Today 7th Jan 2010 I asked Mary to make a list of the birds feeding
on the shed roof and the peanut feeders.Here is her list -
20 Goldfinch, 8 Chaff Finch, 1 Green Finch, 1 Robin, 1 Linnet,
1 Willow Warbler (new arrival), 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Dunnock,
2 Blue Tit, 1 Great Tit, 1 Coal Tit, 6 Starlings, 6 Crows,
2 Black Birds, 1 Willy Wagtail,

A phone in quiz on radio today asked "Spideog is Irish for robin,
true or false ?"

Was trying to think who co-starred with Donal Donnelly in the original
Philadelphia Here I Come and came up with the name Patrick Bedford
which the cousin Kaye confirmed last night.
At the John Dolan viewing last evening I remembered the last time that
I spoke to John was on a small lake on Lough Corrib when we had gone out
to see the remains of a monastery founded by a nephew of Saint Patrick.
When we pulled in the boat we noticed another lake boat already moored.
As we walked towards the monastic ruins a voice hailed from the trees
"How are they all in Shannonbridge"?. It was John Dolan and his son in law
who had landed on the island for a lunch break after fishing on the
lake. Our God has a special place for fishermen
and John was a good one.