I hope every body has had a good break, with St Patrick’s day and the Easter week end, I must say Roundstone was quite busy, hopefully this is a good omen for the forth coming season.

Easter Egg Hunt at Errisbeg House;
Yesterday we had the annual Children’s Easter egg hunt here at Errisbeg, golly what a turn out of youngsters, and I have to add parents; we were so lucky yet again with the weather. My thanks, to Christopher Mc Donagh, Jonathon Magee, and Martin Dooley, Ian Mc Donagh and Shane Mannion and to one of the best youth adult Leaders to work with Geraldine Coyne for her and every bodys invaluable help, also to all those that gave the extra eggs, Mary King, Shelia Magee, Bernie Mullen, Joanne and Ann Conneely, plus the visitors, the white familly and a very special thanks to Mary McDonagh, (shoulders wife) who spent a lot of time knitting, little chickens, and placing an small egg inside, so cute, what you don’t realize Mary, I hope you will do the same for next year, your chickens was a real hit with small people, also to thank all the shops in Roundstone holding the sheets of two Euro’s a line, the monies raised after expenses was a staggering €588.76, which will go along way for future outings. The first prize of the giant Rabbit went to Jackie Kilmartin, 2nd prize went to Michael John Conneely, and the third prize went to Master Joe Vaughan, son of Jim Vaughan, a huge thanks to you all

Mary Manning.
Paddy the Yanks daughter Tracy who lives in America, sent me an email relating to her family, in particular to Mary Manning’s son, Erik Manning, was recently named Deputy Grand Marshall of the Bay Ridge St. Patrick’s Day Parade (to be held in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn on March 30th). There was a dinner dance on Feb 22nd in which all the Manning / McDonagh family were present to honor him. Attached is a picture of the Manning family. From left to right is Gene, Erik, Paul, Mary, Eugene.

Also, Tracy’s uncle Michael “Mickey” McDonagh passed away on Sunday, March 2nd. The funeral mass was held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church on Thursday, March 6th. Mickey’s wife Linda asked Erik Manning to give the eulogy which is pasted below. I don’t have time to read the eulogy out, however I will put it up on the Roundstone website, it tells a nice story.

Mickey McDonagh
Mickey McDonagh was many different things to many different people. He was a son, a brother, a husband, a father, an uncle, a cousin, a football player, a bartender, a drinking buddy, the guy you owe money to, and often the guy that just hit you for no apparent reason.
If we weren’t in a church I’m sure we could come up with a whole other list of adjectives that sometimes described him, ones that rhyme with phrases like mother trucker, son of a witch, and pain in the mass. In fact, the last word we got from heaven this morning was he already had words with two of the apostles and laid out John the Baptist.
But even when he had you calling him names like that, he could turn it around in an instant and the next thing you know the two of you were either doing a shot or crying about “the old country” even though many of his victims never left 58th Street never mind traveled to Ireland.
He would call you every name in the book, kiss the girl you were with right on the mouth and point out every character flaw you had in 30 seconds, and yet everyone loved him. How many people in the world can you say that about?

And why do you think that was the case? Because if you really new Mickey and got to go on the other side of the hard wall he put around himself, you found one of the kindest, most caring men you’ve ever seen. And his generosity was so great that at times it was a flaw. And I think that fact was driven home over the last year or so by the droves of people that came out of the woodwork to visit Mickey in the hospital, and over the last couple of days with the number of people that came to Cosgroves
Now, I want to thank everyone for coming today but I think its about time we let you in on a little secret. If Mickey didn’t either throw a punch at you or give you a nickname in all the time he knew you, there is a very good chance he didn’t like you.

When you think of the list of people from chop chop the Chinese Restaurant guy to the bug man McNamara to square head Jenzen.

Often times uncle Mick scored low points for creativity when he went to the old reliable method of simply using the persons name and there nationality, like Pilipino Ray and Puerto Rican Johnny. Then there was the standard name and occupation tag like Pete the electrician or Tommy clean, but the fact remained. If he liked you, you were in; you were one of his people.

Maybe it wasn’t the most exclusive fraternity and on occasion the hazing was unmerciful, but you were one of his guys, and you could be damn sure the good times outweighed the bad and the drinking would continue until the morale improved…or he wanted to go take a nap on the couch with the cat.

