Junior Football B Championship.
Well done to our juniors, who qualified for the knockout stages of the championship, by defeating Erin Rovers by 0-14 to 1-5 at Pollagh on Friday. Down by 2 points at the break, they scored an impressive 10 points in the second half to finish well on top. Team: M. Deeley, D. Hogan, C. Norton, A. Gunning, C. Kenny, V. Darcy (0-1), M. Moloney, A. Coughlan, J. Killeen, E. Egan (0-3), R. Ryan (0-4), M. Kilduff, S. Kelly, M. Carty (0-3), J. Duffy (0-2). Subs: R. Walshe (0-1) for R. Ryan (inj) and R. Ryan for M. Kilduff.

Senior Football Championship, Relegation.
No luck for the seniors in their first relegation game, at Killeigh yesterday, when they lost to Gracefield by 4 points on a scoreline of 2-10 to 0-12. Six points behind at half time against the breeze, they eventually closed the gap to four. Next is a must-win game against Edenderry. Team: D. Kelly, W. Keena, N. Price, M. Darcy, P. Moloney, R. OConnor, D. Turley, J. Ryan, K. Coughlan, C. Flannery, C. Killeen, J. Egan, S. Flannery, C. Kearns, P. Deeley. Subs: D. Corbett, K. Kelly, A. Kelly.

Climate Camp.
I see that some trees have appeared across the bridge, as a gift to the people of Shannonbridge, from the recent Climate Camp. The trees were donated by the Seed Savers Association of Ireland.
Of course, the other "gift" the Climate Camp would give to the parish, if they got their way, would be the closure of our only industries - Bord na Mona and ESB.

Rural Transport.
A letter from the Rural Transport Network has advised that it has been recommended to the Government that the scheme be ended with effect from 1st January next. This would affect not only the Shannonbridge shopping bus on Saturdays, but also transport for Active Retirement groups, services to Athlone Inst. Technology, Summer Camps etc. Its important that people are aware of the proposed changes and that every opportunity to lobby our local represenataives and politicians etc is availed of.

Clonmacnois Parish Newsletter
Sunday 30th Aug 2009 - 22B
Tel (090) 9674125 Fax (090) 9674267
Mass times: Shannonbridge: Weekend, 8pm (Sat), & 12 noon, Sun;
Weekdays, 10am. Clonfanlough – Sunday, 10.30am
Shannonbridge
Masses: Each day @ 10am; Adoration on First Fri until 5pm
Last Sunday's Offertory collection: €501. Many Thanks
Church Cleaners: K.Kelly, M.Killeen, A.Keena
Eucharistic ministers: Group 2
Readers for next Weekend: Group 5, C.Mannion, C.Doolan
Altar Servers for this week: Megan, Andrea
Mass next Sun for the late Willie Dillon
¨¨¨¨
Clonfanlough
Mass on First Fri @ 7pm
Last Sunday's Offertory collection: €311. Many Thanks
Church Cleaners: T.Rohan, A.Rohan
Readers for next Sunday: A.Coughlan
Altar Servers for next Sunday: Group A
Eucharistic minister for next Sunday: P.Darcy
Anniversary Mass on next Sun for Gordon McEvoy


Clonmacnois Primary School will reopen this Mon, 31st Aug.
¨¨¨¨
Questions people askQ. I used to have a regular prayer life but it’s a thing of the past. What would you advise me to do to get started again? A. A humble and thorough confession would be a good start. Since there are so many ways of praying it is hard to give specific direction without knowing more about you. Can you find a wise spiritual director with whom you can talk? In general, make a workable plan regarding place and time. See what works for you – reading, adoration, petition, Rosary, time alone or the support of others. One last bit of advice – pray the way you can and don’t worry about the way you can’t. (Fr Silvester O’Flynn)
¨¨¨¨
Diocesan Pilgrimages
Knock: Sun 6th Sept; a bus will go from the Parish as usual. The Fare will include a morning snack & evening meal. If you wish to travel, please give your name to Darran Finnerty or Teresa Rohan ASAP
Pattern Day Clonmacnois: Sun 13th Sept -
Ceremonies begin @ 3pm; for pilgrim road walk assemble in Ballinahown @ 11am
Mass on Feast of St Ciaran, 9th Sept in Clonmacnois @ 7pm
¨¨¨¨
West Offaly Ed Project – Enrolment Evenings for Night Classes.
In Clonfanlough Hall, Thurs 3rd Sept @ 7.30pm;
In Shannonbridge N.S. Thurs 10th Sept @ 8.30pm.
Courses on offer include FETAC level 5 Business Studies, Oil Painting, First Aid, Computers, Conversational Irish, etc.
For more info call Jolene/Michelle on 057-9351392
¨¨¨¨
From the office of the Bishop
‘Your attention is drawn to the recent Government declaration that non-authentic Mass Cards cannot any longer be legally sold as heretofore.
The practice has been strongly discouraged by the Church for years.’
¨¨¨¨
Samaritans Information Night for new volunteers
Wed 2nd Sept at 3 Court Devenish, Athlone (opposite Credit Union) @ 8pm
All welcome. Further info: 086-8312380

Greetings all,

Over the past few years, I have been commissioned to research or write the history of over 150 families. In some cases, the client wanted it for a Golden or Ruby Wedding Anniversary. In others it was for a Christmas or birthday present. And sometimes it was out of simple curiosity. Most of the families I’ve looked at originated in Ireland, but they have also been Irish-American, Canadian, British, British colonial, Danish and Russian.

