On Saturday night the Red Admiral was alive and well in the storeroom.

Must have been all that Dun Carrig still water that nourished him.

Jane Mooney called in with an old bird book and Kieran Guinan was on the

ball. The bird is a Kestrel, 14 inches, the commonest hawk. It remains suspended

in the air, rigid, except for the quivering wing tips. It eats mice and insects

and occasionally small birds. Short cry repeated Kee, Kee, Kee or Kew, Kew.

Anyhow it looks great and looking forward to seeing it in preserved state.

Eddie Brown phoned on Saturday and said he was delighted that Seamus Gunning

his cousin, got in touch with him. Eddie had a question –

“What do you call a man in Spain who has lost his car?

CARLOS of course.

Belated birthday greetings to Cahal Rodgers and Ciara Macklin who both celebrated

their birthdays yesterday with a shared party.

Website that might interest you is www.waterwaysireland.org

Last night the Crib in the Church was erected as usual by the Kenny Family.

This year Stevie and Colum got welcome help from family members that arrived home

From Australia on Saturday. Paddy and Louise Kenny and Marie and Sean helped.

Also there was Finny Kenny from Sydney. Mary Kelly arranged the flowers.

The front page of today’s Irish Times has a coloured picture of a restored Nativity window at St Brigid’s Church, Dangan, Kilmore, Co Roscommon. Photograph by James Connolly/PicSet

The same paper tells us that 440 people have been killed on our roads so far this year.

Our spell corrector got it wrong again. Sorry to Christie Hogarty in Australia and thank you for bringing it to our attention so smartly. Enjoy your Christmas.

For many years Cliff Richards has recorded a Christmas hit tune. This year he decided to give the youngsters a chance. So we have to make-do with last year’s number. It was called Mistletoe and Wine.

The Pogues song Fairytales of New York has been allowed airplay on BBC unaltered. Up to this the word Faggot had been brushed out. What’s the world coming to?

The river level continues to drop to under 4 metres today. Well 3.96 Brian says. The callows are showing more clear area and grasses. Yesterday morning in the sunlight about 100 seagulls took off from the flooded area and it was a real picture.

Newgrange is 5,000 year old for your information and Professor Michael J Kelly discovered the opening to the passageway and burial chamber 40 years ago.

Today was a lovely mild dry fine day in Shannonbridge for Christmas Eve.

Mrs Mai Darcy, Ard Mhuire, Ballinasloe has died and her funeral took place yesterday.

For many years she was radiologist in Portiuncula Hospital and her daughter Maeve, who is married to Sean Connolly now works in that department. May she rest in peace.

Pay Tiernan, also from Ard Mhuire has died. He worked with Tagasc services. May he rest in peace.

Mary O Grady nee Murray died in her home in Tullamore. Her funeral took place today.

Mary was a sister of Tony Murray, Ballydangan. May she rest in peace.

The Independent News & Media has agreed to buy The Sligo Champion for a sum in excess of 20.Million Euro.

Lotto news. The national lotto jackpot of over 13 Million was won by a ticket bought in Loughrea. The Shannonbridge / Doon Jackpot of 4,800 Euro was won last night by Ronnie Naughton, Clara. I will not tell you who won the 13 million until I see him first.

Martin Donegan works for a courier service in Athlone. He told us that when sending an item by post to Shannonbridge the correct address is Shannonbridge, Athlone, Ireland.

Sending an item by courier services one should use Shannonbridge, County Offaly, Ireland.

This is the e-mail from John Wilson last week which he has allowed me to post on this page.

Derry

Where to start? You are probably wondering who this is? John Wilson is a pretty common English name. I came across your Shannonbrigdge blogspot a few months ago and later stumbled across your e-mail address as I followed some links.

We first met in 1980 when I arrived in Shannonbridge with my Grandparents, driving an Austin Allegro with a broken windscreen. You sorted out a temporary repair for us at a garage in Ballinasloe.

We visited Shannonbridge for the next 6 years I think - staying in Grouse Lodge mostly and in the Bungalow once. On that first visit you were kind enough to show me around the best swims in your old blue VW beetle.

I remember the 1981 trip. My grandparents were invited to the tavern to watch the royal wedding. I went fishing.
I think that 1982 was the year that I put a motor onto the row-boat and fished up at Devenish Island and beyond. The engine broke down and I had to row all the way back - my grandparents were having kittens as it was dark by the time I got home.

1983 was an eventful year. I was fishing on the island while the contractors were removing the old baillie bridge. The crane dropped the bridge into the river and the local news reporter appeared. She rowed over to the island to speak to me about what I had seen and ended up doing an article on me teaching some of the local children to fish. There were quite a few with me at the time: Shane, Connor, Louise and their friends Michael and Aileen Thornhill, if I recall correctly.

We enjoyed many nights in the Tavern with good beer and great company. I remember a couple of old boys from Scotland often provided the music, but I can't remember their names.

It is difficult to believe that it is over 20 years since I was last in Shannonbridge. Of all the places in the world I have since visited, nowhere frequents my thoughts as much or as often. Of the old crew, I am alone now. Grandad George died in 1996 and Grandma Jenny joined him at the end of 2001. Many of my fondest memories of them include the times we spent in Shannonbridge.

I finally got married myself a few years ago, to Sharon, and inherited 4 step children. I now have 10 step grandchildren to spoil. I have not been a fisherman these last 20 years, instead taking up more active sports for a while and then more recently having taken to walking and watching the birds.

I hope that this finds you and yours well and I wish you all the very best for Christmas and the New Year. I have, as ever, put a card in the post and I think that I included my latest address.

I really must put some holiday aside for a visit to your part of the world.

Best Regards………..

John

Happy Christmas to Everyone.