August 25

Thursday, August 25, 2011

In the morning we headed to Clonmacnoise, an old monestary.  It has a huge moat surrounds one of the old buildings to protect it from the ancient invaders coming up the Shannon river.  We got caught in a rain shower and checked out the visitors center and gift shop. There are cows that wander in the fields that surround the old building on the hill. Then we headed back to Ballinasloe and went to the back to get some Euros and stopped at a shop called Salmons. We ran into Gerry (Gerard Colohan) Then across the street to Supermacs for French fries and ice cream.  Were Sean found Kevin Dolan, Orla’s soon to be husband. Then on to Ballymana to the Colohan home where we met Honor. We also met Gerry’s girlfriend Aoife.  They were all busy getting ready for the big wedding the following day.  I felt bad because all of a sudden they were handing out cake for everybody to munch on…always having to host! After meeting Honor and seeing her and Padraic’s home we met up with the Colohan’s from Oregon at the Tesco to get groceries for dinner.  That was a big undertaking!  They had 16 people staying in their home, and most of them there at the store!  Dinner was at their rented home here in Banagher.  I met so many new people….lets see if I can get them all straight over the next few days.  Mostly the Colohans are decendants from Great-Grandma Niehouse’s Uncle James, who she was sponsored by to come to the USA. Her Uncle James had 13 kids and lived in Kansas (somewhere near Hayes). There are also the Bollers, who are also from one of James’ children. It was a late night and we met lots of people!!!

And my camera had no batteries this day :(