I am now delighted to announce the launch of ‘Your History in a Book’.

The concept is straightforward. I will help you gather the basic facts of your family genealogy. I will then transform the history of your family into a colourful, living and readable epic. I will place each generation in the context of the times through which they lived, linking them to significant historical events and characters. The results can be assembled as a book or a website and, in either case, are fully illustrated with photographs, world images and maps relevant to your family’s journey through life.

If you would like to know more about ‘Your History in a Book’, please visit my website at www.turtlebunbury.com and follow the link.

Finally, fans of our best-selling ‘Vanishing Ireland’, shortlisted for the Irish Published Book of the Year 2007, might be interested to know that a second volume entitled ‘Vanishing Ireland – Further Chronicles of a Disappearing Age’ is to be launched at the end of October.

Cheerio for now,

Turtle

Turtle Bunbury

www.turtlebunbury.com

Old Fort, Tobinstown, Tullow, Co. Carlow, Ireland

Mob: + 353 - (0) 87 - 6453 486

Turtle Bunbury is a best-selling author, researcher and scriptwriter based in Ireland.

His new venture, 'Your History in a Book', was launched on 1st August 2009 and offers an innovative way to transform your family history into a compelling read.

Turtle's latest book, Dublin Docklands - An Urban Voyage, has been hailed as 'Enlightening and rewarding' by The Irish Times . His next book, Vanishing Ireland - Further Chronicles of a Disappearing World, with photographer James Fennell, will be launched in October 2009.

On Sunday 23rd August Martin and Eavan Murphy from Louth called to Shannonbridge
on their Silverline hire cruiser. They had attempted to journey up the River Suck
but were afraid that they might not get under the Bord na Mona railway bridge.
Martin was wearing a jumper with his local team website wrote on it.
www.cooleykickhams.ie should be worth a visit.
Martin told us that the first foot and mouth in the Republic showed up in their
peninsula. Lucky for everybody it was safely stopped there.


Also on Sunday a couple from the Netherlands stopped by.They had last visited
the Shannonbridge area some 25 years ago.
Then they had visited the local Bog Rail Tour and later stayed in Rachra House
and enjoyed the music in the pub. They were hoping to repeat their first program.
This time they were disappointed that the Bog Train Tour is not available.
They promised to e-mail their thoughts and memories of their visits.

After a wet weekend that brought the river level higher today Monday brought
Sunshine.The weather forecast is for sun for the next two days and then.Rain!
Notice that the projected wind direction for six days varies for each day.
Glad that a photograph taken of the old Shannonbridge power plant c1982/3
has been scanned by Declan Ryan and hopefully will be available to view here.
It must have been taken from a small plane or helicopter from downstream.

The last of the Climate Chain protesters are preparing to leave Shannonbridge.
They tell me that they want to clean up the camp-site and leave it as it was.

The Midlands Radio 3 broadcasting on FM103 have a series of programmes called
Parishes which they broadcast on Monday evening at 7.00pm.It is usually presented
by Claire but Kieran Feeney will be presenting the programme next Monday as Claire
is on leave.Claire presented a programme on our parish Clonmacnois about two years
ago.Kieran Feeney tells me that overseas residents can use their computer to listen
to the programme.Find midlandsradio103 or something like that. Have a go.

Greetings to my Sudoku friend FG in New Jersey.For two days I thought that I was
going well with the Saturday Sudoku on last Saturday's paper but ran into a wall.
e-mailsudoku@unison.independent.ie and ask them how you can look at it on computer.

Clontuskert Abbey is a place that I have seen from the roadside but never visited.
I heard today that a new book on Clontuskert is being written by Joe Molloy from
Ballinasloe and is due for publication in about October.

Congratulations to Kieran Rock who celebrated his birthday on Saturday.

Birr Vintage Week and Offaly Heritage Week both take place this week.

New York harpist Lillian Rose Reasor was in Ireland with her dad to take part in the
Fleadh Cheoil in Tullamore and on Tuesday night she played some music with Louise,
Lorraine Mark and friends in Killeens. She sounds great. Check out her website
www.lillianrosereasor.weebly.com

Met a man last Thursday 20th August who told us that he was cutting down high trees
near to the Callows as large birds perch in the high trees and attack th corncrakes
that live on the callows. He did not know if there were any corncrakes about, or how
many birds there were. The river level has risen steeply and continues to rise.

On Friday evening the rain stayed away for the Mass in the Children's Graveyard in
Cloniffeen.However there was a good breeze blowing and the 30 or more congregation were
glad they brought overcoats as the graveyard was blessed by Father O Hanlon before Mass
while the Rosary was recited.The field and graveyard had been well prepared by the Kenny
Family for the occassion.A date stone on the altar reminded us that the altar was erected
in year 2000. Last year the heavy rains prevented the ceremony taking place.
Many young babies were buried in Cloniffeen. Some adults were also buried there including
Tom and Mary Casey,who lived in what was later Taaffe's house.

