Monday turned out to be a beautiful day after being a little chilly earlier on.The river has been busy for the May Bank Holiday with visitors both on water and dry land.Around noon Jill and Don Kittel stopped off in Shannonbridge by car.They are from Adelaide Australia and were looking forward to going on the Bog Rail Tour which alas is not running again this year.Maybe the World Bank will have a look at it after our banks and Greece has been sorted out.
Anyhow the Kittels told us that Don's Great Great Grandparents fled to Australia from Prussia as a result of a religeous persecution while Jill's family originated in England.
They are based in Athlone and plan to visit Clonmacnois and The Boora Parklands today.
Judging by the Five-Day weather forecast they are in for a few good days with maybe an odd shower of rain on Wednesday.

Thomas Carty was down for the weekend with Margaret and Tom.He went fishing yesterday but caught nothing.Maybe tonight he will get to play a game of 25 if they stay over.

Annie Madden Brackernagh Ballinasloe has passed away and was laid to rest today.Annie was wife of the late Christy Madden and they leave a large family.Mary reminded us that one of her daughters once taught in Shannonbridge school and she also has passed away.
May they rest in peace.

Derek Mooney on radio has a 'Mooney Goes Wild' side to him.This year his radio show fitted cameras beamed on a robin's nest.Recently they fitted cameras on a Blue Tit bird up in Aras an Uachtarain.Our President is patron of an organisation for wild birds.Today on the program The President wished the project well and talked to Derek Mooney. Later the man in charge of the bird/camera project told Derek that at the time President McAleese was recording her best wishes the Blue Tit laid its first egg.Seems that they lay an egg a day and often have a nest of eleven eggs.
It is possible to view the progress on a website but unfortunately I failed to pick it up.Hopefully Rose or somebody can put it on this web.

Tomorrow Tuesday is Rory McIlroy's 21st Birthday.He had a brilliant final round at Quail Hollow yesterday to take first prize.
Congratulations and Happy Birthday.