There were rules though, if you had the money, spend it, because there was probably someone in the group that was struggling at the time, and there would almost certainly be a time when you were struggling that the rest of the gang would pick you up.

Also, nothing was off limits in the way of insults and every stereotype was true. If you were gay he’d let you know when a handsome guy came in. If you were black he’d read slower to you assuming you were illiterate. The overweight had first crack at all the food. If you had bad teeth he would try to set you up with a dentist, and I don’t mean for an appointment, I mean romantically.

He constantly pushed and prodded everyone’s friendship to the point where you would say “that’s it, I’m thru with Mickey McDonagh” and yet the very next day everyone would be back for more. Who else can you say that about?

To see him in a bar would leave you in amazement, it was like he transformed from Mickey McDonagh to Mickey Mantle, with a Budweiser nip for a bat and a bottle of Hennessey as his glove. He knew everyone in the place, most loved him, some hated him, but those that did were so far outnumbered they had no choice but to eventually join the majority or be banished to a lesser pub that had no Irish music in the jukebox.
He wasn’t the type of guy that would give money to a homeless man. He was the type of guy that would bring the homeless guy into the bar, get him so drunk he forgot his own name then bring him to his house for Christmas dinner, give him the shirt off his back, and put him in the bed with Linda.

I know that “the shirt off your back” is an overused expression in today’s day and time, but when you walk back to the Green Isle after this ceremony you will see the bums with the Currans and Galway Arms staff shirts and you will know I’m not exaggerating. Somewhere right now there is a man on the R train wearing a Rob Roy shirt and the bars been closed for 20 years?

He practiced a brand of tough love that will probably never be repeated in society cause no one could get away with it in this day and age, and who else would tolerate it anyway.

So today while we grieve the loss of my uncle, Mickey McDonagh, we also try to celebrate his life, and all the good he brought into the lives of others. Don’t look back in anger thinking of what might have been if he had changed his lifestyle, think of all the good times shared when he was enjoying his ways. Focus on the good and remain positive. Instead of thinking of the slaps he gave out think of the smiles he put on your faces. Forget the head butts, remember the hugs

And please let all those who couldn’t make it today from Boston or Ireland or wherever know that it’s quite alright they didn’t attend. Had the situations been reversed Mickey wouldn’t have went to their funerals anyway.

Concert 29th March
A note for your Diary, next Saturday the Edinburgh University ensemble are coming to Roundstone for a concert in the star of the Sea Church starting at 7pm, followed by Mass at 8 pm, and will continue to play for another 30mins after Mass. The university group were with us two years ago 36 of them all told, this time there will be 56, and as an added bonus there will be some singing from the choir. There is no charge, but donations will be expected, this I promice you will be a wonderful concert. So I hope everybody will support them.

Dogs Bay, Green Coast Beach Award.
Here is something that could be good for Roundstone, this relates to the setting up of a green coast award for dogs bay, Dogs Bay, apparently picked because of its sea water quality, and lots more, this is in conjunction with an An Taisce and Galway County Council, the idea is to implement, a beach management plan, which as we all know, one is already in place by members of the community re the Conservation of the Marron grass etc, however, here is an another opportunity to work together to developing the potential of the beach and hoping to sustain the beach for future generations. As I see it the criteria for this award is quite complex, (1) no industrial or sewage discharge (2) No Litter, i.e. litter management (3) safe for bathing (4) to ensure the protection of sensitive wild life and grass’s. (5) Access to the beach to be safe and maintained, there are in fact lots more, but the point that I am getting out this may well be an opportunity for more people to come on board as part of the beach management so to speak, which is a lot more attractive for funding, should it be needed. Anyway its food for thought, I suppose the first thing to do, is to talk to the beach committee that is already in place, and see if we can give them more help, in already their extraordinary on going work.

Community Defibrillator:
Now some thing else has come to my attention, that I would like to throw out for Roundstone, and this is a chance through Galway County Council, a grant is available of fifty percent of the costs to have a Community Defibrillator placed in an accessible place in the village, we may be late for this years grant. The rough cost of an Community Defibrillator is 4 to 5 thousand Euros, training is provided, and the Community Defibrillator once in place is checked every week, now has any body in Roundstone any thoughts on this idea, as to where it should be placed and would there be volunteers to help me on this, for this rather important piece of equipment to have it installed, and be trained as to how to use it should it be necessary.

