Friday was the day that Kenny’s Post and Shop at Clonfad closed their doors. Many friends and neighbours came along and there was a party to celebrate the service rendered to many people down the years. Patrick Kenny from America was one of those attending and he has not been seen since.

Wishing Jimmy and Mrs Kenny all the best on their retirement after many years of service to the area

The river level at Shannonbridge varied from 4.2 metres on Saturday to 4.4 on Monday, 4.42 on Wednesday, 4.4 metres on Thursday and 3.93 metres this Friday morning. Last evening and night got cold as forecast with temperatures of – 4 Degrees. Some areas got snow last evening and Shannonbridge had a light covering this morning. Then came rain and it dried up later.

Got a letter from a long time fishing visitor to Shannonbridge today with a £100 cheque attached to buy a drink for friends here that he meets on holiday in Shannonbridge. Barry says to say hello to everyone for him even that old dog Paddy Kenny. Barry will be over to Shannonbridge in June.

The same Paddy Kenny had a great tip for a horse last week named ‘Cakeiteasy’. It ran well and finished 7^th.

Congratulations to Mrs Mary Egan, Woodbank, widow of the late John Joe, who celebrated her 90^th birthday on 29^th December in Woodbank.

The Irish Blood Transfusion Service is looking for blood supplies. Keep an eye out for their visiting clinics or check their website www.ibts.ie

During the year past some free collectors edition postcards were given free from Independent Newspapers. They were selected from the National Library of Ireland national photographic archives.

Two were of Michael Collins and W.B.Yeats. See www.nli.ie if interested.

Somebody that Ciaran Mac Mathuna interviewed for his radio programme commented to Ciaran

“I can’t play until I have a drink,

And then I can’t play at all”

On Wednesday ten people from near Ashley, Manchester called to Shannonbridge after spending the New Year at Renvyle House Hotel in Clifden. The three children told us that Scout their adopted dog was not with them. During last summer they had been on a cruising holiday on the Shannon and on the Wednesday night of their holiday they had stopped off in Shannonbridge and heard Paudge Bennett and friends playing and singing. Being Wednesday they called to check if Paudge was playing as they had booked into the Hodson Bay hotel. They were unlucky and when we checked by phone with Paudge where he was playing that night, he told us that he was not playing anywhere that night. They wore some tea-shirts with the logo “Fast Dog On Tour Group” as they drink in The Greyhound Bar in Ashley.

Next summer the company that took over Emerald Starline cruisers have sold them a cruising holiday in France.

There was a world darts championships held in England at the end of the year. Some 3,000 people were in the audience seated at long tables. Ladbrokes the bookmakers sponsored the event and the games were televised on Sky Television. Lots of cardboard and markers were on the tables and in the semi-final match the camera caught reactions from Mr Shepherd whose son, a rookie won through to the final.

I noticed a placard held up behind Mr Shepherd that said “C’mon Offaly”. John Part from Canada won the event for the third time.

We have a Robin on our roof almost every day. It is unable to use the nut feeders but it does OK thank you and Mary. It got me thinking about a bird nest for the robin. Our robins are much smaller than the American robin. Google found the information. Height 26 mm., Width 12.7 mm, Depth 14.6 mm. The door hole is 32 mm but it does not say where it should be situated. Neither does it tell me how to make one or two. Just thought you would like to know.

Speaking of birds, one Johnny Mc Gonnigle I think called in early in the New Year. Johnny was a regular visitor to Shannonbridge with The Iron Lung and other barges and boats. One time he bought a shotgun and took a lot of slack from his boat pals as he never seemed to shoot anything. Then one evening one September Johnny decided to go shooting while the pals headed for the pub. About an hour after Johnny hauled the two birds he had shot down the middle of the street and opening the pub door he threw the birds on the floor for all to see saying” Now who can’t shoot”? Unfortunately it was two swans that he had shot instead of wild geese that he went a hunting.

Over the Christmas young Ciara Greene from Moore, a grand-daughter of the late Jimmy Greene, came looking for star shapes to make cookies. I put a spake in and sure enough on Christmas Eve a little brown bag was handed in for me with one cookie enclosed. Not star shaped but it tasted right good.