All the week the Climate Change group have been encamped in a field near the power plant.
Yesterday they held another march through Shannonbridge shouting slogans.The one I heard
them chanting was "We Have A Protest". They appeared to cause no trouble but there were
a big turn out of Gardai and police cars. At one stage some of the protesters climbed
on top of some parked wagons of Milled Peat. A Garda asked one of the Shannonbridge people
what he thought should be done. He said that the power plant should be knocked and a nuclear
power plant be built in its place. One of the protesters said that there was a shortage of
uranium and he would not agree with a nuclear plant.The Shannonbridge man said there was plenty
of uranium, it was all hidden beneath the bogs. When the bogs were all used up the uranium
would be found.
The good breeze was blowing from the east on Saturday.

yesterday I met Yasmin Chaudhry from Long Island and presently studying biology at AIT in Athlone.
Yasmin and her friends Ruth from Utah and Rogers from Athlone had come to Shannonbridge
to look at the campsite. Yasmin said that her mother was a Groarke and that she was a niece of
the late Doctor Joe Groarke.If she reads this she may be interested in some family history
about her grandfather.

Yesterday wedding bells were a ringing in High Street Church for Michael Henry from High Street
and Aisling Mc Kiernan from Dublin.They had good weather for the occassion and the reception
took place in the Shearwater Hotel in Ballinasloe. Wishing them many happy days together.

The Irish Catholic dated 20th August had an account and photos of the Pilgrimage to Mamean in
Connemara, and the Youth 2000 three day event in Clonmacnois.www.irishcatholic.ie

Sunday 23rd August a Bill Gregory from Bedfordshire and now residing in Spain revisited
Shannonbridge.Bill first came to Shannonbridge in 1958 with his brother Ken on a fishing holiday.
They stayed with Mrs Mc Donagh in the end house near the bridge across from Luker's Bar.
He remembers that Tommy Corbett used to take them out in his boat fishing for pike, bream,
perch rudd etc and that Tommy Corbett was fond of singing.He remembers that Mrs Tim Killeen
that lived in the bungalow opposite Tommy Corbetts died during their stay.
He remembers Kathleen Coleman and that one of her brothers used to go out fishing with them every day.
Mrs Mc Donagh sent a present of a duck to the Gregory family at Christmas.
Bill remembers that his father had to clean out the innards on Christmas Day which were thrown
on the fire and set fire to the chimney. The fire brigade had to be called.
Bill stopped to see Mc Donaghs house and met Mary Allen, Mrs Mc Donagh's niece. He also met Tommy Corbett.
Bill Gregory is travelling with his friend Maureen. She told us that where they live in Spain
the temperature now is 43C. Bet they enjoyed the heavy shower of rain as they neared Clonmacnois.

Clonmacnois Parish Newsletter
Sunday 23rd Aug 2009 - 21B
Tel (090) 9674125 Fax (090) 9674267
Mass times: Shannonbridge: Weekend, 8pm (Sat), & 12 noon, Sun;
Weekdays, 10am. Clonfanlough – Sunday, 10.30am

Shannonbridge
Masses: Each day @ 10am
Last Sunday's Offertory collection: €576. Many Thanks
Church Cleaners: G.Brennan, D.Deeley, V.Hynes
Eucharistic ministers: Group 1
Readers for next Weekend: Group 4, S.Grennan, P.Duffy
Altar Servers for this week: Oisín, Michaela

¨¨¨¨
Clonfanlough
Last Sunday's Offertory collection: €197. Many Thanks
Church Cleaners: M.Kelly, M.Halligan
Readers for next Sunday: A. & L. Devery
Altar Servers for next Sunday: Group E
Eucharistic minister for next Sunday: N.Egan

“Clonmacnois Pioneer Centre wishes to thank all who subscribed to our Church Gate Collection. Total collected: €320.00”

Youth 2000 thank all who helped in any way with their recent Youth festival in Clonmacnois.
Questions people askQ. How can anyone today take St Paul seriously when he says that the husband is the head of his wife and wives should submit to their husbands in everything? A. To be fair to Paul read the full passage in Ephesians 3:21-32. Paul makes even greater demands on the husband. ‘Husbands should love their wives just as Christ loved the Church and sacrificed himself for her to make her holy.’ In fact, Paul was a pioneer in advocating the equality of male and female because he recognised how Christ Jesus destroyed the inequalities between Jew and Gentile, between slave and free, between male and female, ‘for you are all one in Christ Jesus’ (Gal 3:28). Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap
¨¨¨¨
Diocesan Pilgrimages
Knock: Sun 6th Sept; a bus will go from the Parish as usual. The Fare will include a morning snack & evening meal. If you wish to travel, please give your name to Darran Finnerty or Teresa Rohan ASAP.
In recent years the numbers going by bus have declined, which makes it difficult to sustain in a viable manner.
We make a special appeal to people to travel by bus with the group from the parish, as this has been a long-time tradition in the parish, and it would be a shame to have it end. Young people are particularly welcome.
Pattern Day Clonmacnois: Sun 13th Sept - commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the Papal visit.
Ceremonies begin @ 3pm; for pilgrim road walk assemble in Ballinahown @ 11am.
¨¨¨¨
West Offaly Ed Project – Enrolment Evenings for Night Classes.
In Clonfanlough Hall, Thurs 3rd Sept @ 7.30pm;
In Shannonbridge N.S. Thurs 10th Sept @ 8.30pm.
Courses on offer include FETAC level 5 Business Studies, Oil Painting, First Aid, Computers, Conversational Irish, etc.
For more info call Jolene/Michelle on 057-9351392
¨¨¨¨
Co Offaly Childminding Initiative have organised an exciting calendar of events for childminders. For info call 057-9370630.

