The 6-Nation rugby tournament started at the weekend. Ireland played against France in Croke Park in a fantastic game coming out winners 30 - 21.. See www.irishtimes.com and read ‘Ambition and Belief, it’s all back’ on Monday’s paper. Other results were England 36 Italy 11 and Wales 26 Scotland 13.

Ireland plays their next game against Italy next weekend in Rome.

Pat Mc Manus and Maura Dolan / Kelly were married on Friday last and congratulations to the happy pair.

Father Balfe celebrated Mass in the parish at the weekend. He told while on his way to Clonfinlough he noticed that someone had parked their car neatly in a drain a fair reflection on the frosts at night.

Father Balfe told a story about a painter in Longford that regularly thinned down his paint with turpentine and was able to out-price his competitors. The local church needed to be painted and the local painters were asked to quote for the work. Our friend had the lowest quote and got the job.

He erected scaffolding and was painting the outer walls when suddenly there was a great clap of thunder and lightning followed by very heavy downpour of rain. Our friend fell to the ground and lay looking up as the rain washed the paint from the walls. There was a loud clap of thunder and a voice spoke to him from the heavens

‘Repaint Repaint and thin no more.

At the end of Mass Father Balfe recited that beautiful poem ‘I see His Blood upon the Rose’

Paul and Sonja Barnes are returning to England. Paul first came to this area some twenty years ago when with permission from Bill Turley he camped on the bankside of the River Suck at Raghrabeg. Later he had a caravan home parked in Raghrabeg. Some twelve years ago he rebuilt Turleys old home and worked with a number of people in the area.

He moved to Correen to work at Rafferty’s Garage and lived in what was Paddy Kelly’s old home. At Tom Raffertys Paul specialized in car washing and valet- ting the cars for many years.

Wishing Paul and Sonja contentment on their return to England and hope that they visit this area again and again.

Just to mention that Daithi Rua was accompanying Moya Brennan on her tour of Britain from 13^th March to 20^th May. Check out their websites to find out when they are playing in your area by visiting www.daithirua.com or www.moyabrennan.com

A friend helped erect about nine bird nesting boxes in the garden. Most of them were attached to trees with the entrance hole facing to the south. Last year three birds used the nests and were not interested on boxes nailed to walls or with chopped up straw added for bedding. Consider erecting some boxes but do it soon.

We had a snowfall in Shannonbridge on Saturday night but the sun had melted it away from the roadways early. Some folks with warm hands erected a snowman in the garden that stood all of three foot tall. He was a vegetarian as he had a carrot stuck in his face.

Patrick Kenny told us that a 2,000 year old skeleton was found in the bog and that he was Scottish.