On Thursday last Noel Flannery, Moore, was at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick giving a talk to Limerick Philosophical Society entitled “Nationalism, a Myth that increases Global Misery”. Maybe it is available on a web search.

On Saturday we heard of the death of Mary Ann Lyons, nee Darcy in Kilcock.

Funeral arrangements have not yet been published. Gone home to God and Denny. May she rest in peace.

Helen Curley, Clerhane has been living in Manorhamilton, Cork. John Hurley was married to her daughter and he was killed in a freak accident during the week when a lorry cab fell on him and he was killed. May he rest in peace.

On Friday evening the Ireland Under20’s rugby team defeated Italy. On Saturday Ireland Defeated Italy in the first match in the 6-Nations. Wales defeated England and France beat Scotland.

On Sunday Antrim beat Offaly in the final of the O’Byrne Cup in hurling by 3 – 9 to 2 – 7. Offaly only scored one point in the second half. But Antrim had the wind and the rain with them in the second half and scored 2 – 7.

News at 3.00 today told us that 7 people had been killed in the past 24 hours on our Irish roads.

Saturday was Birthday time for Imelda Rock celebrating her 40^th and Nancy Ward her ?.

Sunday Bridie Carry celebrates her birthday.

Saturday was a special day for Barry Flood, Drogheda and Elma Mc Mahon, Monaghan.

Barry and Elma revisited Clonmacnois and they used the Whispering Arch at the Cathedral for Barry to use the arch to ask Elma to marry him. Afterwards they had a celebration meal in The Fort Restaurant and stayed in Ely House on Saturday night.

Hopefully they will take part in the competition on the Late Late Show where engaged couples are asked to write 100 words competing for a wedding reception and honeymoon.

Send your entry to Lovelately@rte.ie before 6^th February.

Notice that most newspapers do not carry any details of programmes on Local Radio.

And so we had a phone call from Ann Lawlor my cousin today telling us that she had heard about an upcoming programme on next Tuesday night when an interview with Pat Killeen will be broadcast between 7 and 8pm . Long-Wave 103.5

Many years ago Ann and her two sisters Mary and Geraldine spent many summers working in Killeens in Shannonbridge. I was wondering how the trio were getting on.

Maybe you also knew them so here goes.

Mary is a teacher and married to another teacher Pete Smith and lives in Clifden. They both work at the school in Kylemore Abbey. This school is scheduled to close in two years. They have two boys. Andrew is taking science in Galway University and Stephen is in 5^th year.

Geraldine married Ben O Neill and lives in Dublin. They have a daughter Niamh, 28 working in AIB. Ben’s daughter Eva is married and has a young baby Kaithnin who will be baptised on 23^rd February.

Ann married Joe Connaughton and lives near Lecarrow and they have five children.

Evan is doing law in Blackhall and is presently working in Dept of Land Registry in Roscommon,

James is working at mental nursing in Vancouver.

Aine is in national teaching in Limerick.

Roisin is preparing for her leaving certificate in Summerhill.

Naos or Nicholas is the youngest and is a sub goalkeeper for the Roscommon Minor Footballers. He also plays hurling and goes to school.

RTE radio are to cease broadcasting on Medium Wave on March 24 in favour of transmission on the Long Wave Band at 252 Hz. Try it out. I like Late Date from midnight to 2am.

Where’s That on a recent Irish Times tells us that each letter of the Irish alphabet was identified by the name of a tree.

A is for ailm (pine-tree)

B for beith (birch)

C for coll (hazel) etc.

G was the 12^th letter of this alphabet and named gort ( ivy )

See Dictionary of the Irish Language.