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.