Call for return of catering service on Dublin – Sligo line
A Sligo Councillor has suggested that the Sligo Dublin rail line is not been given the same consideration as others by Irish Rail. Cllr Marie Casserly recently highlighted the fact that catering services have still not been reintroduced on the line, while she believes line improvements are also needed to speed up journey times. In addition, the Councilor has called for a ‘Quiet Carriage’ on some services, for those who want to work or passengers who has sensory issues.
While not exactly connected to the above, but rail related all the same, a number of viewers have been in contact with us regarding the constant delays on the Dublin – Sligo line, mostly due to ‘operational reasons’ or ‘technical issues’. The lack of information regarding these delays has also come in for criticism as Irish Rail seem to use Twitter or ‘X’ as it is now known to convey information to passengers, instead of using the intercom on the delayed train.
Plan now for next year’s Christmas Lights
The question was asked on our social media during the week as to why there was no switching on of the Christmas Lights or a visit from Santa this year in Boyle. The answer was also provided on the same thread when it was stated that the erection of the lights and Santa’s visit etc was traditionally organised by a small number of volunteers. This year those same volunteers are not involved in the erection of the lights. They deserve credit for all their years of work to keep the show on the road in testing circumstances, with little assistance.
Perhaps now is an ideal time for a new group to form and plan to fundraise for the Christmas lights while also planning an official switching on and Santa visit in 2024 – that’s if we have Christmas lights in 2024. Currently the GoFundMe page for this year’s Boyle Christmas Lights has raised €3,783 of a required €10,000 with some noticeable absences and if the money does not come in – the lights could be non existent next year. You can still donate here
Christmas Spectacular lived up to it’s name
Well done to all involved in hosting last Tuesday’s ‘Christmas Spectacular’ in the Pleasure Grounds. The event was scheduled to take place on Sunday evening last but Storm Fergus put paid to that. The event did go ahead 48 hours later and the large crowd in attendance were treated to a spectacular light, dance and musical show courtesy of ‘Victoria Walker Dance’. Those in attendance rated it as among the best night time family events held in the town for many years. The Pleasure Grounds was an ideal venue, being right in the town centre. Along with Victoria Walker Dance, Roscommon Co Co and David Connolly Electrical also came in for praise in ensuring the event went ahead successfully. Well done to all involved.
Will there be a Boyle town candidate in the Council election?
The political landscape for the Boyle Local Electoral District (L.E.D.) is becoming somewhat clearer with Sinn Fein being the latest political party to announce their candidates for next year’s local elections. Sitting Councillor Michael Mulligan from Ballaghaderreen will be joined in the Boyle L.E.D. by Rory Williams Doyle from Scramogue, who now lives in Strokestown.
Fine Gael previously announced that sitting Councillor Liam Callaghan from Castlerea and Dympna Daly Finn from Arigna will be the Boyle L.E.D. candidates, while Fianna Fail have yet to hold their selection convention.
With Councillor John Cummins announcing that he will not be contesting next year’s election, unless an independent candidate or a Fianna Fail candidate from the town enters the field, it is looking highly likely that after next June, Boyle will not have a representative from the town itself at the Council table.
Online abuse continues, but the net tightens
A few weeks ago we detailed the personal abuse this writer received at the hands of a fake Facebook account. Thankfully investigations are getting closer to identifying the person involved and their motives for the abuse.
Fast forward to this week, and it was the turn of our Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to get some local online abuse on a news website after he visited Leitrim Village following Sunday’s tornado. It is interesting to note that some of the fake accounts that levelled abuse and hate at An Taoiseach have also tried to comment unsuccessfully on posts here on Boyletoday and we know they have a Boyle connection. Indeed it is also known that some of those who have hurdled the online abuse at An Taoiseach following his Leitrim visit, accusing him of ‘doing nothing for this country’ have themselves not worked in a long number of years!!
