GOING TO THE WEST OF IRELAND : COUNTY ROSSCOMMON AND VISITING THE MCDERMOTTS AND THE FINCHES IN THE KAVANAGH FAMILY..........

A half ten am departure from Urlingford for Uncle Fatter Eddie and I, with his nephew J.J., who drove us to the West of Ireland, and Castlerea, County Roscommon.:  Delivering us to the door of the Tulla Hotel in Castlerea, J.J., stayed to have lunch in the hotel with Uncle Father Eddie and me, and their cousins, Billy and Mary Finch, who were our two day visit hosts.  After lunch, we spent the rest of the day and night with the Finches touring Roscommon and Mayo, with the Finches, while J.J. returned to work in Urlingford.  We were taken to the Shrine of Our Lady of Knock in County Mayo, then whisked off to other McDermott cousins in Roscommon, who greeted and treated us with warm hospitality. We even visited the McDermott-Finch Family cemetery, where the current President of Ireland, Mary McAleese will be buried and saw her already standing gravemarker.  We remained in Castlerea overnight with cousins Billy and Mary Finch in their home and after breakfast and morning Mass, headed to Tullamore, the town famous for the Tullamore Dew, had lunch and were met by Jerry Maher, now retired, but a longtime Kavanagh Family friend and retainer, who drove us back to Kilkenny / Urlingford.  Tonight Oliver and I attended a BBQ at the home of our 'Usual Suspects' friends, Geraldine and Kevin Butler, joined for part of it by their 18 year old daughter, Katie, who is in her Leaving Cerificate year from secondary school.  Thus ended the past thirty eight hours of Irish Adventures..........One Full Day Left In The Emerald Isle This Year,   Fr.  Troy