GAA Junior B Football.
Well done to our Junior B team who secured a draw with Tullamore on Wednesday night, at the away venue, 1 - 9 each. We remain on track for the knock-out stages, where a win next weekend, against Erin's Rovers in the deferred game, will see us through.

Doon / Shannonbridge GAA Lotto.

Congratulations to last week's lotto winner - Sinead Carthy.

Clonmacnoise Studies

Saturday 3rd October 2009
Clonmacnoise National School

9a.m. - 5.30 p.m.

Topics; Recent Excavations including St. Ciaráns Well
New Technologies reveal the hidden Clonmacnoise
Discussions on Early Medieval cross slabs
Early History and Architecture
Field names of the Parish of Clonmacnoise

Speakers: Professor Thomas Charles-Edwards (Oxford),
Professor Dáibhí Ó Crónín (NUIG); Dr Thierry Daubos (NUIG),
Kevin Barton, Gavin Duffy, Heather A. King, Anne Carey,
Conleth Manning, Donald Murphy, Deirdre Murphy, Tim Young, Local historians Danny Edwards, Gus Claffey and Nuala Lowry
and others to be announced.

Nominal Seminar fee to cover Tea breaks and Lunch

For reservation and Further Information from Heather A. King / Laura Claffey
contact: clonmacnoiseseminar@environ.ie

20th August 2009
The Climate Change week focused all this week on Shannonbridge by the eco friendly group
is picking up the attention of TV, Radio and Press that they desire.
This week the Midland Tribune gives them front page coverage and they got mention on
Pat Kenny's Show on radio and got a slot on Wednesday TV news.
The Swedish couple that arrived yesterday have pitched their tent with Climate Change.

Best wishes to Claire Ganly nee Kennedy with her new Birr Boutique named Alexa.
They are located on O'Connell Street in Birr.

The Ulster Bank sponsor this years Dublin Theatre Festival. www.dublintheatrefestival.com
One of the attractions featured is the twice Booker nominated play,
Sebastian Barry's "Tales of Ballycumber".
Elsewhere in Dublin -
The Abbey has The Rivals by Richard Brinsley Sheridan
The Gaiety has Riverdance from mid June and finishing on 29th August.
The Gate Theatre present Laughter by Noel Coward.
The James Joyce Centre has I Am Of Ireland - an entertainment on the life and work of Noel Coward.

Lots of rain today and there are lots of blue lines forecast for the next five days.


The OPW have brought out two volumes of books on Clonmacnois and a third one Volume 3
is scheduled to be launched in October.

Tuesday 18th August Henrik Olsson and Lovisa Borjeson from Sweden stopped by.
They are visiting Ireland for three weeks thumbing their way and camping at night.
Last night they were in Athlone and pitched their camp outside a football pitch.
Some men going to work at the pitch in the morning brought them in for breakfast
and a chat. They were heading for Clonmacnois from Shannonbridge.

Ritchie Green from Ballinasloe stopped by on Tuesday. Ritchie is very interested
in history and brought in a copy of a book titled "King's and Queen's Counties -
The Members of Parliament for 1585 - 1800 " by Patrick F Meehan.
Henry Peisley L'estrange was MP for Banagher 1735 - 1760.
He was responsible for building the bridge at Shannonbridge and L'estranges Bridge
in Clara.
The book was printed in 2001 by Imperial Print and Design ISBN 0 86335 043 7

George Strierer from Tyrol in Austria is on a boating holiday on the River Shannon.
George appears to have a deep interest in historical places. Today he visited Clonmacnois
and his party used their bicycles to visit the Clonfinlough Stone.
On Wednesday they plan to use their bikes to visit Saint Brendan's in Clonfert and
Our Lady of Clonfert and Emmanuel House of Prayer.
They will visit Meelick Church when they travel further downstream.
George was interested in the various connections between Irish Monasteries and
ones on the Continent. He believes that the Monastery at Melk built around 1200 has
Irish connectionselk is still run as a monastery and a private school.

Today I checked the Irish Independent Calendar to see what Feast Day was on 15th August.
Not a mention of The Feast of The Assumption. It is also ommitted from their Christian
Religeous Calendar located on a page that gives feast dates for a number of religeons.
I noticed that next Saturday 22nd August is the First Day of Ramadan.

