The river level on Monday morning has risen to 4.2 metres.

The local Active Retirement group are having their annual dinner in The Fort on Wednesday 12^th Dec at 8 pm with full dinner and music by Shamrock or The Two Johnny’s from Loughrea.

The Connacht Tribune has news of the closure of the Abbott Vascular factory with a loss of 498 jobs. Ironically the company mantra runs “A Promise for Life “.

The paper tells of the discovery of two 18^th century 1.5 meter French Cannon and a timber shipwreck at Inisbofin Harbour during maintenance. None of the timber used in the boat’s manufacture are native Irish or North European.

A request for permission to build 96 residential units at Monksland has been turned down by Roscommon County Council.

The death has occurred of Kieran Murray, Mountbellew and formerly of Cranberry.He was a brother of the late Tom Murray Drumalga and his sister is Eileen Egan Athlone. His funeral took place in Mountbellew. May he rest in peace.

Heard from America that Tony Kenny of the one time Sands Showband headed a great concert in Saint Mary’s Hall Cherry Hill on 8^th Dec. Some twelve people made up the group.

Meanwhile Patrick Kenny from nearby America was telling about the Three Paddys that went on a sponsored charity walk across The Sahara Desert.

Paddy the Englishman said that he was taking an umbrella along in case it rained.

Paddy the Scotsman said he was taking an overcoat in case it got cold.

Paddy the Irishman produced an old door from an Anglia car and said he was taking it along in case it got too warm and he would be able to let down the window.

May the frost never afflict your spuds

May the outside leaves of your cabbage

Always be free from worms

May the crows never pick your haystack

And may your donkey always be in foal.

Heres a health to your enemies’ enemies !

May the roof above us never fall in

And may we friends gathered below

Never fall out.

May you have warm words on a cold night,

A full moon on a dark night

And a smooth road all the way to your door.

The Tom Mathews cartoon in yesterday’s Sunday Independent shows a large turkey cock reading a notice board that proclaims “15 Chopping Days Till Christmas “