Some recent local deaths include –

- Betty Tom Perry, Belmont aged 94 years, widow of the late Tom Perry has died and her funeral Mass takes place in High Street Church this morning. Burial afterwards in adjoining cemetery. May she rest in peace.

- Paul Dooley, Ballinasloe, Aged 97 years, was buried last Sunday in Creagh after Mass in Saint Michaels. Paul once owned the Dooley Pub in Ballinasloe across from Haydens Hotel. May he rest in peace.

- Mary Bridget Mc Intyre, Cloghan was born in May 1911 and worked in Lynches Shop in Cloghan. After the Lynch family Baby ran a popular accommodation base for visitors.

Her funeral takes place today after Mass in Cloghan. May she rest in peace.

- Vimy Mc Quinn, nee Luker, Tullow and Shannonbridge has died in Beaumont Hospital. Removal of her remains to Tullow this evening with funeral after Mass tomorrow in Tullow. Vimy was a sister of the late Eric Luker. May she rest in peace.

- Two brothers from Tyrrellspass, Daniel (39) and Anthony (41) Dowdall, were drowned in the River Shannon at Athlone on Friday last. The search was called off after one body was recovered on Saturday. On Sunday morning a group of sub-aquavists were training in the Shannon and found the second body. May they rest in peace.

Ballinasloe Credit Union Calendar for 2008 looks like a local winner. It features some fifteen black and white creations from the lenses of Liam Jordan. Clonmacnois has two entries and a good shot of Shannonbridge bridge taken from the west bank downstream caught my eye as well as a spider web in the early morning mist. Join the Credit Union in Ballinasloe. The calendar is worth the effort.

Congratulations to Irelands new Cardinal Sean Brady from Armagh. Already he is having a word in the Popes ear inviting him to Ireland. Cardinal Brady invited all his classmates to Rome for the ceremony and friend Benny was one of those who went to Rome.

Enjoyed a supplement on Shakespeare in the Irish Independent last week with samples of Sonnets, Great Speeches, his women, the soaps, Macbeth, The Globe Theater, and getting to grips with blank verse. Shakespeare used De Dum De Dum De Dum De Dum De Dum

Quite a bit and it worked for him. Try it yourself.

Sunshine today and we were promised rain.