Yesterday 16th August the Youth 2000 Mass at Clonmacnois had one bishop and about 30 priests
celebrating. A family living near Clonmacnois attended the Mass and were very impressed.
The son told us that the ceremony lasted over two hours but the time flew.
A five piece band played gospel music for about 20 minutes during the Mass and for 15 minutes
after the ceremony. The father in this family changed his car recently after 15 years and
told a neighbour that the old car had given him great service and he hoped the replacement
would give him the same good service. The owner is 90 years old and good for him.
On Saturday I met a priest from Salthill that was attending Youth 2000 and he told me that
Bishop Colm O Reilly had given an excellent homily on Saturday for the Feast of The Assumption.
I wondered if it was a prepared typed homily but he was of the opinion that it was offthe cuff.
So chances of getting a copy for this site are slim.

Brian one of those attending Youth 2000 lost a blue weatherproof jacket and can be contacted at 0860532255

For people with Broadband you might like to do a search on "shannon bridge. Note the gap in theshannon and bridge.
A Gentlemans Gazette tells of a butler that poisoned his employer.
www.askaboutireland.ie has Griffiths Valuation 1850. Note that Shannonbridge is listed under two headings -
Cloiffeen covers south of the village.
Raghra covers north of the village.

Guinness Brewery are celebrating 250 years of Uncle Arthur in September and their television adverts mention
tickets are to be had at guinness.com Just curious.

There is a Community Threshing Festival at the Blackbull, Sharavogue, Birr on Sunday 31st August
They are selling tickets in ais of a car park development at Ballybitt Church with A Bull Calf
as first prize with raffle on that night. Tickets cost 3 for 5Euro. They also have prizes of a Hamper
and One Tonne of Briquettes

Puzzle from Tom Kelly. 10 10 10 = 950 Make sense of this with one stroke of the pen.

Marian, Tom, Cloe, David, Martina and Ger from Wellington Bridge in Wexford hired an Athlone Cruiser
for the August Bank Holiday and visited Shannonbridge. They told us that this was their 6th year to
hire an Athlone Cruiser.

Mary Bermingham has a grandniece named Carissa Farrell who is a director of Visual which is centre for
contemporary art & the George Bernard Shaw Theatre which I think is based in Carlow town.
They have a website www.visualcarlow.ie
When I first met Carissa I told her that she had a funny name and she was not pleased.

Booraparklands.com have a website showing their attractions. Probably put www in first.

Someone told me recently that Glycerine was invented by a chemist from Athlone named Lyster.

Michael and Audrey Scotney and their friends Derek and Delia were over from England recently
to attend a wedding in Belfast. On their way they spent two nights in Ballinasloe and met
up with old friends from the Gala Fishing Week and attended Roscommon Race Meeting.
They had planned to stop for two night in Cavan on their way to Belfast.
Pat Lawless kindly copied a CD called James Gunn sings Irish + Country which is 12 songs
recorded as a tribute to Watty Frater. Recorded on Jag Records Digital 2006.

The brother and Kieran Coakley went on a river cruise downstream to Meelick today.
They went ashore and visited Ireland's oldest working church which was built in 1414.
Needless to say they enjoyed the river and the visit to Meelick Church.

Had to refill three nut feeders for the small birds yesterday and some clean water.
On the electric wires on the roadside a number of swallows have begun to perch and sing.
This is their gathering place prior for departure in a few weeks time.
Glad to hear that Aidan Kelly has succeeded in capturing another wild mink which are
causing havoc with bird and fish life. These mink got loose from mink farms many years ago
and appear to have no natural enemy. Well done Aidan.

Remember that the Mass in Cloniffeen Children's Cemetry takes place on Friday 21nd August @ 7pm

Photgraphs of Sister Monica Claffey Clerhane, taken at the recent celebration
of her 93rd birthday in Dublin can be seen at
http//www.shannonbridge.com/photos/photo/sr-monica-claffey/
Thanks to her nephew Padraig Turley for the photographs and to our editor Kerrill

Today 15th August was a Church Holyday and Youth 2000 based in Clonmacnois had some 800 youths in attendance.
Bishop Colm O Reilly celebrated Mass and the popular Brookly Bishop Frank Caggiano has returned to speak.
Today I met Fiona Murphy and Felicity Mc Kee from Armagh who are attending the weekend. They travelled by bus
with about 50 youths
from Dungannon,Newry,Belfast, Donegal and Armagh. They arrived Thursday and the weekend finishes on Sunday.
They told us that there are about 20 priests attending even some from Argentina and Africa and nuns from everywhere
of different varieties.
They have camp-beds and sleep in one of the special tents that have been erected. They have visited the Clonmacnois
monastic site and had breakfast in the coffee shop. Fiona was surprised that there was no toast on the campsite
and both agreed that the food was not great. They had made use of the local minibus service to come to Shannonbridge.
They promised to e-mail their impressions of the weekend and if they do they will be posted here.
Father Christy O Connor is on cover duty in the parish for the weekend. He knows about Youth 2000 and had seen
the erected tents. There is a full programme for the weekend. Visit youth2000.

