Date March 6^th 2007

Dan Coughlan was telling the other day that the crows across the Shannon commenced their nest building on the 1^st of March as usual.

Brendan Mc Williams ‘Weather Eye’ column in The Irish Times yesterday tells us that spring moved from the south at 160Km (100 Ml ) per week. A school project will be observing spring this year and guide lines being used are –

- The blossoming of the horse chestnut, the hawthorn and the ash trees.

- The progress of the primrose.

- The first appearance of the swallow.

Information see www.greenwave.ie

This is also Tree Week in Ireland. Many events are taking place. Visit www.treecouncil.ie for details.

On Saturday Jack Hardiman from Athlone stopped by after visiting Clonmacnois.

Jack told us that back in the early 50’s he worked with Pakie Shine, Mary Kate Shine and Anthony Shine in their Egg Store on Magazine Road in Athlone. Shines collected eggs from a wide surrounding area and 300 cases of eggs were sent to Dublin twice a week. A case contained 240 eggs we think.

Near to Christmas Shines bough large numbers of bronze feathered turkeys live. The birds were taken to their yards in Athlone where they were killed and hung on iron rails with innards intact. Feather pluckers from around the town plucked the birds and were paid 4P per bird or £1 per sixty. Turkeys were taken unopened to the Dublin markets.

Jack told us that Pakie Shine, the driver played soccer for Longford Town.

Shannonbridge Active Retirement group are planning a day trip to Sligo early in May. A coach will collect those travelling and take them via Boyle ( tea stop ) and on to Sligo for a cruise on Lough Gill with lunch and dinner and sightseeing and shopping around Sligo Town. Cost for the whole shebang is 70 Euros. Keep an eye on the Parish Bulletin for details of departure and time and where to pay your deposit.

Gerry Casey was telling us at the weekend that his fishing companion John Gleeson has been lucky in recent weeks. Two weeks ago John caught a 15 lb trot on Lough Derg. Next Saturday he caught a 20 lb pike on dead bait on the Shannon near Shannonbridge. Then last Saturday he caught a 28 lb pike downstream of Shannonbridge. Maybe it’s more than luck. Anyhow the fish were returned alive and well to the Shannon.

Some recent deaths include –

Father Jimmy Mc Keon from Ballinamore, and the Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnois.

Christy Lyons, one of the of 21 Lyons Family from Banagher who was buried in Croghan County Roscommon yesterday. Brother of the late Dennis and a brother of Billy Lyons from Banagher.

Lord Killanin’s widow has died and will be buried in Galway.

May they rest in peace.

Two girls from Switzerland Andrea and Marina called in yesterday feeling very cold after visiting Clonmacnois. Andrea told us that their family have a holiday home in Glasson. Lots of wind recently and an amount of rain have caused the river levels to rise. I think the 2000 daffodil bed on Lamb Island may be under water.

One of the locals who was working on a group of houses near Birr that were built for the travelling community wanted to contact one of the occupiers. He enquired and was told he was away somewhere but should be back soon. He asked what he was driving and was told ‘A pair of boots’.

Mary counted 22 goldfinches feeding on the groundnut feeders yesterday. Start feeding the birds and enjoy them feeding.

The 7c stamp features the Fly Orchid, or magairlin na gcileanna in Irish’

The 48c stamp has a primrose or sabhaircin in Irish or primula vulgaris.

This was the stamp used for local postage until the new 55c rate was introduced recently.

Another Irish stamp features the large flowered butterworth or Leith uisge in Irish.

A great win for David Gillick from Dublin and Ireland in the final of the 400 metre at the European indoor athletic meeting at the weekend successfully defending his title.

The front page of the Irish Times yesterday had a lead story on government plans to burn meat and bone meal waste at their peat burning stations. They met with protests at Edenderry power plant by the locals and also when they tried to burn it in Tipperary a famous racehorse trainer Aidan O Brian threatened to take his horses out of the country and the government gave in. Their was rumour that the old chimney standing at Ferbane Power Plant site was going to be part of a waste burning. Protest posters were erected and the ESB removed the chimney

That leaves two peat plants - West Offaly in Shannonbridge and Lough Ree Power at Lanesboro An election in June. Watch this corner.

Good to hear that George and Mary Hogarty are looking at this web and thanks to them for their note.

Where’s That is a popular little column on The Irish Times that features some place from around Ireland. Yesterday the feature was Bloomhill or Cloncraff.from Cluain Creamha (the meadow of the garlic). The article tells us that it is in Clonmacnois Parish. But the Bloomhill that is known locally is north of Ballinahown in Ballinahown Parish. It tells us that garlic was anciently accounted the poor man’s treacle, it being the remedy for all diseases and hurts(except those which itself breeds)

It provokes urine and women’s courses, helps the biting of mad dogs, and other venomous creatures; kills the worms in children, cuts and voids tough phlegm, purges the head, helps the lethargy, is a good preservative against, and a remedy for, any plague, sore, or foul ulcer, takes away spots and blemishes in the skin etc.

Good for Bloomhill