Shannonbridge footballers defeated Tullamore last week to qualify for the final of the Mick Casey Cup. The game was played today against Rhode in Geashill and Rhode won by 3 – 10 to 0 – 10 Pts.

Ah well Mick Casey was The Iron Man from Rhode and it is probably right that they won the game.

As well as that they scored nine more points than Shannonbridge.

For the last few weeks some ten members of Shannonbridge Active Retirement have attended a computer course at Crank House in Banagher and last Thursday they completed the course and were presented with their diplomas. Watch your posts as Bridie Carry is looking for a laptop or computer to get her fingers going.

Today a group of Shannonbridge Active Retirements set off for a three day break at The Galway Bay Hotel.

Tomorrow night in Galway sees the opening performance of the play ‘ Great Little Women ‘ which stars our own Rory Quinn on stage. Hopefully our Active Retirement Group and others will find time to go along to Galway’s Town Hall Theatre any night from Monday to Saturday next week. Check with the theatre for tickets before you go and support Rory as the theatre has a limited number of seats.

Colm Craven from Dromalga, Moore and Leixlip Dublin called today. Colm told me that the Craven Family were down for his father’s anniversary Mass. Martin Joe Craven was a teacher in Moore. Colm’s mother Ag Craven died two years ago. Their home in Dromalga is now on the market.

I was surprised that Colm did not know Paul Burke the coarse fishing man as both of them live in Leixlip. Colm drives a taxi and he told me that some 20,000 people now live around Leixlip.

Dana the singer, and who later represented Ireland in the EEC parliament, has been featured on television radio and newspapers recently as she has written her Autobiography called ‘All Kinds of Everything ‘.

The Bold Ian Paisley gave it a boost at Stormont Castle and Pat Kenny had her singing on The Late Late Show. It brought back memories of the young teenager singing a winning song for Ireland in the Eurovision.

The song was on everybody’s lips for years afterwards and it was called ‘All Kinds of Everything’.

Dana starred in the film ‘The Flight of The Doves’ which also starred Ron Moody and Jack Wild. Ron and Jack had just completed the musical ‘Oliver’. The Flight of The Doves was the story of three tinker kids running away from a wicked stepmother in Dublin determined to find their kindly Grandmother in the West of Ireland. There was a search for the missing children and to get to the West they had to cross the River Shannon. For over a week the cameras were busy at Clonony Castle, Banagher, Shannonharbour and Shannonbridge. One of the policemen was the late Brendan O Reilly and I remember that they took over Killeens Bar to shoot some shots. One of those was Garda Brendan O Reilly talking into a phone reporting that he was calling from Killeens pub and that the children had been spotted. The sister Doc counted the number of takes that they did on this little detail. Poor Brendan had to repeat it some 53 times. The weather was fine and sunny and they were taking their time. If you see the film the market scene starts with the late Tom Coleman releasing a handful of young hens in front of the camera.

Dana was the oldest of the three kids in the film. The film was based on a Walter Macken book.

Some time afterwards Dana came along to do a Guest Spot at Shannonbridge Carnival.

Clean out and descale your old kettle by heating 75% brown vinegar and 50% clean water. Bring the mixture to the boil before introducing it to the kettle.

Dinnity Dan the funny wee man

Who keeps all his wealth in his pocket

Four buttons, a box, and the keys of two locks

And the chain of his Grandmother Margaret’s locket.

A big piece of string

Is a most useful thing

A watch without hands

And a few rubber bands

And a little toy boat

That his grandfather made.

* Thanks to Teesh Coughlan for the above. She has promised many more of the same.

There was an Anniversary Mass in High Street at 8.00 pm last weekend for the late Lena Shea.

Afterwards the family visited the grave in Clonmacnois. Standing around the graveside they recited five decades of the rosary. This is a tradition in their family.

A site that may be of interest is www.waterwaysireland.org

Belated thanks to Eddy De Stichere from Belgium who was on the Shannon on a cruiser early in October.

Eddy told me about a Flemish TV program on the Shannon where people hire a cruiser in Carrick on Shannon and travel downstream to Banagher leaving their cruiser at the base in Banagher. It is noticeable that they have also hired some pedal bikes to see areas away from the river. These included an ancient burial mound in Sligo, dog racing at Mullingar, eating out at a castle and the local Bog Rail Tour.

In Shannonbridge they show the host of starlings gathered on the electricity wires near a pole. Then there is a shot of yours truly sitting in Killeen’s Shop busily reading a copy of The Yellow Pages and later talking with Colin to the girl with the bike. So natural looking. Still don’t know why we had to go over it 60 times.

Anyhow Eddy at first we were not able to see it but a friend told us about the button. It’s easy. Thanks again.