Big crowd enjoys annual Carol Singing event in Offaly village

A VERY large crowd of about 80 people attended the annual carol singing in Shannon Harbour.

Michael Lyons was a very accomplished MC. The roaring fire was tended by the usual culprits, Patrick Kenny, Dermot McIntyre and Tom Devery as was the lovely crib and lighting.

Proceedings were opened by Offaly’s historian extraordinaire, James Scully. He regaled and enlightened us about the history of Shannon Harbour going back to pre- famine times. In 1940 James Hayward discovered a letter written by Mr Joe Larkin in 1921. It described Shannon Harbour as a bustling town. It had a population of over 1,000. Musicians busked to boat passengers. The coffee room in The Harbourmaster's house was the office for boat tickets. The basement of The Grand Canal was the police barracks with cells, one side for men and one side for women. Mrs Rigney and Mrs Wynn made and sold soda bread to emigrants to the US and UK to sustain them. The bell rang three times. Once for the horses to be harnessed, twice for the passengers to board, thrice for the boats to sail.

Patrick Kenny spent a couple of years trying to source a bell. Troy McLaughlan, a resident in The Harbour, had a bell for feeding donkeys and he presented it to Patrick. Troy is originally from Baggot Street and his family were boat people who traded on the canal. Paddy Coughlan did a great job on the construction of the window at the gable end of the bellyard.

Joe Cahill says the Tans used to come in a lorry looking for republicans. Some bright spark realised that when they were approaching the bell was rung and their prey had disappeared. They couldn’t burn it like the dance hall where Mags Lyons house now lies, so instead they threw it in the Shannon.

The carol singing was orchestrated by Eoin Egan, Yanna and Roisin accompanied by Clementine Blanc, a soprano from Marseille. The large crowd accompanied them enthusiastically.

I chatted to Sean O'Reilly about history. I spotted Aine and Aodan Lyons taking part. Tom Guinan and Siobhan O'Brien enlightened on local history and Ruth Lynch flew off on holidays to Australia on Sunday. No jealous comments!

Great credit to Patrick Kenny for his efforts and the rest of the committee, Mags Lyons ringing the bell, Shirley and Dermot McIntyre for the melted marshmallows, punch, mince pies and sweets, allegedly for the children!!! Michael Lyons as MC. The evening was cold but the fire, the crowd and McIntyres were lovely and warm.