Good to see my old school pal Fran Kenny /Kefford over from London with her husband Roy Kefford. Fran is from Clondelara and is a sister to Brian, Stevie, Ita, and others.

Roy and Fran have three daughters and some five grandchildren. They have plans to celebrate 40 years of marriage next year.

Greetings to Mary and Martin Grenham from Bermingham and Moore. Martin is a brother of Michael Grenham the singer who was complaining of the echo in Moore Hall some weeks ago.

Enjoyed the fund raising tea / coffee morning in Correen Castle this morning hosted by the Monaghan Family which was in aid of the Alzimers Research.

The Millennium Cross of daffodils on Lamb Island is showing up very well at the moment.

Somebody told us that the bulbs need to be separated in October.

Mary was tidying down the garden on Wednesday and almost disturbed a bird’s nest that had four eggs in it. It was located on top of an old disused fridge. Next morning she noticed a robin in attendance.

Bill Owens told me on Thursday night that a neighbour called him to rescue a baby tit that had fluttered into her house.

On the way to the Carty viewing on Friday Bridie Carry and I saw a beautiful cock pheasant on the roadside. The sun brought out all the various colours that he owns.

Friday I found a wasp in a small coil of cable and disturbed it from its hibernation or whatever. It found itself sitting on a blue flower safe and well a minute later.

An Irish lady on holiday on a cruiser out of Williamstown told me on Friday that it has been five years since they were last on the River Shannon. She has noticed a remarkable change in many towns and villages en route. She believes that a lot of character has been taken away and she gave Dromod and Lanesboro as examples.

Glad to hear on Friday that Alan Gunning son of Seamus and Rosaleen has made copies of the interview that Pat Killeen gave on the local radio some time ago regarding the past history of Killeens Pub and shop.

Some more deaths this week including –

- John Carty, Cloneish passed away on April 2^nd. John had fought an eight year fight against cancer with the help of his wife Joan and family and the doctors and nurses of Portiuncula Hospital. John worked all his working life with Bord na Mona. He was a member of the FCA for 43 years and it was in his Sergeant Major uniform that John was laid out in. His burial is after Mass on Saturday morning in Clonfad Church.

- The death has occurred of Vera Timlin, Athlone. Vera was the relic of John B Timlin who worked as an engineer at Shannonbridge Power Plant. The Timlins lived in Saint Kieran’s Park, Shannonbridge, before moving to Athlone. They are survived by three children, Grainne, Luke and Andrew. Funeral takes place on Saturday after Mass in Athlone.

- News of the death of Brendan O Brien of The Dixie’s Showband from Cork. Brendan was found dead in his apartment. He was the lead singer with the band and people link him to the song Little Arrows which remained in the charts for six months. Brendan has five children who are all living in Canada.

May they all rest in peace.

Noticed on a paper recently that President McAleese visited the city of Wurzburg in Germany on 27^th March. There she paid tribute to the Cavan born monk St. Killian, who was martyred there in the seventh century. She visited St Killian’s tomb and inspected his bible and other manuscripts. Of local interest is the church in Clonmacnois that was dedicated to St. Killian as well as the name.

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