Recent deaths include Earl Kelly Clonfinlough who died suddenly in Dublin. Son of Kay Kelly and the late Peetie Kelly. Funeral tomorrow in Clonmacnois.

Lil Mc Manus nee Feighery Annaghmore and wife of the late Leo has passed away. Lil will also be buried in Clonmacnois on Saturday.

Carrie Crean Vicarstown, nee O Meara, sister of Brian O Meara from the barge has died and was buried yesterday in Vicarstown.

May they all rest in peace.