On Sunday 20th September Simon Hynes was telling us that he has sold
the hand built rocking chair mentioned here recently.The proper way
to view it is at donedeal.ie and select hand built rocking chair.
Last time the view address was incorrect. But somebody in Galway that
was looking for a rocking chair for a present found the reference on
this site and phoned Simon and bought the rocking chair.

On Sunday the remains of Andy Rocke, Clonfinlough was removed to the
local church.On our way home we went via Belmont and had a lok at
Larry's Old Time Village which is well worth a visit.Lots of minature
thatched houses and gardens and walkways and small stone walls.
Then we visited Brian Kenny and met his sister Francie who is home from
London.

My notes tell that an old Irish cure for bronchiatus is to go to a well
on May Day at dawn and wash your chest

Today Charles and Ann Kimbel from Tennessee visited Shannonbridge.They
were disappointed that the Bog Rail Tour was no longer operating.They
visited Clonmacnois and had a look at the bridge and fortifications from
the river side.Charles and Ann have rented a self catering cottage on
Lough Derg for a week while they have a goo look around.

Later a group of eight Canadians stopped by.They had hired a large cruiser
at Carrick on Shannon for a week and will leave it at Portumna.It is their
first visit to Ireland and Williams and Cole are among the surnames.They
went driving around part of Ireland last week including Clare and Galway.
The Williams man told us that he had located and met a third cousin.

News today of the death of Mick Flannery in San Francisco.Mick was a brother
of Ciaran Flannery who died recently in Athlone.Both were sons of the late
Stephen and Mamie Flannery who lived in Crevagh and Shannonbridge one time.
May all the dead rest in peace.

The recent good weather has continued and it is good to see the five-day
forecast on todays Irish Times has a happy sun showing each day. After the
special Mass in Ard Chiarain on Monday evening for the recommencement of
meetings of the Active Retirement Group the priest was telling us that they
were getting a little rain in East Africa.Say a prayer that they get more.
Ken Smith was telling us that where he lives in California they have not had
rain since last February.

Met the two Murrays last week.Pat Murray lives in San Francisco and his sister
Sarah lives in Roscommon.They were born in Lacken,Rahara and lived near
Carramunia where my mother Elizabeth Killeen nee Murray grew up.There seemed
to be about five Murray families in that area just off the Athlone Curraghboy
road near Four Roads.My sister Doc has plans to visit the area for a look around.

Arthur Guinness is celebrating 250th Anniversary of his brew tomorrow.