Sr Frances McMyler Paddy Daly Colm Finnerty Rev. Peter Rhys Thomas Michael Sweeney Pat McGovern And an honorary member who, alas, has passed away. We miss him greatly but know he is watching from on high. We hope he will always be proud of us: Noel Kirrane  

Now I recall my friend for he lived according to his code and in his way was true to God. Courage he had and was content to be himself, whatever came his way. There is no other chivalry. (Brendan Kennelly, “A Man I Knew”) It was with the very deepest sense of shock, sorrow and regret that I, and all of the members of Ballinrobe Musical Society, learned on September 11th of the untimely passing of our beloved Musical Director, chorus master and conductor of 15 years, Mr Noel Kirrane at the young age of 53. Not only have we lost a truly gifted and passionate man of music but also, a very

  “Some people are thinkers, others are doers. Tommy Shannon had the capacity to be both, but his love of doing won out”   FROM the moment he swept into our lives – hair trailing and voice booming – as children in St Joseph’s primary school, he was a larger-than-life constant presence. My generation in Ballinrobe grew up with Monsignor Tommy Shannon as our parish priest; ‘til the moment he slipped away in Namibia, that’s what he still was. To a child, he was a compelling figure. Even if you wanted to ignore him, you couldn’t. Once he entered the classroom, he filled it an