Dated 9^th March 2007

Spike Milligan is five years dead. A tribute programme recently showed some of the humour. Gay Byrne had him as a guest on his talk show and asked Spike how he came to be born in India.

“Well I wanted to be near my mother at the time” Spike replied.

Dick Gilbert tells us that an inscription on Spike’s tombstone in Irish says “I told you I was sick”.

This brought on memories of Richard Harris getting sick in a restaurant before he died. As he was being stretchered out he said “it’s the food”

Padraig Turley sent me a selection of Tommy Cooper humour recently but a warning on the bottom forbids it being sent on. I liked the one where Tommy was in the dentist waiting room reading a magazine and remarking ”wasn’t it terrible about the Titanic”.

Some headlines from this weeks local papers –

Enright anger at Shannonbridge Power Plans … Midland Tribune.

Midland Power Station sites kickstart renewable energy …Deputy Dennis Naughten said that the two sites of the old Shannonbridge and Lanesboro power stations had the ability to support local jobs, the farming community and put renewable crops firmly on the agenda. Wood chippings of crops such as willow he sees as the plants using. ( no mention of bone meal etc.

Figures reveal Offaly is the poorest county in the Midlands …Midland Tribune.

Fear grows for 600 Proctor and Gamble workers in Nenagh … Midland Tribune.

Offaly Food Producers scoop Irish Food Writers Awards. … Midland Tribune.

Meadowsweet Apiaries Ballinahown, Andrew Mc Guinness and Mossfield Organic Farm Goods produced on the 240 acres Haslam farm near Birr were two local winners.

Some recent deaths include –

Ciaran Kelly of the famous Ciaran Kelly Ceili Band died on Wednesday.

Mrs Vera Hand from Belmont, a sister of Freddie Vaugh died on Thursday in her home.

May they rest in peace.

A Table Quiz in aid of the Palliative Care Group organised by the Family of the late Mick Turley took place in Killeens on Wednesday night. The support was excellent and some 1300 Euros was raised on the night.

Finally Patrick Kenny’s comment about burning waste in Shannonbridge and Lanesboro power plants … “ Twill be good he says as he hears that a bucket of rats will realize

17 / 6 a bucket”

Mixed weather today with some sunshine and rain.