Monday evening Pat Mick and I went to Galway where we linked up with Bennie and Doc and Dick in Club Cuba. On Monday night some twenty musicians, mostly brass and drums and keyboard player and three singers enjoy themselves playing music in the bar.

That night their lady vocalist was not there but Garreth Philips sang a range of Sinatra type songs and Keith Mc Donnell from Athlone and now living in Galway sang a few numbers. A very enjoyable performance if you like big band music. You just walk in.

Recommend that you get there before 9 pm and there is a bar and refreshments available.

Heard that Irish death notices are available on www.rip.ie

Tuesday evening I called down to see how Ned Hendrick was getting on with the bird nesting boxes as Mick Doherty gave me some roofing felt for the roofs. Ned had made three copies of the old nest box that I gave him last week. Exact copies down to the door hole and stick of wood at the entrance.

Ned showed me where he had drilled two holes 1.25 inches in a cavity block wall beside his work shed and birds use it for a nesting place. He feeds about 50 birds on the ground beside his workbench.

To repeat a robin nest is 26mm high, 12.7mm wide and 14.6mm in depth. The entrance hole is 32 mm. Do a Google search on bird houses. Rose Ryan has a very useful book on birds with dimensions for bird nest boxes etc.

Recent deaths include John Mc Neill, undertaker, Athlone who was buried last week

And Liam Ralph, ESB Dublin, Ferbane and Tipperary whose funeral takes place in Thurles today. May they rest in peace.

Tonight on television programme Highways and Byways our own Kevin Duffy from Clondelara will be featured.

On next Tuesday on Midland 103 radio there will be an interview with Pat Killeen broadcast between 7.00 and 8.00 pm. It can be heard on 103.5 Long-wave and 92.5

On the medium wave-band.

Conor Higgins has been named on the 24 man Irish Under-20 Squad for the upcoming 6-Nations rugby series. All three home matches will be played in Duggan Park, Athlone.

First game is this Friday against Italy. Then on February Ireland play Scotland and on March 7^th Ireland play Wales. All these Under-20 games kick-off at 7.30 pm.

River level on Saturday and Sunday was 4.76 metres. On Monday the level was 4.72 metres. Tuesday it was 4.68 metres. I forgot to ask our reader Brian what the level was this morning.

Forecast is for strong winds in the west and rain. What’s new ?