Yesterday I met James Madden from Whitstable Kent who is a son of James Madden, Birchgrove.Ballinasloe.
His Grand-parents were Tom Madden and Mary Ellen Boylan. Mary Ellen was a daughter of Michael and Agnes Boylan
from Rapemills,Birr. Tom Madden was a policeman and went off to America.
James is now trying to trace cousins. If anyone has information for him contact him at maddenjimmy@aol.com

Today 15th August a Kathleen Kelly from Ahascragh and now married in Manchester stopped by with her daughter
who is a teacher in Guernsey ?. Kathleen told us that she attended Newtown School and her best friend there
was Mary Killeen our cousin from Togher. They have not met since they left school many years ago.
Kathleen was visiting her cousin Kieran Kelly, Leharrow who is celebrating his 80th birthday in a few weeks.
She gave me her phone number and hopefully Mary Killeen now Fahy will give her a call this week.

Yesterday 14th August a group of 28 people from Boston stopped by.There were parents and friends and a
ladies basketball team called The Wild Cats in the party. One of the parents was Ray Martin, son of Val Martin
from Ballinasloe and ex Bord na Mona. They had visited Clonmacnois and promised to look at the Shannonbridge bridge
from the quayside. The Wild Cats have played two games so far,winning one and losing one.

Thanks to Karina Hynes for the Cyprus currency note which has now been added to the collection in Killeens Bar.

Enquiry. What kind of fish do you catch in the River Shannon ?
Mostly pike and perch and whales.
What type of whales do you catch ?
Mostly bicycle whales.

The village of Lorrha have their own website under www.lorrhadorrha.ie

Good to hear that Jack Conway and friends are returning to Shannonbridge next June as Jack is a piano player
as well as an angler.

During the week Philip and Dale Brown from New Zealand stopped by. John is interested in his family tree
and would appreciate some help or information with it.
Philip's grandfather was Philip Malone and his grandmother was Molly.
Philip's parents were John Brown and his mother was Theresa Malone.
John Brown he went to New Zealand when he was aged 16. Later he returned to Scotland and married Theresa Malone
and went back to New Zealand.John never returned for 37 years.
If you have any information on that family tree contact Philip by e-mail at panddbrown@clear.net.nz

Shannonbridge GAA

Senior Football.
Our Senior footballers have finished bottom of their group and now face a relegation playoff to retain their status. A good performance against Shamrocks, which resulted in a two point defeat, was followed by a loss to Ballycumber, last week, on a scoreline of 1-9 to 1-15. Last night's final group game ended in a very heavy defeat at the hands of county champions Rhode.

Junior Football.
The Junior B team top their group, after two rounds, with a draw against St. Rynaghs and a win against neighbours Doon. Next game is against Erins Rovers at Pollagh on Sunday next at 12 noon.

Clonmacnois Parish Newsletter
Sunday 9th Aug 2009 - 19th Sun B
Tel (090) 9674125 Fax (090) 9674267
Mass times: Shannonbridge - Weekend, 8pm (Sat), & 12noon Sun;
Weekdays, 10am. Clonfanlough - Sunday, 10.30am
Shannonbridge
Masses: Mon, Tues, Thurs @ 10am, Wed, @ 9.30am
Sat is the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady – a Holy Day;
Vigil Mass on Fri @ 8pm; Mass on Sat @ 12 noon
Last Sunday's Offertory collection: €505. Many Thanks
Church Cleaners: A.Ryan, L.Turley, M.Mitchell
Eucharistic ministers: Group 3
Readers for next Weekend: Group 2, C.Casey, E.Quinn
Altar Servers for this week: Athene, Aoife.
Mass on next Sun for Edward & Annie McManus & family deceased
¨¨¨¨
Clonfanlough
Mass for the Feast of the Assumption on Sat @ 10.30am
Last Sunday's Offertory collection: €265. Many Thanks
Church Cleaners: C.Healy, T.Milner
Readers for next Sunday: H.Coughlan
Altar Servers for next Sunday: Group C Eucharistic minister for next Sunday: B.Coughlan


Diocesan Pilgrimages
Knock: Sun 6th Sept; Pattern Day Clonmacnois: Sun 13th Sept
Sun 6th Sept; a bus will go from the Parish as usual to Knock. The Fare will include a morning snack & evening meal. If you wish to travel, please give your name to Darran Finnerty or Teresa Rohan ASAP.
In recent years the numbers going by bus have declined, which makes it difficult to sustain in a viable manner.
We make a special appeal to people to travel by bus with the group from the parish, as this has been a long-time tradition in the parish, and it would be a shame to have it end. Young people are particularly welcome.
¨¨¨¨
Youth 2000 plan to have their Summer Festival at Clonmacnois from 13th - 16th August. The theme will be 'Know that the Living God is among you'. Visit www.youth2000.ie or call 01-6753690
They are also looking for volunteers to host some of the priests & religious, who will be attending the Festival.
They also seek helpers on site for a variety of tasks.
Bishop Frank Caggiano from Brooklyn Diocese will be the main speaker. He is considered to be inspirational.
For more info call 086-3025442 or 01-6753690.
¨¨¨¨
Questions people askQ. I did a weekend programme called the Enneagram which I found very helpful in understanding myself and others. But now somebody tells me it is against our religion as it comes from a non-Christian source. A. I also found the Enneagram very enlightening. The fact that it originated among Sufi (Islamic) mystics does not make it bad or dangerous. The Old Testament writers used pagan sources for their stories of creation and the flood. Jewish religious feasts were developed on the foundation of earlier pagan festivals. Similarly, Christians took the pagan celebration of mid-winter as the time to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Saint Patrick referred the pagan fire of Spring to the rising of Christ. God’s presence is not confined to Christians! (Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap)

