Bob Browne from Manchester, who is seeking information on The Coughlan Family from Clonascra, telephoned tonight to say that an O Neill man had contacted him with information on the Coughlans. Bob also wanted to know what Clonascra meant in English. So I rang Danny Edwards who said it was “The Meadow f The Scraw2.

Scraw being rough ground. Danny also said that a Stephen Mc Neill, Tullamore has an amount of information on the headstones in Clonmacnois. He is connected to the Heritage Information Center in Tullamore, which has its base in the Tullamore Dew buildings.

I notice that arguscarhire.com advertise on a regular basis on the Irish Times.

The company is still in the control of the Turley Family. Joe Turley was born in Raghrabeg near Shannonbridge. Their phone number is 01-4534699.

The new Athlone Town Shopping Center opened yesterday. I understand that the Royal Hotel was knocked down and that site and the hotel carpark form most of the area for the center.

The Athlone Advertiser is a free weekly paper. This week there is an advert for –

Sale 2.2 acres in Clonmacnois. Secluded area and excellent land. No planning.

Offers over 50K Euros. Tel 087 – 681820.

The advertiser has a story about the new Mobile Library now serving many areas in Roscommon and the library even works on Saturdays. Good for them.

A table of weekly and forthnightly stoppings is printed. Glad to see that they have included Clonfad and Moore. Hope the Moore people using Shannonbridge Library on Thursday Evenings from 7 to 9 will continue to do so. More members are welcome

The mobile Library has even got access to the Internet.

Birdwatch Ireland have started a four year survey on bird population on Nov 1^st.

Some 14,000 members are taking part counting a wide variety of birds. Look at their webpage for more information.Youmight even help in the survey.

Kinnity Castle is for sale with an asking price of 9.8 Million Euros. Some papers had articles on the spookiest castles in Ireland this week. Offaly had two castles featured – Kinnity and Leap Castle.

Spirit Radio Ltd have got planning permission to erect a 125 metre high radio station mast at Doon Demesne. It seems the talk / music station will be built in Doon and employ

26 staff ( 16 full time, 10 part-time.

Good to see the cousin Frances and her daughter Emir and husband Andrew Plews on a short visit last week from Manchester. It was a surprise birthday gift for Frances who has moved her base from the Isle of Mann to Manchester. She got a surprise when they called to visit on Friday 26^th Oct as Pat, Mary and Mick were gone to Dublin in a group of 18 to attend a tribute concert to Artie Shaw. Very enjoyable evening was had by the concert goers. The Manchester trio had to make do with walking Moby to the bridge. Glad that they made a return visit before going home.

Two funerals in Moore this week.

Jimmy Hardiman, brother of Pat and John, who worked for many years in England and returned home a few years ago and bought a house on the Circular.

Michael Joe Grenham whose brother Frank died in the last few months has died.

Sorry I have not got more details.

Welcome to Garda Fergal O Toole who I believe has been appointed to Shannonbridge.

At present he lives in Athlone.

The Dublin City Marathon last weekend had 15 brothers and sisters from Birr taking part.

Well done to the O Donoghue Family for completing the 26 miles.

Today Mick and Noel Kirby from Castletown-Geoghan and wives and daughters visited Shannonbridge. Mick Kirby was the contractor employed to built St Ciarans Park and the four houses across from the Church back in the early 1960’s. Noel brought along his saxophone and his brother sang a selection of songs. One of the many memories shared was about one of the workers on the site called Jerker Murray. Jerker used to call into a house in the village on a cold morning where he got a cup of tea. The son of the house came in one morning and noticed some eggs in Jerker’s coat pocket. He asked Jerker to show him how they hurdled in Westmeath and he got two hurleys and a hurling ball. With perfect timing he jostled into Jerker and the eggs were smashed.

Mick Kirby told us that he once played minor hurling with Brian Cahill over in Castletown.

The ten adult computer students continue to attend afternoon lessons in Banagher on Thursday afternoons.

Best wishes to Darcy Domestic & Industrial Maintenance, Clonmacnois, Co. Offaly

Phone Padraig on (087) 2370502 for oil and gas servicing and efficiency testing.