Better broadband on the way – for a few more
The Boyle’d Pot has highlighted on many occasions the need for high speed fibre optic broadband for all of Boyle. While some homes and businesses in the town who are close to the Green Street Exchange can access 100Mb/s speeds, not everyone is so lucky yet. But there may be some light at the end of the tunnel. Eircom have stated this week that their network will be upgraded to bring 100Mb/s broadband speed to another 10,000 homes in the county including a number in Boyle. 1,800 premises in the town currently can avail of the high speed network and this will increase by a couple of hundred more by the end of the summer. 100Mb/s is great for home use but not for business. We should be striving for the same speed as Roscommon town who can look forward to 1,000Mb/s, that’s ten times faster than the fastest in Boyle!
Boyle’s best kept secret
Up in Sligo a meeting of the Council agreed on Monday last to abolish car parking charges on Sunday’s in a bid to attract shoppers to the North west capital. But it has come at a cost. Midweek parking charges will increase to met the shortfall from the lack of revenue on Sunday’s. In neighbouring Carrick, paid for parking is also a bone of contention and has definitely affected the town centre, driving shoppers to out of town retail parks. But here in Boyle we have something that other towns would kill for – free parking. We probably do not shout loud enough about this and visitors and shoppers to town will find any amount of on and off street free parking. It’s a big plus in our favour and something every retailer should publicise on their website and Facebook page.
Another Bank Holiday already
Here we are at the start of another bank holiday weekend with some people not over the last one yet! There are mixed views on the May holiday. If you are an employee then happy days – another day off! For many retailers, it’s a days business lost and for those who do not have a job, well, it’s just another Monday. The May bank holiday is one of the quieter of the five. Easter is not long gone. Money has been spend on Communions and Whit is only 4 weeks away. Still, it’s a day away from the normal chores for many so make the most of it.
Twenty six Gardaí attached to Boyle Station
The shortening of the hours at Boyle Garda Station has meet with little or no protest, yet there only seems to a handful who are of the view that the move has helped policing in town. Here on Boyletoday.com the weekly poll suggested that 81% of those who voted believe the reduced hours has affected policing in our town. There are those who still believe that we now have more Gardaí on our streets than heretofore but is that the case? In Boyle there are 26 Gardaí divided into a number of units serving an area from Tarmonbarry to Frenchpark and Arigna to Tulsk. The geographical division of the Boyle Garda area is a joke and the local Gardaí are pressed at the best of times to cover such a large area. Considering there are now 26 Gardaí in Boyle, one wonders how many less Gardaí are on some of the units in the town than there was a few years ago? And will the numbers be depleted further when there is a shortage in Castlerea and Boyle Gardai are called to fill in? The fact is we have less Gardaí on the streets of Boyle than at any time in the past. It won’t get any better. The people of Boyle need to wake up to what is happening right in front of their eyes at their local Garda station and shout stop before it is too late.
GAA collection this weekend
This weekend will see those involved with Boyle GAA underage section take to the gates of St. Joseph’s Church to conduct their annual collection. It’s not a nice job standing with a begging bowl in hand but it has to be done and the monies raised go a good way towards running the busy youth section of Boyle GAA. Many hundreds if not thousands of young people from the town have had great days and evenings playing football in the Abbey Park and elsewhere courtesy of Boyle GAA, so on Saturday and Sunday, please give generously to ensure the fun and enjoyment for our young footballers can continue.
A friendly man who made Boyle his home
A death notice on this website on Wednesday had many asking “Who was Ian Forsythe?”. It wasn’t until his picture appeared on the Family Life Centre Facebook page that many then recognised the late Ian as “the friendly man who you would see with his satchel and stick walking around the town”. Originally from the UK, Ian Forsythe was indeed a friendly man who made Boyle his adopted home. He always had time to stop and talk and he seemed to have enjoyed the time he spent in our town. Ian will repose on Saturday morning from 10am to 10.30am in Mahon’s Funeral Home arriving at St. Joseph’s Church for Mass of Christian burial at 11am. Cremation afterwards in Mount Jerome Crematorium, Dublin.
And finally….!
The teacher asked the class to use the word “fascinate” in a sentence.
Molly put up her hand and said, “My family went to my granddad’s farm, and we all saw some sheep. It was fascinating”.
The teacher said, “That was good, but I wanted you to use the word “fascinate, not fascinating”.
Sally raised her hand. She said, “My family went to the zoo and I was fascinated”.
The teacher said, “Well, that was good Sally, but I wanted you to use the word fascinate”.
Little Johnny raised his hand. The teacher hesitated because she had been burned by little Johnny before.
She finally decided there was no way he could damage the word “fascinate” so she called on him.
Johnny said, “My aunt Carolyn has a sweater with ten buttons, but her boobs are so big she can only fasten eight!”