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‘BreastCheck will be offering free X-rays to women aged 50 -64 years in the Offaly area from the 12th Aug. Women will receive an appointment by post. For more info call 1800-454555.’

Clonmacnois Parish Newsletter
Sunday 9th Aug 2009 - 19th Sun B
Tel (090) 9674125 Fax (090) 9674267
Mass times: Shannonbridge - Weekend, 8pm (Sat), & 12noon Sun;
Weekdays, 10am. Clonfanlough - Sunday, 10.30am
Shannonbridge
Masses: Mon, Tues, Thurs @ 10am, Wed, @ 9.30am
Sat is the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady – a Holy Day;
Vigil Mass on Fri @ 8pm; Mass on Sat @ 12 noon
Last Sunday's Offertory collection: €505. Many Thanks
Church Cleaners: A.Ryan, L.Turley, M.Mitchell
Eucharistic ministers: Group 3
Readers for next Weekend: Group 2, C.Casey, E.Quinn
Altar Servers for this week: Athene, Aoife.
Mass on next Sun for Edward & Annie McManus & family deceased
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Clonfanlough
Mass for the Feast of the Assumption on Sat @ 10.30am
Last Sunday's Offertory collection: €265. Many Thanks
Church Cleaners: C.Healy, T.Milner
Readers for next Sunday: H.Coughlan
Altar Servers for next Sunday: Group C Eucharistic minister for next Sunday: B.Coughlan


Diocesan Pilgrimages
Knock: Sun 6th Sept; Pattern Day Clonmacnois: Sun 13th Sept
Sun 6th Sept; a bus will go from the Parish as usual to Knock. The Fare will include a morning snack & evening meal. If you wish to travel, please give your name to Darran Finnerty or Teresa Rohan ASAP.
In recent years the numbers going by bus have declined, which makes it difficult to sustain in a viable manner.
We make a special appeal to people to travel by bus with the group from the parish, as this has been a long-time tradition in the parish, and it would be a shame to have it end. Young people are particularly welcome.
¨¨¨¨
Youth 2000 plan to have their Summer Festival at Clonmacnois from 13th - 16th August. The theme will be 'Know that the Living God is among you'. Visit www.youth2000.ie or call 01-6753690
They are also looking for volunteers to host some of the priests & religious, who will be attending the Festival.
They also seek helpers on site for a variety of tasks.
Bishop Frank Caggiano from Brooklyn Diocese will be the main speaker. He is considered to be inspirational.
For more info call 086-3025442 or 01-6753690.
¨¨¨¨
Questions people askQ. I did a weekend programme called the Enneagram which I found very helpful in understanding myself and others. But now somebody tells me it is against our religion as it comes from a non-Christian source. A. I also found the Enneagram very enlightening. The fact that it originated among Sufi (Islamic) mystics does not make it bad or dangerous. The Old Testament writers used pagan sources for their stories of creation and the flood. Jewish religious feasts were developed on the foundation of earlier pagan festivals. Similarly, Christians took the pagan celebration of mid-winter as the time to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Saint Patrick referred the pagan fire of Spring to the rising of Christ. God’s presence is not confined to Christians! (Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap)

¨¨¨¨
‘BreastCheck will be offering free X-rays to women aged 50 -64 years in the Offaly area from the 12th Aug. Women will receive an appointment by post. For more info call 1800-454555.’

Climate Camp in Shannonbridge

We have been contacted by Ian Clotworty about an upcoming 'Climate Camp' event in the area -
http://www.climatecamp.ie

You are probably already aware of the Climate Camp taking place in the coming weeks near Shannonbridge. I, one of the organisers, am writing to let you know about an information evening for the residents of the area taking place in the old school across the road from the church. The day is this friday, 7th August and the time is 8pm. We would like to get plenty of people at it so they know what is going to happen before it does, who we are, what the camp would be like, and also to take the opportunity to make a personal invitation to visit, learn, teach, participate or help out at the camp. We have put up posters that you might notice.

Chimneys Demolition Slideshow

Derry has forwarded on a slide show of the ESB chimney coming down on the 24th of July.

