Overhanging trees need to be cut back
As work continues on the regeneration of the Royal Building, attention has this week turned to the construction of a beautiful river walk from Bridge Street down to the Pleasure Grounds. This will open up the area to the local and tourist alike, resulting in some people asking could the walk be extended all the way to Abbey Terrace and should the trees that overhang the Boyle river not be cut back to allow better views of the river and facilitate this walkway? The extent of the overhanging trees is most obvious if one looks towards Boyle town from the Abbey Terrace bridge, where the beautiful vista of the river is hidden by the overhanging trees. The same can be said on The Lawn, where the tress have grown way out onto the river. Perhaps these are projects that could go forward for grant aid over the next few months?
Transport problems for our Ukrainian friends
We don’t have a big number of Ukrainian nationals living in Boyle at this point in time but Ballinafad and Knockvicar are home to large groups of those who have had to flee their war torn country. With no disrespect to either location, Ballinafad and Knockvicar is not that well serviced by public transport. The Ukrainian people living in both places have to use the Local Link bus to get to Boyle, but it is not a direct service and only runs three times per week. While it is great to have accommodation in these areas for the Ukrainians, they need a chance to get to the centres of employment in towns like Boyle, Carrick and Sligo at appropriate times every day. Accommodating them in rural locations that are served three time weekly by a local bus may not be the ideal answer.
More awards for restaurant with Boyle connections
Congratulations to Boyle man Sean Purcell along with his business partners Brian Whelan and Shamzuri Hanifa, whose restaurant ‘Buffalo Boy’ in Carrick on Shannon won the ‘Outstanding Customer Service of the Year’ award at Wednesday night’s Irish Pub Awards in the Mansion House in Dublin. Buffalo Boy also won Best Steakhouse in Connacht and Best Restaurant manager at the recent Irish Restaurant Awards.
Could better use be made of Boyle Abbey?
Back in 2011 when the conservation work took place on the North Aisle of Boyle Abbey, there was the usual chorus from a few locals who questioned the need for the glass façade that now adorns the historic structure. If the conservation work had not taken place at the time, and the facade not been put in place, chances are the North Aisle would have further destabilised and may in fact have fallen in. But the Aisle is now reinstated and protected by the glass structure and no one even notices or questions it anymore. But perhaps this glassed area could be put to better use. With visitor numbers to the Abbey not showing much of an increase, could the area be used to house exhibitions or hold events both in winter and in summer? The glass area is highly visible and protected from the elements and could be a great addition to the Abbey and Boyle if utilised better.
* Check out this YouTube clip here by Pixelbrick to see what Boyle Abbey looked like when inhabited by the Cistercian Monks and also to see the conservation work that has been mentioned above.
Power outages around Boyle
The frequency of recent power cuts around the town has led to much speculation as to their cause, resulting in Boyletoday.com contacting ESB Networks last Monday following the most recent outage the previous evening. As viewers will have seen from Tuesday’s news story, it has been stated that it was in fact a bird strike that caused the power outage on Sunday evening, but a spokesperson for ESB Networks also explained the problem was compounded by the Boyle area having ‘less contingency’ following a number of outages on Thursday in Carrick on Shannon. Hopefully this is now fixed and a problem with power in any neighboring town will not affect Boyle going in to the remaining winter months.
Summer Solstice Festival to rock Boyle
There was a great reaction to our news story yesterday morning where we provided details of a planned two day music festival for Boyle’s Lough Key Forest Park next June. The festival will take place over the summer solstice weekend and if the weather plays it’s part there should be a brilliant atmosphere around the general area. Businesses in Boyle now have seven months in which to prepare for the 5,000 people that will descend on the Park for the event. It is imperative we have fringe events in town to attract some of the festival goers, as many will arrive in advance and some may stay on a bit longer. Planning a week or two ahead is a waste of time. The planning needs to start right now.
Town centre can benefit from new grant scheme
Boyle town centre could certainly benefit under the ‘vacant property refurbishment grant’ scheme that was announced during the week. The grant is for homeowners of vacant and derelict properties who want to refurbish them with the aim of converting them into their place of residence. Boyle has a number of derelict town centre residence that would be ideal for this scheme and apart form addressing dereliction, would also bring families back into the centre of the town. Property owners can apply to Roscommon Co Council for the grant with €30,000 being the maximum offered for properties which have been vacant for over two years, and €50,000 for derelict properties which may be structurally unsound. The grants can also be combined with the SEAI Better Energy Home Scheme that covers works of up to €26,750. They are available to individuals and families who will use the property as their primary dwelling. You can find out more about the scheme here
And finally….!
Madge and Arlene are sitting outside their nursing home, having a drink and a smoke, when it starts to rain.
Madge pulls out a condom, cuts off the end, puts it over her cigarette and continues smoking.
Arlene: What the hell is that?
Madge: A condom. This way my cigarette doesn’t get wet.
Arlene: Where did you get it?
Madge: You can get them at any pharmacy.
The next day Arlene hobbles into the local pharmacy and announces to the pharmacist that she wants a box of condoms.
The pharmacist, somewhat embarrassed, looks at her strangely
(she is, after all, over 80 years of age), but very delicately asks what brand of condom she prefers.
‘Doesn’t matter my dear, she says, as long as it fits a Camel.’
