The prayers for rain last Sunday certainly seemed to work.
Around Tuesday the weather took up and it continues.
Some of the local boatowners went on a trip to Carrick-on-Shannon
and Mick took the brother Jim and his wife Maureen along on a
marvellous trip.They just returned in time for Pattern Sunday in
Clonmacnois today.There was bright sunshine for the Mass at 3pm
celebrated by Bishop Colm O Reilly. Before Mass Father Aidan Ryan
told us that it was 30 years since Pope John Paul visited Clonmacnois
and 40 years since the present sanctuary was dedicated by Cardinal
Cathal Daly.Pat Killeen was telling me afterwards that the first Mass
since Cromwell was celebrated in Clonmacnois in 1937. At that time an
Altar was erected outside the cathedral facing north.
The Polish Community in Dublin attended in numbers bearing flags and
banners.Many people walked The Pilgrim's Way from near Ballinahown.
The provincial of The Franciscans gave the homily.
Afterwards Bishop O Reilly mentioned that the Franciscans were celebrating
some 800 years since their pilgrimage to Rome.
Saint Ciaran died on 09 09 543 and that is not his phone number.
I shared a place on a tomb with a couple from Clonfert who told me that
Banagher Fair was also on today.Back in Shannonbridge I met a daughter
of Mick Coughlan from The Callows - Josie Cassidy nee Coughlan lives in
Kilcormac and told that she has lots of information on the Coughlans.
Many of her family attended the Pattern.

Met Johnny Coleman yesterday who is home on a holiday from Sydney with his
daughter. They were in time to attend an Irish Wake as it were,as three
local boys Rory O Connor from Clonmacnois, David Corbett from Shannonbridge
and Anthony Reddy from Ballinahown are heading for Australia in a weeks time.
They plan to travel via South America on their way.
Last night their friends gathered in Shannonbridge to partake of some roast
lamb prepared by Ciaran O Connor for the wake.Wishing them well on their travel
and new life in Australia.