Shannonbridge Active Retirement Group holds their get together on Tuesday morning in the community hall immediately after Mass. Some helpful limber out exercises take place before an enjoyable cup of tea and chat. Some years ago the group decided to become active in helping children to be educated in Karinde in Africa. One of the Ursuline Sisters explained at that time that without financial help children were made to help on the farm. So a nominal sum of 2Euro is contributed by members of the group attending the weekly meeting. This money finds its way directly to Karinde and helps children further their education.

At the meeting this week there was a note from Pamela in Karinde to Sister Marie –

Dear Sister Marie,

Greetings and best wishes from Karinde. Thank you very much for your continued support for the children of Karinde. They have grown up – many are in secondary school. Joseph has continued to nurture them – they are well behaved and really trying to make a future for themselves. I will keep this money for their food – they usually require help during the holidays. God Bless. Pamela. ( 300 Euros was sent from the Active Retirement Group on this occasion). Even if you cannot attend the weekly meetings consider helping this cause.

Roger and Susan Bray from Perth Australia stopped off in Shannonbridge this week.

Susan told us that she was born in New Zealand. Her mother was Sarah Joyce from one side of the Maam Turks Mountains in Connemara. Sarah was forced to emigrate in 1938 by the local landlord and she got a job in Wellington. Padraig O Malley who was a member of The Flying Column lived in a cave near Sarah’s home and there was a ring fort nearby.

Roger works for an ore mining firm in Australia which produces 2.5 million tonnes of ore per week for export mainly to China.

Roger and Susan have a daughter Hilary and Hilary has chosen to be married in Ireland at Killeen Castle. Her parents were checking out the venue and visited Clonmacnois.

Hope everything goes well for the wedding.

It was great to meet so many friends and cousins attending a surprise Birthday Party of Anne Killeen, from Ardnaglug last Saturday in the Shearwater Hotel in Ballinasloe.

The Killeen Family from Manchester came by air and sea and returned on Sunday. John Francis, Aidan and Maggie travelled by car and visited Clonmacnois and Shannonbridge on Sunday on their way to the ferry.

On birthdays this weekend Mick and Mary Killeen are of to Westport to celebrate a recent birthday in Mary’s life.