Today Tuesday Maureen Kelly arrived home after visiting with
her son Jason in New York.Maureen looked jet lagged after the flight
but she took time to check the Health Center of which she is
caretaker.She was surprised to find a dead bird,a blue tit,resting
on a window. During the recent cold spell the bird must have gained
entry. Maureen told us that Jason is in great form and she enjoyed
the short visit.

Mrs Mary Glennon, 105 years of age, from Moore died on
Friday 15th January and her funeral has taken place on 17th January.
May she rest in peace.

Ray Walsh tells me that comments are being posted on the
www.athlone.ie web-site including some on the recent BBC TV
program 'Three Men Go to Ireland'

On Sunday last a group of 14 local people travelled to Dublin
to attend an afternoon concert in The National Concert Hall.
Titled "Top Hat, White Tie, & Tails" the concert was given by
The Pasadena Roof Orchestra of some nine musicans and two vocalists
and four dancers. It was a very enjoyable show and many of those
attending were able to make use of the free travel on rail and bus.

The RTE Vanbrugh Quartet, made up of artists in residence at
University College Cork,are touring Ireland on a February Tour.
They are scheduled to play Cork / Shannonbridge / Navan / Dublin
and Kilkenny.
They will play Shannonbridge on Friday 5th February at 8.30pm
in The Old Fort Resturant.Tickets are 20 Euros each and includes
a glass of wine.Booking 090 96 74973
They will feature String Quartets by Mozart,Shostakovich and
Beethoven.
Pre concert meal available from 6pm.

Good to see Clare Kennedy from Birr at the weekend. Clare has two children
and has her own Ladies clothes shop in Birr.Clare is a daughter of
Joe Kennedy and the late Sally Kennedy.

Seems that you need a good mobile phone or a fast computer to download
Amhran na bhFiann from Nokia free. From http://short.ie/6d5vdO

John Grenham in his Irish Roots feature in the Irish Times yesterday
tells us that there are some excellent developments on the National
Library site (www.nli.ie)

Pat Killeen spotted a death notice on the paper last week for
McDonald (nee Murphy) Maura,Booterstown,County Dublin. Maura Murphy
was reared in Ballinasloe and her father Jack Murphy was a teacher
in Garbally College. Pat remembered the last time that she had met
Maura was many years ago when Pat and Doc were in Switzers shop in
Dublin. Walking up the stairs she met a woman that looked familiar.
She asked her was she a Murphy and sure enough it was Maura.
Maura leaves a husband Sidney,five children and a sister Deirdre.
May she rest in peace.

West Offaly Education Project have an Awards Night and Enrolement
Evening on Thursday 21st of January in Shannonbridge National School
at 7,30 p.m.They have eight courses on offer and are open to running
other courses if there is interest and sufficient numbers.

Ray Walsh has a car that tells the temperature. Last evening while
travelling from Tullamore to Cloghan he noticed that the temperature
was minus 1C. Some twenty minutes later in Shannonbridge it read 5C.
A plus for Shannonbridge no doubt.