On Tuesday evening Pat, Mick, Mary Allen, Phyllis Kinlough and I went to Mary Ann Lyons removal in Kilcock. Mary Ann was a Darcy from Crevagh and later lived in Shannonbridge, Dublin Docks, and Kilcock with her late husband Denny. They had seven children of which three died in infancy or very young. The four remaining are Tony, Jerry, Eamon and Noel. May she rest in peace.

On the way to the funeral Mary Allen mentioned that her mother Josie was one of 17 children in the Kenny Family. Six of the family immigrated to Australia and six more immigrated to America. Personally I remember Dan Kenny and Francie Kenny and Mary’s mother Josie Flynn.

As we passed Clonard we noted the house of Angela Hanly. Angela was the daughter of Garda Martin Hanly who served for years in Shannonbridge. Her mother was a teacher in Clonard and during the summer holidays Angela and Fursey and Johnny and Paddy and Joan used to come down to Shannonbridge and were well known to everyone in the village.

After the removal we set off on our homeward journey and tuned into Midlands 103 Radio at 7.00 pm and were in time to hear an hour long interview with Pat Killeen.

This interview was carried out some weeks ago and Pat told about when she first moved to Shannonbridge from Ballinasloe and a wide range of happenings since then.

People tell me that in America for example they often listen to this radio station on their website www.midlands103.com Who knows the programme may be on their website.

The presenter used Shannonbridge as the place they were visiting that evening.

It starts at 7.00 pm and lasts an hour.

On Wednesday Doc rang from Oughterard to tell us that Johnny Hanly was dead. She had heard it from cousins of Johnny that live in Oughterard. Strange that on the previous evening we had been remembering the Hanly Family.

So on Thursday evening Mick and Pat and I set off to visit Johnny Hanly’s home in Edenderry which was named St.Martins. There we met his wife Angela, and his sister Angela and brother Paddy (Mullingar).Daughters Maura and Siobhan, son Martin and a load of grandchildren. Cousins and in-laws.

Johnny and Angela and family had visited Shannonbridge about eighteen months ago.

Joan a sister of Johnny had died at the time of her mother’s funeral and left four or five children. I was glad to meet Ciaran Hanly one of Joan’s sons who was married recently.

He has been to Australia twice and liked what he saw. Now Ciaran and his wife are planning to visit friends in Western Australia. He promised that he will visit Clonmacnois as he was called Ciaran after our man in Clonmacnois.

After a chat over a welcome cup of tea and heavy traffic in Edenderry we were late getting to Ferbane where I intended to play bridge. Lucky enough I had taken along an old mobile phone and Brid my card partner had noted down the number. So as we were nearing Ballycumber at 8pm (the time that cards start ) the phone rang and they made an arrangement.

After the cards Mick arranged to pick me up in Hiney’s Bar Ferbane as there was a surprise programme going out live on Midlands 103 from 10.00 to midnight based on the musical life of Eamon Robinson of the Evergreens Band. Eamon is over 50 years providing musical entertainment at various functions and weddings. Think he started playing with the Ciaran Kelly Band. Better ask my brother Jim as he was listening into Ricey Scully who was hosting the show. At some point Ricey Scully spotted my brother Mick in the thronged bar and gave him greetings. Our man in Chicago was on the phone to tell Shannonbridge that Mick was on the radio.

Friday I collected the three new bird nesting boxes from Ned Hendrick. I wanted to put a protective roof on the boxes but did not know how to do it. Luckily Chris Collins from the www.cmcboatbuilders.com was in the village repairing Mick Doherty’s boat which was broken into last year. Chris kindly fashioned the cover sizes and used a liquid bonding glue to fit the covers in place.

Then Mick Doherty, Mark Perry and me fein toured the yard and garden and chose four locations. By this time it was getting dark so Mick Doherty said “tell you what I’ll do. I will be here at 9.00 am in the morning and will help erect the boxes”

So alarm set for 8.30 on Friday morning. Eventually at 11.00 I had to set off for Nenagh to play cards. Thankfully when I arrived home on Saturday night the boxes were in position.

Who is Mark Perry you might ask. Mark bought one of the four new apartments in Shannonbridge beside the butcher shop. He works in Dublin but hits Shannonbridge for weekends and an odd night during the week. Mark bought his apartment from Dermot O Meara the Athlone agent for Sherry Fitzgerald. His telephone in Ireland is 090 647 5500 The apartment details are probably on the Sherry Fitzgerald website.

Saturday night friends of Mark came along to house warm the place for him.

Saturday was also the day that Brian Coakley moved into one of the apartments having previously lived beside Moran’s Shop.

Saturday 9^th Feb was the birthday of Frances Walsh of Tullamore and late of Clonfinlough. Belated Happy 90^th Birthday Greetings to Frances.

Boat interests can view Athlone Aerial o their website www.iwai.ie/athlone Better still you can become a member.

An angler looking for small red spotted Devon baits called in during the week and told us that he fishes for trout at the Laois Angling Center which has three stocked lakes about two miles out the Dublin road from Roscrea. Cost is 20 Euro per day and there are regulations on size and amount of fish that one is allowed to keep..

Bridget Flannery of Ballysheil and a native of Aughnacabe has died. Bridget was a sister of Moll Quigley. Her funeral took place on Sunday 10^th after Mass in Cloghan. May she rest in peace.

Sunday Manchester United played a special Memorial Soccer Match against Manchester City to commemorate the Munich Disaster when many of the Man. U team were killed.

Both teams wore replicas of the strip at that time with no sponsorship adornments. City pulled something out of the bag and won 2 goals to 1 goal.

Second game in the rugby six nations yesterday France just beat Ireland by some five points.

Note that on Wednesday 5^th March Bishop Cahal Daly will be coming to Cluain Ciaran, to celebrate ten years since the church associated with the late Father Paddy Kenny was first opened. Every Wednesday evening Mass is celebrated there

Gay Byrne told that he is finishing his present stint of two hour radio programmes on Lyric FM radio on Sundays 4.00 to 6.00 pm on Sunday 5^th March.

Finally weather has been a bit milder this past few days and some 20 Wisconsin folk who are using the Rip Dwanney offer of a trip to Ireland from Wednesday to Wednesday, staying at Castledaly Manor with optional daily tours or golf or freedom told us today that it is there first time to be in Ireland and they are really enjoying themselves. I looking for Rip try some different spellings such as Dwanny.

Big flood of water over the Callows in Clonmacnois on Sunday.

Patrick Kenny tells us that since the post office at Clonfad closed he has to come into Shannonbridge to collect the children’s allowance every week. One of the twins is just starting to ride a bike Patrick told us.