Recently I met Brendan and Lyn Franks from Sussex. Brendan’s grandparents were Kieran and Pat Darcy from Clonmacnois and his mother was Annie, Nan Darcy now Nan Franks. Nan lives near Brendan and Lyn in Sussex. Brendan told us that she still has her mother’s walking stick which was given to her late mother by the late Father Pat Bardon

from Clonfinlough. He showed me some photographs from a family album showing his grandparents and photos taken in the old kitchen with a younger Brendan sitting on the hob of a very big fireplace complete with the support swing irons to hold pots. The old house is now ruined and he planned to call to Gus Claffey and Tom Moore.

The ‘New’ Houses as they are known, built across from the church have seen a lot of work in recent weeks. The ones that curve back into what is known as Prices’ sandpit had a high wall holding back the sand. Recently failures were observed in this wall. And so a sand merchant has been removing an amount of sand and the high part of the sandpit at the end of the roadway has been greatly reduced. Now an attractive L shaped double wall of some 75 yards has been erected in place of the previous wall. The higher wall at the back is about two metres tall and the front piece is about one meter in height and half meter wide. Then part of the original wall remains in place and the area at the end looks like it will provide extra parking space.

While looking at the work above this morning I noticed the For Sale sign erected outside the home of the late Martin and Mary Burkes two storey semi-detached home. It has 3 bedrooms, sitting-room, fuel shed and garage. The auctioneer is Pat Finn of DNG – Douglas Newman Good. Telephone 090- 96-31615. Websites mentioned on sale sign include www.dng.ie and www.myhome.ie

Yesterday Tommy Glynn from Fohenagh and Baltimore visited. Tommy is a classmate of Mick Killeen and has worked at chimney repairs and restorations a lifetime. He is a nephew of the late Father Christy Glynn Clonfert. When Tommy came in he told us that the Ely Carroll were in Maryland USA and that one Carroll signed the Declaration of Independence. Presently a Doctor Carroll in Baltimore is involved in environmental causes and protecting the Green Spring Valley from over development. Tommy told us that in America the Ely O Carrolls dropped the ‘O’ for some reason that I forget.

Tommy recommended doing a Google search on Ely O Carroll, and Hymany, and Sogain.

Later Tommy came to Clonmacnois with my cousin Tom from Togher and me as he had never visited Clonmacnois before. The rain came with us. I found Tommy to have a great interest in the stones at the site. The flooring in the visitor center is laid in Liscannor Stone from Clare and Tommy was intrigued with the mollusc and animals trapped in the stone. He was having a close look at the material used to replace the filling between the stones in the cathedral and churches. At Saint Ciaran’s church Tommy reckoned that it was the area between the end walls on the north side that first gave way. The rain prevented us from going to the Nunnery but no doubt he will return. Later Mick and the two Toms went for a boat trip up the River Suck.

Yesterday some 24 pupils and teachers from Peatschule, Oberwesel in Germany reached Shannonbridge in their canoes. Earlier they had visited Clonmacnois and after visiting the site they launched their craft and canoed downriver in the rain to Shannonbridge. For about two hours Hot Chocolate drinks and 99c packets of chocolate chip cookies were all the rage. One of the teachers told us that they were camping at night or using B & B’s. They planned to travel down as far as Portumna. From there they would take their canoes to Ballyforan and canoe down to Shannonbridge. I hope that they enjoy their adventure. I have added chocolate chip cookies to the Wants List.