Last weekend Edward 'Ned' Murray from Creganaharna, Taughmaconnell stopped by with his friend Vinny Fennell.
Ned had a four liner about the Cuckoo that went -
In April she comes
In May she sings all day
In June she changes her tune
In July she flies away.

There is a marvelous chorus of different birds touting their songs around.
It was sad to hear today that some unmindful person on the road past Clonmacnois
chose today to cut their hedges.

Visitors to Clonmacnois today were two Murphy brothers from Athlone with family and friends.
They emigrated to England in the 1950's but come home regularly.
One of them told us that he lives in Windsor. One of their daughters has a pub in England and
she told us that many pubs in England are turning part of the building into a shop.

The Shannonbridge Active Retirement Group had an outing to Boora Parklands last week and enjoyed
the visit very much. They plan to visit Lough Key Forest Park and Strokestown House on another
outing scheduled for next Tuesday.

David Marcus ex Irish Press died last week aged 84 years. May he rest in peace.

Today's news tells us that Shane Lowry has made the decision to turn professional in the golf world.
Glad to hear that he visited some schools yesterday including Clonmacnois.
Wishing Shane the very best in his new career.

The level of the river and the flood situation are talking points this week.
On Monday 11th May the level was 3.34 metres in sunshine.
On Monday 18th May the level was 3.4 metres.
On Thursday 21st May the level was 3.6 metres.
On Tuesday there was extremely heavy thunder showers of hailstones and rain.

Some fish catches recorded include
-Craig Tidswell from Bradford caught a perch weighing 2.75lbs while fishing dead bait at The Hot Water on 15th May.
-Stein Akinson from Mayo fished the Hot Water early on 15th May and caught 7 tench using sweetcorn in the rain.
-Terri Brannerso from Grimsby fished the Grand Canal on 12th May and caught four tench using worm and reds. Ccught
in the morning with the best fish weighing 3 lbs.
-Mick Smith from Grimsby fished the Grand Canal the next morning and used worm and reds to also catch four tench.
-Daws Brown from Shropshire fished the Brosna and Grand Canal on 16th May in variable weather using feeder and pole
to catch 70 lbs of fish that included 17 tench to 5lbs plus rudd and hybrids.Fishing all day.
-Tom Small from Shropshire fished the Brosna and Grand Canal on 16th May with pole and feeder catching 15 tench,
best 5lbs plus roach and hybrids for a 90 lbs bag weight.
-Kevin Barmann from Wicklow fished the River Suck on 16th May in bad weather using dead bait to catch pike
weighing 16lbs and 14lbs. His comment was 'No Fight from the fish'.
-Ray Walsh from Clonfinlough fished Lough Ree on 13th May in mixed weather and caught a 2.5lbs trout on a fly.
-Pat Dunning Ballydangan was trolling with a pike spinner in early May and caught and released a salmon of 3.5lbs.
-Mike Pichler from Austria fished the Shannon on 18th May, wet and windy,and used a wobbler to catch 7 pike to 71cm
which were returned alive.
-Ruud Spoon from Holland fished the Shannon on 19May in wind and rain using a plug bait to catch 6 pike best 85cm.
-A\sling Joyce from Scariff County Clare fished on Lough Ree on an overcast 20th May to catch her first ever fish
a pike that weighed 2.5 lbs. Returned alive.