Abbeytown Roads is a total disgrace
This blog has raised the state of the road in Abbeytown on many occasions previously and with the tourist season now coming into full swing, and it being the main approach to the town from Lough Key Forest Park, the state of the road is a total disgrace and is going to give a negative first impression for any tourist travelling into the town. Sympathy also for the locals and the parents who have head to endure this potholed, uneven road for the last number of months as they made their way to drop their children off at school. It has been said that a certain piece of work is needed on a section of the road before an overlay can take place but why has that not taken place and why is the pressure not being brought on Roscommon Co Co to get this road completed once and for all?
Monday madness on the Dublin Sligo line
There were a lot of disgruntled passengers on last Monday train services to and from Sligo (and Boyle). The initial problem arose due to a signalling issue between Boyle and Carrick, resulting in the 11am service from Dublin being held in Carrick while the 13.05 Sligo to Dublin service was held in Boyle. Both trains were delayed by about 60 minutes with knock on delays for other services. And as if that was not enough, a few hours later a level crossing was struck outside Edgeworthstown and trains were once again suspended in both directions. When they finally resumed there was a delay of 70 minutes on some train services on the line.
Well done to all involved in school amalgamation
There was a great reaction to our news story during the week that St. Joseph’s BNS and Scoil na nAingeal Naofa are to amalgamate. Many believe that the era of single sex schools is a thing of the past and that integration between male and female students at an early age is very important for future social development. It is also encouraging to see quick timelines being put on the amalgamation with a short window of over one year being mentioned – September 1st 2023. This is exactly what is needed, as the longer a project like this drags on, the harder it will be for it to happen. Congratulations to the Boards of Management, principals and all involved in both schools for their vision and work to date.
Contract signed for new Boyle housing development
Roscommon County Council and Sammon Developments Ltd., a building company based in Leitrim, has signed a contract for six new homes at Lakeview Heights, Bellspark, Boyle under the Housing for All government programme. The project comprises two 2-bed dormer houses, four 3-bed dormer houses and all associated site works. The scheme is designed by Longford based consultants – Sweeney Architects. Works are due to commence on site in July and are scheduled for completion in June 2023.
No bypass but cycle lanes are achievable
Viewers of the brilliant RTE TV programme ‘On the Roads with Simon Delaney’ will be aware of the push that is taking place nationally, and indeed internationally, to get cars and trucks out of out town centres. Until we have a bypass to the N61 around Boyle, it looks like we will unfortunately continue to have trucks in our town centre and remain choked with vehicle fumes. But one initiative that the TV programme highlighted last Monday evening (you can view it here) and one that it has touched on many times over the series, is the need for segregated cycle lanes in our towns and while we may not get the N61 bypass any time soon, with the will of the local authority and others, we can install such cycle lanes in Boyle. A start would be to provide cycle lanes for our young people to get to school from the larger estates in Boyle and with the amalgamation of St. Josephs and Scoil na nAingeal Naofa, wouldn’t now be a great time to get this in motion? A mainly off road segregated cycle lane could very easily be put in place from Termon through the Plunkett Home grounds, across Ross Lane to Church View and down St. Joseph’s Avenue and on to the Church grounds, (facilitating Scoil na NAingeal Naofa, and then out Abbeytown to St. Joseph’s BNS via the Church car park. This would also serve Abbey College and facilitate students travelling the opposite direction from Forest View. The grants are there for this type of infrastructure and with planning, coordinating and good will, it could very easily become a reality.
A new business on the social scene in Boyle
While we regularly get additions to the retail life of Boyle, it is not that often we get an addition to the social life of the town, and so there is great welcome this week to news that the long established and highly reputable Daly’s Drinks on Bridge Street in Boyle will reopen their lounge on Friday as a ‘Summer Wine Bar’. A winner of the Connacht Ulster Off Licence of the Year, Daly’s is to ‘go to’ place in this area for anyone who enjoys a nice bottle of wine with prices to suit every pocket. Add into this the tourist season, the upcoming Arts Festival and knowledgeable staff and you have the recipe for success for this new business venture. Daly’s Summer Wine Bar will remain open Wednesday to Saturday 1pm-10pm where you can enjoy wine by the glass or you can choose your favourite bottle from their extensive off-licence (Corkage applies). Please note, this is a Wine Bar only!
And finally….!
There was once a guy who had worked his whole life and saved all of his money.
When it came to money he was a greedy man. He loved money more than anything else and shortly before he died he told his wife, “Now, when I die I want you to take all of my money and put it in my coffin with me. Because I want to spend all of my money in the hereafter.”
So he convinced his wife to promise him wholeheartedly that she would place all the money in the coffin with him when he died. Then he died one day.
He was stretched out in the coffin and his wife sat in a black dress next to their dearest buddy. When the funeral was completed just as the undertakers were about to shut the coffin, the wife said, “Wait A Minute!”
She was carrying a box, so she came over and put it in the coffin. The undertakers then secured the coffin and rolled it away.
“I hope you weren’t foolish enough to put all that money in there with that greedy old guy,” her buddy remarked.
She replied, “Yes, I promised. I can’t lie because I’m an honest Christian. I told him that I’d put the money in the coffin with him.”
“Do you mean you placed every penny of his money in the coffin with him?”
“I certainly did,” the woman said. “I gathered everything, deposited it in my account and wrote him a cheque.”
