Thursday in advance of Tuesday is the day when the column is sent to the boss. While there might be a few hours grace on Friday morning it is well to ensure that the considered article gets there on time.

Keadin memorial event The Defence Forces will be out in force for the dedication of a monument to fallen local soldier Billy Kedian, who died on service in the Lebanon 25 years ago this summer.

In next June’s local elections, I’ll be voting in the Belmullet/Achill Electoral Area. It is one of the largest geographically in the country.

A Dublin parish priest recently took exception to what he regarded as critical comments about priests by Pope Francis and Fr Tony Flannery in The Tablet, a weekly Catholic periodical.

As a person who hails from the east of the island, it was always given that I would travel to Dublin Airport to ‘catch’ a flight. That was until I moved west, almost ten years ago now.

There were sparks in Westport last week when posters for certain election candidates appeared around the outskirts of the town.

The local GAA club undertook on a major litter pick of the roads of our rural parish in recent weeks. It was organised as a pre-season team-building exercise but what a shame they should have to do such a job.

Noo Chocolates has become an instantly recognisable brand. Mary Corrigan is the brains behind the artisan chocolate company, based at The Quay in Ballina.

In the not too distant past, tents were an item of potential pleasure and glee as users looked forward to a cheap and different way to spend a holiday.

Mayo Day made its debut in Belmullet this year and anyone fortunate enough to be there will testify it was a success. It chimed perfectly with the town’s 200th anniversary celebrations and the town was a hive of activity on May 4th.