Olivia (Nee de Courcey) and Brian Thornton:
Coming to the end on a nice note, just to congratulate Olivia and Brian Thornton who had their baby daughter Ella christened appropriately yesterday being Easter Sunday in Roundstone with Father McCarthy, its just to wish on behalf of the community and myself of course, a good and long life to little Ella., and hopefully we will see the rest of the clan, for next years Easter Egg hunt, but fear not the troops did not loose out on their Eggs, they found them this evening, its never too late

The Late Joe Conneely’s Yacht “The Silver Dipper”:This Wednesday, Ann Conneelys daughter Orla and Son Joseph Conneely with two other friends from Kinsale, will be sailing to cork, on their Late Fathers Yacht departing Roundstone at 8am this coming Wednesday, Orla is now fully qualified instructor in the Art of sailing, she now has her masters licence, if that’s the right term for it, so there fore we wish you Bon Voyage and all the luck in the world, for a safe passage. I will be down with my camera to see you sail out with great dignity. Your Father Joe would be very proud of you both, and feel sure he will be watching over you, do him proud troops, as I know you will.

Tommy Roe, Nation Wide:
I wonder if any body saw the Nation wide programme a few days ago, when Tommy Roe, who is part of the Connemara Community Radio did a sponsored walk up Croe Patrick and was interviewed on his efforts to raise funds for Austic Children, I have to say it was an interesting documentary, not quite sure how much was raised, but Tommy is still keeping his sponsorship open until early May, so get in touch with the community radio and Tommy, if you have a few bob to spar

From left to right is Gene, Erik, Paul, Mary, Eugene. with the news, under the Mary Manning tale

Well I must say with all this incredible bad weather this week the lotto had to be cancelled and the beach clean up was cancelled; however the release of the two Seals did go ahead on dogs Bay yesterday. Mind you having said that, it was my Nephews 30th birthday Party at Errisbeg starting on the Friday, which ended to day, quite a family reunion I will leave that with your own imagination, which might explain the research for news, was a little tricky but having said that I would like to take this opportunity to those that opened their business, to accommodate all Patrick’s friends from England, a huge thank you to everybody

Seal Release:
Yesterday on dogs Bay, we had the release of the two Seals, Alexis and Maggie, with a huge crowd to watch, the Roundstone youth club were given ring side seats so to speak, they formed a passage of about five hundred yards down to the sea, not letting the crowd get too close, the two boxes with the seals were tipped on to the beach, then the seals made their way down to the sea, it was like a red carpet scenario, one went straight in the other took a little time to swim out, but once they mastered to dive into the waves, they swam around for a bit, then they were gone. I only hope that with this bad weather we are having, they will not be washed in again. Then every body came down to the community ty hall for a cup of tea and some sandwiches, provided my Nicky and Margaret griffin, and the seal Sanctuary group were selling tea shirts etc to raise funds. A very well supported event, and well organised. Photos will be up on the Roundstone Website in a day or two.

Eldon’s Hotel:
Re-opens on Friday next after a six week holiday for the girls Lorraine & Michelle and their staff. Although the girls were coming and going throughout this time to over see the refurbishing and painting of the Hotel, 14th March.
They appreciated the break but now look forward to re-opening. So they start off on Friday night with the weekly Texas Holding Poker game and on Saturday night they will have Mike Fahy & John Joe Ford to start the celebrations for St Patrick’s week-end.

Shelia Mc Gee’s:
Shop on the corner is also re-organised and fitted out with some lovely new stock for the coming season. Betty & Catherine who runs the shop said they were very pleased and surprised with the volume of custom in the shop over the winter months. So there you are folks the village is beginning to get ready for the forth coming season, and is quite pleasing to know, that there was quite a circulation of visitors through the winter

Rosie Mannion:
You may remember some months ago I mentioned as well as Ann did, about Rosie Mannion who was the hair stylist for Ras na Run the T na G popular soap, well this week showed the program of the wedding scene which we were all waiting for Our own Rosie Mannion of Rosie’s’ Hair Gallery here in Roundstone did the hair for the bride and bridesmaids and had her name on the credits. This, I feel sure was a great boost for the 24 year old Rosie who opened her own hair salon last summer here in Roundstone. Good work Rosie
Well that’s all I really do have for you, this rotten weather has really messed every thing up. I need an early night
Keep your fingers crossed that St Patrick might do some thing for us for next week end.
Happy St Patrick’s day to one and all.