An underutilised but effective local service
One of the most underutilised, but effective services in rural Ireland has to be the Local Link Bus. It seems to travel near empty most of the time, certainly in this area anyway, but those who do use it talk highly of the service. Route 571 travels between Boyle and Arigna three times per day stopping off in Lough Key Forest Park, Knockvicar, Keadue, Drumshanbo and Arigna. You can see the route here.
This is a service that should really be increased during all the summer months and should also be advertised better to those on boats on Lough Key who want to visit Boyle.
‘Boyle Round Town’ (here) has a morning and afternoon service and stops off in many locations around the town. The Boyle to Roscommon route 570 (here) again operates three times per day, stopping off and picking up in Croghan, Elphin, Tulsk and Strokestown. Unfortunately with so many stops, this service can take some time but with proper planning, it can be used for hospital appointments in Roscommon for those who do not own a car.
Overnight rubbish dumping at Doon causes concern
Last week was not the first time we have been contacted in relation to rubbish being discarded around the Doon Shore by groups of people overnighting at the popular lakeside amenity. One viewer told us of the scene on Saturday morning last: “I was in our lovely Doon Shore on Saturday and saw a couple doing a lot of cleaning up. I spoke with them and they explained that on Friday night there were two families camping at Doon Shore. They had been drinking heavily and started fighting amongst themselves. They also left a load of rubbish. The couple who were cleaning come regularly to Doon Shore and are originally from Poland. They have lived in Ireland for 20 years. I have a photo of the rubbish and am so grateful to the couple and all the other people who help to clean up the area. Please can we get a Garda patrol to pop by over the weekend period, especially at night to check on any bad behaviour. It would be so so terrible to have the lake shut down as so many people of all ages enjoy it. It is a great local asset and so much work has been done recently to improve it”.
QR codes planned for Miners Way
A new initiative which will record the stories of Miners that worked in the coalmines of Arigna, will provide the opportunity for tourists that visit The Miners Way and Historical Trail to enjoy the experiences of past miners through audio and visual experiences. The aim of the project is to enhance visitor’s experience of the popular walking trail by having QR codes dotted along the route of the Miner’s Way and Historical Trail which will redirect the walkers to a webpage where they can hear stories from people who worked in the mines. The project administrators would love to hear from former miners and their families. You can contact them by emailing [email protected] with your contact details and they will contact you in relation to the recording of interviews.
Joined up thinking will sell our tourist attractions
Many years ago, on the suggestion of Boyle Town Team, an pilot joint ticketing initiative was undertaken between King House, Lough Key Forest Park and other local tourist attractions. For one reason or another, the project did not continue but thankfully, it has now been recommenced – albeit it in a different format. Upon paying full entry to any one of these attractions – Lough Key Forest Park, Arigna Mining Experience, National Famine Museum, Strokestown Park, Rathcroghan Visitor Centre and King House Boyle, you will receive your Roscommon Revealed card to get 20% off entry to the other four. Joined up thinking like this is exactly what is needed to market our local tourist attractions. Maybe going forward, Boyle Abbey will joint the initiative.
Boyle Summer Show this Sunday
It’s nearly show time in Boyle which can only mean one thing – we are on the count down to autumn with August traditionally being the month when many Shows are held all over Ireland. In Boyle, this year’s event will take place this Sunday August 11th when hopefully the weather will play it’s part in attracting a large crowd to Lynch’s field in the Warren. There are many classes and categories for various produce and enthusiasts at the Show which the Committee have been busy organising for the last number of months. There are lots of competitions, pony events, side shows and stalls along with the ever-popular Dog Show. Entries for the show can be dropped off onsite between 9.30am and 11.45am on Sunday morning with Dog Show entries from 12 – 1pm. There is parking available for those in attendance at the Primary School, Abbey Medical Centre and St Joseph’s church grounds.
News snippets from around Boyle
Boyle motorists will be, or at least should be, familiar with the speed limit as one enters and leaves Cortober on the N4 this side of Carrick on Shannon. During last weekend’s bank holiday roads policing operation, one motorists obviously forgot the speed limit and they were clocked at 107kph in the 60kph zone at Drishoge………A lot of irate passengers on the Sligo to Dublin train last Sunday with many travelling to Croke Park for the Leitrim ladies game. One passenger said the 9.05 train “Was booked out 10 days ago, but this morning there area 3 carriages not on the train that have seats booked”. The post was accompanied by a photograph of crowded carriages with passengers standing in the aisles……….Free Talk in King House next Thursday at 2pm and 7pm on the Battle of the Curlews. Archaeologist Dave Swift shall present the firearms, cold steel weapons and armour used by the Irish and English forces who fought at the Battle of the Curlews in 1599. This talk marks the 425th anniversary of this important event during the Irish Nine Years War from 1595-1603…………Best wishes to Johnny and Betty Greenan from Greenan Electrical who are soon retiring from their business on Main Street……….Well done to Aaron and all in the Moylurg Inn for organising ‘Rock the Clock’ this weekend. There will be performances by a number of bands and musicians. Check out the Moylurg Facebook page for more information……….. Culture Friday continues today August 9th at 1pm in Boyle Craft Shop with lunchtime tunes from Mairead and Eamon of the Americana Band, The Cat’s Meow……….A picture published online during the week (not on Boyletoday) of the electric Garda car being charged in the public charging point outside Boyle Garda Station got a lot of comments, ranging from the practicality of having to charge Garda cars to the regular use of a public charging point by An Garda Siochana……… As part of Roscommon PRIDE, on Sunday August 25th, Boyle Family Resource Centre will be hosting a movie screening with Boyle Film Club. Please use the link here to register and to check out all the other events taking place over that weekend………..The popular daily weather forecast from Met Eireann does not appear on our Facebook page this morning as it has been removed by Meta for ‘going against our community standards”!!. Needless to say we have appealed the decision.
And finally….!
A loud pounding on the door awakened a man and his wife at 3:00 am.
The man gets up and goes to the door where a drunken stranger, standing in the pouring rain, is asking for a push.
“Not a chance,” says the husband, “It’s 3am!” He slams the door and returns to bed.
“Who was that?” asked his wife.
“Just some drunk guy asking for a push,” he answers.
“Did you help him?” she asks.
“No, I didn’t, it’s 3 am in the morning and it’s pouring with rain out there!”
“Well, you have a short memory,” says his wife.
“Can’t you remember about three months ago when our car broke down, and those two guys helped us?
I think you should help him, and you should be ashamed of yourself! God loves drunk people too, you know.”
The man does as he is told, gets dressed, and goes out into the pounding rain.
He calls out into the dark, “Hello, are you still there?”
“Yes,” comes back the answer.
“Do you still need a push?” calls out the husband.
“Yes, please!” comes the reply from the dark.
“Where are you?” asks the husband.
“Over here on the swing!” replies the drunk man.
