Hello and welcome to this week’s issue of Ireland’s Own. This week’s cover story is Are You Right There Michael? – The story of the West Clare Railway. The West Clare Railway provided a very important service until it was shunted into history when it was finally closed down in February, 1961, writes Gerry Breen.

In Miss Flanagan Investigates, our favourite sleuth is on the trail of ‘A Nasty Individual’. Help the Benford detective sole another intriguing case. In his Role of the Irish in WW2 series, Con McGrath features Air Commodore Ferderick Rainsford, a decorated bomber pilot who later played a major role during ‘the Berlin Airlift’.

Sarah Purser, the self-styled ‘portrait-painting peddler’ is profiled by Liam Nolan. It’s 175 years since Thomas Davis wrote his most famous patriotic ballad, ‘A Nation Once Again’, writes Pauline Murphy.

In our Castles of Ireland series, this week Gemma Grant is off to Dublin Castle, an Anglo-Norman fortress and seat of English power in Ireland for over 800 years.

In “Christy’s Debut”, Tom Hunt recalls the 1951 Open Championship at Royal Portrush in which Christy O’Connor Snr., then a young Tuam professional, left his mark on the world stage.

This week’s original short story is ‘When The Worm Turns’ by Deirdre McMahon. The pioneering work done in the new state of Rhodesia by Dominican Sister, teacher, matron and prioress, Mother Patrick Cosgrave, OSD, is remembered by Nick Cosgrave.

We have all this for you to enjoy alongside your weekly favourites including Cassidy Says, Dan Conway, Stranger Than Fiction, Pen Pals, jokes, songs, memories, films, folklore and much much more. Enjoy the read and I will look forward to talking to you all again next week.

                                                                                                         Best wishes,

Seán Nolan, Editor, Ireland’s Own