Last Monday I took up the offer of a pre-retirement course which was organised by the ESB and was based in the Galway Bay Hotel in Salthill. The course started on Monday evening and finished on Thursday afternoon. I did not know any of the 26 people made up of husbands and wives from different locations.

John and Niamh Lennon from Dublin and LDO have plans to visit Clonmacnois in May with a group of 20 people. Seems that they are all interested in archaeology and John has worked with Heather King who did many digs in the area of the new graveyard that was allotted to Church of Ireland families. As this area was not being used the Church of Ireland handed it back and many new families in the area bought plots. Heather and her team did some digs and found a roadway coming in from the Callows and a silver cross of the 7^th century about.

Another couple on the course Christy and Ber Burke live in Naas and kindly gave me a seat home on Thursday.

On Tuesday evening I got a chance to visit Ab and Noreen Cunney who live about five minutes from the Galway Bay. After dinner that night Jo Sheridan from Kells spotted my name tag hanging around my neck and asked was I from Shannonbridge. It turned out that she worked in Hayes Hotel in Tullamore with Theresa Mahon (Mary Killeen’s sister)

I also ran into a workmate from Lanesboro – John Casey and his wife who were spending Halloween in the hotel I presume as everybody seemed to be doing the same. Not a free room available so I had to come home. Web www.galwaybayhotel.com

On Wednesday night we had a sing-song after dinner. That evening we all went into Eyre Square for a few hours. I looked into Kennys which is now an Art Display on all four floors.

On Thursday morning an American lady staying in the hotel asked one of our group if Ireland was located nearer the moon than America. She had been looking at the clear quarter moon the night before and of course the answer is yes.

Just arrived home in time to meet Roger and Maura Morrissey who lived in St Ciaran’s Park Shannonbridge back in the 60’s. They were on their way to a funeral in Cavan and were attending a meeting of Liam Keller’s Campotel people on Saturday in Ballinasloe. Roger and Maura supervise the operation of one of the holiday camps in France owned by Campotel. The Morrisseys look marvellous and they were back in Shannonbridge on Saturday night with the group for dinner in The Fort Restaurant.

Two of the group told us that there is information on British soldiers etc graves on the website www.cwgc.co.uk which is commonwealth war graves commission.

The death occurred of Maisie Ryan, Derryholmes on Feb 12^th Mother of Eamon Joe and Mabel and wife of the late Patrick. Maisie lived for a number of years in Clondelara with the late Janie Rigney. May she rest in peace.

The death has also occurred of Paul Goldin the hypnotist and entertainer. He was aged 79

May he also rest in peace.

On Saturday two men visiting Clonmacnois with their families told us that they were brothers and were from a Killeen family tree. Their family originated in Creevy which is on the road between Roscommon and Lanesboro. Their grandparents were Roger Killeen and Mary Gilhooly. They had 8 children – four boys and four girls named Jim, Tim, Robert, Roger, Mary, Tina, Rita and Elisabeth. They were sons of Elisabeth and both live in Dublin. Forgot to get their surnames would you believe.

On Saturday night three people from Peru who are staying in Ard na Ri in Clonmacnois visited Shannonbridge. Mamma Mia who is 79 is the leader and she loves Guinness. It is her second visit to Ard na Ri.

On Sunday the group staying in Castledaly Manor called. Kathleen Gaffney from Greenbay was on the trip last year. This year her son Stephen came along. Stephen told us that he plans to become a brewer and they were disappointed with their visit to the Guinness Brewery as he wanted to get more information on the brewing. I suppose nobody told him that it was a beer that got burned. Hope he will be able to sing the song “Gather up the pots, and the old tin can, the mash, the corn, the barley and the bran and be able to run like a devil from the excise man. Keep the smoke from rising Barney”

Today Monday Tony Ward an Independent member of Roscommon County Council was in Shannonbridge. He was interested in the footpaths and new houses on the Roscommon side and the extra lights which are planned to be erected peace-meal two per year from Ard Chiarain back to the village and walks and facilities. Tony lives in Curraghboy near our cousin Pat Butler.