If you missed the demolition, you can see the slideshow here by clicking on this link.

http://www.shannonbridge.com/site_media/pressroom/documents/2009/Aug/05/S-Bridge_Chimney_24_July_2009.pdf

Clonmacnois Parish Newsletter
Sunday 2nd Aug 2009 -18 B
Tel (090) 9674125 Fax (090) 9674267
Mass times: Shannonbridge: Weekend, 8pm (Sat), & 12 noon, Sun;
Weekdays, 10am. Clonfanlough – Sunday, 10.30am
Shannonbridge
Masses: Each day @ 10am; Adoration of First Fri until 5pm.
Last Sunday's Offertory collection: €205. Sat eve, €829. Many Thanks.
Church Cleaners: K.Price, C.Curley, P.Anderson
Eucharistic ministers: Group 2
Readers for next Weekend: Group 1, D.Finnerty, P.Corbett
Altar Servers for this week: Megan, Andrea
Mass on next Sun for the late Kieran Hynes

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Clonfanlough
Mass on First Fri @ 7pm
Last Sunday's Offertory collection: €258. Many Thanks
Church Cleaners: B.Maleney, H.Hynes
Readers for next Sunday: D.Norton
Altar Servers for next Sunday: Group B
Eucharistic minister for next Sunday: A.Rohan

Blessing of Graves In Glebe on Mon 3rd Aug @ 7.pm
Questions people askQ. What was the manna from heaven? A. It was the food provided by God for the Israelites during the Exodus. The name means ‘What is this?’ It was described as white, powdery stuff, like hoarfrost. There were three important points about it. It was a gift from God: it demanded trusting God’s promise because people were instructed to gather only sufficient for each day: and it satisfied every taste as ‘it transformed itself into whatever each eater wished’ (Wis 16:21). The Gospel of John regards the manna as foreshadowing the Bread of Life offered by Jesus – a wonderful gift of God, taken on trust in Jesus’ words, and responding to every need. (Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM )
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Diocesan Pilgrimages
Knock: Sun 6th Sept; Pattern Day Clonmacnois: Sun 13th Sept
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We welcome into the Christian Community Ellen Parker, daughter of Tommy & Dympna, Carrowkeel, who was baptised last weekend.
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Fr John Killeen will celebrate Mass for his Golden Jubilee on Sun 9th Aug @ 4pm in Shannonbridge Church.
Refreshments afterwards in the Hall. All welcome.
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Shannonbridge Library will be closed for the month of August.
¨¨¨¨
Youth 2000 plan to have their Summer Festival at Clonmacnois from 13th - 16th August. The theme will be 'Know that the Living God is among you'. Visit www.youth2000.ie or call 01-6753690
They are also looking for volunteers to host some of the priests & religious, who will be attending the Festival.
They also seek helpers on site for a variety of tasks.
Bishop Frank Caggiano from Brooklyn Diocese will be the main speaker. He is considered to be inspirational.
For more info call 086-3025442 or 01-6753690.
¨¨¨¨
Strange but true
“The only difference between a saint and a sinner is that every saint has a past and every sinner has a future”





Believe it or not!!
I read this piece recently. I cannot vouch for its veracity, but it is very interesting.
‘How It Used To BeNext time you are washing your hands and complain because the watertemperature isn't just how you like it, think about how things used tobe..Here are some facts about the 1500s:Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath inMay and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were startingto smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odour.Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the househad the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons andmen, then the women and finally the children-last of all the babies. Bythen the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it-hencethe saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water."Houses had thatched roofs -- thick straw -- piled high, with no woodunderneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all thedogs, cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. Whenit rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip andfall off the roof -- hence the saying "It's raining cats and dogs."There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This poseda real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings couldreally mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and asheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy bedscame into existence.The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt,hence the saying "dirt poor." The wealthy had slate floors that wouldget slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) onthe floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they keptadding more thresh until when you opened the door it would all startslipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entranceway --hence, a "thresh hold."In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle thatalways hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added thingsto the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. Theywould eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get coldovernight and then start over the next day. Sometimes the stew had foodin it that had been there for quite a while -- hence the rhyme, "peasporridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine daysold."Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special.When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. Itwas a sign of wealth that a man "could bring home the bacon." They wouldcut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and "chewthe fat."Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with a high acidcontent caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing leadpoisoning and death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for thenext 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.Most people did not have pewter plates, but had trenchers, a piece ofwood with the middle scooped out like a bowl. Often trenchers were madefrom stale bread, which was so old and hard that they could be used forquite some time. Trenchers were never washed and a lot of times wormsand mould got into the wood and old bread. After eating off wormy,mouldy trenchers, one would get "trench mouth."Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom ofthe loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or "uppercrust."Lead cups were used to drink ale or whiskey. The combination wouldsometimes knock them out for a couple of days. Someone walking along theroad would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They werelaid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family wouldgather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wakeup-hence the custom of holding a "wake."In England local folks started running out of places to bury people. Sothey would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a "bone-house" andreuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins werefound to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they hadbeen burying people alive. So they thought they would tie a string onthe wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through theground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in thegraveyard all night (the "graveyard shift") to listen for the bell;thus, someone could be "saved by the bell" or was considered a "deadringer."And that's the truth...and whoever said that History was boring?’!