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Knocking down a house - slowly! The building beside the Thatch is still being taken down - brick by careful brick. In order to do this the traffic on one lane of Catherine Street has been blocked several times and the pedestrian crossing is un-usable. Presumably the old bricks are saved for conservation work elsewhere. I hope that customer is not in a hurry.

Mobile Phones One of the things that is different about Limavady these days is the phenomenal increase in mobile phone usage. Only two years ago these gadgets could not be found anywhere in town, nowadays it doesn't matter where you stop to stare, you are bound to see several people blurting into their mobiles. This enables the discerning researcher of Limavady life to listen to one half of many revealing conversations, like: "I'm at the corner of Market Street, where are you at? Are you? Oh good! Bye bye". Often indeed it is possible to hear both parts of the same conversation as using the phone is preferred to a short walk and a chat utilising the old-fashioned method.

The state of our Monuments   To research a feature elsewhere on this site, our easily tired reporter visited most of the well known monuments in the Roe Valley. Most people in the area have (or should have) heard of Sampson's Tower, O'Cahans Tomb in the old Dungiven priory and the Martello Tower in Magilligan, but should they actually want to visit them, they are in for a disappointment.

The Martello tower stands strong and sturdy as it has done since 1812. Unfortunately one can't enter it - even if one had the key - as the iron steps leading to the entrance are decorated with lots of red tape blocking the stairs for unspecified safety reasons. This has been going on since April. Has some official red tape got in the way of red tape removal?

Sampson's tower is hidden amongst tall trees and can't be approached because it is surrounded by private land and there is no access. The state of the tower is said to be poor. Note from the editor: Does anybody know who owns the land and how one can visit the tower? Please e-mail us if you do.

O'Cahan's tomb is well preserved and well looked after, but unfortunately it can't be seen unless one asks those nice people in the Country Park for the key.The chancel containing the famous tomb has been roofed over and a huge door bars access on ground level. It has a small window, but the view is so dark that one can see nothing. All this has obviously been installed to protect the place from the weather and the vandals, but wouldn't it be nice if they had fitted some roof windows so that the passing tourist can actually see this splendid old monument?

The Fishing season The recent hot-spell was welcome to all but the Roe anglers. They walked about the town, looking dejected and cursed the good weather. All this has changed. The recent spell of rain has brought the sunshine back into their faces. The Roe is full of water and expectations are high that all those salmon that tend to hang around in Lough Foyle will finally decide to migrate up-river. Consequently the Country Park is full of lads dressed in green who don't seem to be able to walk very far, judging by the way they park their cars in the bend just past the Dog Leap bridge. Our reporter, who haunts the Country Park every day, thought he was starting to hear voices wherever he went. Luckily they turned out to belong to well camouflaged sportsmen hiding in bushes, ready to pounce on anything with fins. Good luck, boys.

Wasps Few can remember ever having seen as many wasps in the town as this year. People walking down Market Street look like panicking windmills. On closer inspection it becomes clear that they are fighting off the rather aggressive yellow insects. Several people have got badly stung in the Country Park, where they had a nest as enormous as its inhabitants were aggressive and this paper has it on good authority that the people who deal with this problem - the local de-waspers - have taken on extra help, but are still just about coping with the demand for their services.

Bovally Medical Centre throws in the Trowel A big black fence has risen all around Bovally Medical Centre. Workmen are converting large amounts of concrete and black iron into a vandal proof obstacle. In the past the place has been the target of repeated attempts at sabotage. The amusing theory that this was caused by doctors from "the other" medical centre was quickly discarded, hence the current building activity. Does the fact that schools and medical facilities have to be thus protected say something about the way be bring up our kids?

Sport Limavady United has beaten the living daylights out of Bangor in yesterday's (Sun 13th August 2000) opening game of the season. Gareth Houston, our roving sports reporter, thought that it was a great performance. Limavady won 4-0. 21st August 2000 Gareth Houston reports that Limavady drew 1:1 with Dungannon on Saturday. They just about made it, as they scored a late goal in the 95th minute. 25th August 2000 Limavady United beat their local rivals Institute 3-0. Congratulations!

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