No details available for cause of major power outage
It is not known yet what caused last night’s major power outage that saw up to 6,000 customers without electricity across Counties Roscommon and Leitrim. Power went at approximately 7.20pm and was back here in Boyle around 25 minutes later. Many out waking got caught in the dark, which was a surreal experience with no street lights to guide them on their way or to avoid obstacles! While the power came back relatively quickly in Boyle, some parts of Leitrim and Roscommon did not have power restored until after 9pm
Delight at €4.3m funding announcement for new library
Good news came to Boyle again yesterday as funding of €4.3 million was announced for the proposed new Community Library (See story on our homepage). This impressive building is planned for the rear of the Royal, backing onto the Post Office and overlooking the river. In addition to being an integral part of the community, the new Library will be unlike Libraries of old and will be a large community space for the use of all the people of Boyle and it’s hinterland. It will be open 14 hours a day – 365 days per year and will be a great addition to the town. The relocation of the existing Library to this new building will also free up the bottom of King House which may be put to other use in the future.
This current Government along with Minister Heather Humphreys, and with close input from Minister Frank Feighan, have been good friends to Boyle and they have never seen the town wanting when it comes to infrastructural funding. All this has not come about by chance, but as a result of years of hard work behind the scenes by Boyle Town Team and Roscommon Co Co, initially resulting in the launch of the highly regarded ‘Boyle 2040 Plan’ and then submissions for applications for many other infrastructural developments that have come about from the plan, with some already implemented and others set to commence in the New Year. Government has stated many times how impressed they were with the vision outlined for Boyle. They quickly identified the town as a role model for other similar towns that were fighting back from years of decay and have funded most of the plans for the towns future. It also helped that for the first time ever we had a Minister from our town in Frank Feighan who has always been to the fore in making representations and providing assistance when funding applications were lodged for his home place.
Boyletoday.com – the local news and information website for Boyle – was also delighted to assist in getting this funding across the line by providing a letter of support for the origional application and continually posting all that is positive about our town – showing Boyle in it’s best light.
A great addition to Boyle town centre
Hats off to local company ‘Procloud’ who recently commenced work on their new corporate headquarters on the Crescent in Boyle. The company, which currently employs over 25 people, has exciting and impressive plans for the building. A company the size of Procloud could very easily have left Boyle and moved to some of the major centres of population to find new offices, but led by local man Niall O’Donoghue and assisted by a strong core of local people, Niall and his team turned every stone to find a suitable location in the town centre for their new building. When completed, both the building and the expanding workforce in this progressive company will be a great addition to the centre of Boyle.
Viewers views on local dog problems
We received plenty of comments and emails in relation to last week’s piece on dog fouling in Lough Key Forest Park, with many reminding us that it is not just in the Park that this act takes place but also on the streets of Boyle and not always by dogs running wild but by dogs on leads with owners to lazy to pick up after them. Other viewers contacted us concerning the age old problem of dogs running off lead in the Park and the fear this can put in some people when the dog runs up to them. In a post on social media this week, Coillte highlighted the point when they said “When walking your dog on Coillte lands, please ensure they are kept on a lead or under effectual control at all times”. The words ‘effectual control’ here are important and therefore if your dog is running ahead of you or behind you in the Park, off lead, then they are not in theory under ‘effectual control’.
A dangerous eyesore in the town centre
What is becoming an eye sore in the center of Boyle is also becoming a dangerous hazard. The road sign and associated flower bed at Creighton’s Corner on Bridge Street was allegedly hit by a car some time ago and was never reinstated after. Now the stones from the flower bed are falling onto the footpath and road and no doubt there are many who would relish the opportunity to fall over them! The question as to who is responsible for the reinstatement of the flower bed may arise but it would be in everyone’s best interest if it was brought back to it’s original state sooner rather than later.
Let there be light!
For the past few nights, a number of hardy locals have donned their fluorescent jackets and winter woollies and spent their free time putting up the town’s Christmas Lights. There had been a lot of concern locally that the lights may not have been erected this year due to the energy crisis but that is not the case and Boyle will thankfully look as good as ever this Christmas.
Cycleway now looks like the carriageway
We previously highlighted the need for a maintenance contract to be put in place for the Lough Key to Boyle cycleway, (and of course the Pleasure Grounds). The need for the maintenance of the cycleway has become more obvious in recent weeks since the leaves have started to fall, and the section of the cycleway that was vandalised between the first and second gate of Rockingham now looks no different to the roadway. With no distinguishing markings and leaves covering everywhere, cars coming from town are pulling in on the cycleway when they meet another vehicle and endangering those walking or cycling on the path. If the leaves were blown away under the maintenance contract and the posts reinstated it may not be as dangerous as it presently is.
And finally…..!
Rick is sitting at the counter in a roadside bar in Austin staring at his drink when a very large and mean-looking biker is suddenly standing right next to him.
The biker grabs Rick’s, as yet, untouched drink and swallows it in one gulp.
“That tasted real good boy,” said the biker, punching Rick on the shoulder. “So, what are you going do about it?”
Well, Rick just bursts into tears.
“Oh, man-up,” says the biker. “I can’t stand seeing a man crying. What’s your problem, buddy?”
“This is the worst day of my life,” Rick responds. “I’m a complete failure. I missed my sales targets again this month and I got fired. When I left the office, I discovered that my car had been stolen from the parking lot and I don’t have any insurance. I left my wallet in the cab I had to take to get home. When I got home, I found my wife in bed with the mailman. And then my dog bit me.”
The biker’s attitude towards Rick softened a little.
“I came into this bar to work up enough courage to end it all,” Rick continued. “I bought my drink and dropped a Strychnine capsule into it. The capsule has just fully dissolved when you showed up and swallowed the whole damn drink in one gulp.”
Rick paused momentarily and then said, “Anyway, enough about me. How’s your day going?”