Longer days are on the way
As the final run in to Christmas period approaches and everyone gets that bit busier, the lengthening of the days has stared to slip in unnoticed. While December 21st is the shortest day of the year, the sunset stretch has already begun to increase gradually since last Sunday December 17th. It will only have increased by 2 minutes this week but it is going in the right direction and by the time everyone is settled back into work in early January, we will be on the upward curve towards longer evenings.
News snippets from around Boyle
While causing disruption at school drop off and pick up times, the roadworks at the Shilling Hill was completed in great time with a lovely new surface now in place, but what a pity the budget did not stretch for a few hundred meters further into town where there is still an uneven surface on the left hand side of the carriageway…….Santa is visiting Lough Key Forest Park this Sunday with no booking necessary. This is an outdoor meet-and-greet event…………..As work progresses on the public realm enhancement in town, it is reported that there could be an additional number of pedestrian crossings installed in the town as part of the project………The junior and senior youth voices and five talented young bands from the brilliant Music Generation Roscommon will perform songs of Love and Peace by The Beatles in the Long Hall in King House this Saturday the 16th of December from 12-1pm. Donations welcome in aid of the Irish Red Cross……………The launch of ‘Boyle Through the Decades, A Historical Walking Trail’, compiled by Eilish Canty and Anna Robertson will take place at 7pm on Monday 18th December in King House, Boyle. The book will be officially launched by Boyle native Rhona McGrath – Arts Officer; Roscommon County Council and it will be on sale in Boyle Craft Shop located in the grounds of King House……..Christmas Carols in the Old Schoolhouse Community Cafe, Ballinafad on Saturday 11am – 12.30pm. Everyone welcome to come and join in………….Despite repeated reports submitted over the last few years – yes ‘years’ – the two street lights at lower Marian Road beside the Pleasure Grounds and also the street light on St. Patrick Street opposite the Hospice Shop, remain out of action. The message on ‘Electric Skyline’ says “The Job Ticket was escalated on 21/06/2022 meaning that it is already flagged in the system with an urgent priority”. It also states that the Lower Marian Road outage was first logged on 15/11/21!!!………………A 20c reduction in fuel prices at Corrib Oil in Boyle on Thursday afternoon, coupled with public realm work on Shop Street seen traffic backed up right around the block……..You’d know there is Rossie blood in the very generous man of the moment J.P.McMaunus. His family came from Arigna where he still has relations……….This Saturday is the Christmas themed market in the grounds of King House. It is always an enjoyable event and the weather looks promising…………With Covid figures on the rise again locally, it’s time to revisit the actions we became accustomed to back in 2020 – wash your hands properly and often, cover coughs or sneezes with a tissue or your sleeve and wear a mask as a courtesy to others if you feel you have symptoms of a flu, cold or Covid and are out in a public place.
And finally…..!
A young doctor had moved out to a small community to replace a doctor who was retiring.
The older doctor suggested that the young one accompany him on his rounds, so the community could get familiar with a new doctor.
At the first house a woman complains, “I’ve been a little sick in my stomach.”
The older doctor says, “Well, you’ve probably been overdoing the fresh fruit. Why not cut back on the amount you’ve been eating and see if that does the trick?”
As they left, the younger man said, “You didn’t even examine that woman? How’d you come to the diagnosis so quickly?”
“I didn’t have to. You noticed I dropped my stethoscope on the floor in there? When I bent over to pick it up, I noticed a half dozen banana peels in the trash. That was what probably was making her sick.”
The younger doctor said “Pretty clever. If you don’t mind, I think I’ll try that at the next house.”
Arriving at the next house, they spent several minutes talking with a younger woman.
She said that she just didn’t have the energy she once did and said, “I’m feeling terribly run down lately.”
“You’ve probably been doing too much with the Church,” the younger doctor told her. “Perhaps you should cut back a bit and see if that helps.”
As they left, the elder doctor said, “I know that woman well. Your diagnosis is almost certainly correct, she’s very active in the church, but how did you arrive at it?”
“I did what you did at the last house. I dropped my stethoscope and, when I bent down to retrieve it, I noticed the priest under the bed.”
