Importance of verifying where you get your information
Once again, as we have seen previously here in Boyle, misinformation, especially on social media can whip up a frenzy among certain people. Allegations of an alleged assault last week in Ballaghadereen quickly went out of control and those who seem to lack critical thinking, started to wrongly blame certain people. As An Garda Siochana continued their investigation into the alleged assault, they took the step on Monday night of having to issue a ‘Misinformation Notice’ to clarify the rumours and untruths that were circulating online and in person and were dividing a town, a county and a nation – just as a certain section of society would wish. Associations with Boyle were mentioned on more than one occasion by some far right people in attendance at a protest in Ballaghaderren on Sunday, which has annoyed many in our town.
The whole sequence of events, and the subsequent emergence of what really happened in Ballaghaderreen last Friday night, goes to show the importance of always independently verifying content published on social media or that shared through direct messaging apps and only getting your information from reliable sources.
Could we see town centre flooding in Boyle?
There will always be a few who will bemoan why the An Rioga building is not a hotel, with the many reasons for that explained and well documented in this blog over the years. One of the reasons outlined was because the site is located on a flood plain and in light of recent events in Valencia and indeed Ireland, this decision might just well be proven correct. Those who are a long time around Boyle would say the Royal never flooded (water did get in during the deluge of July 1996 as a result of a blocked drain) but with the way climate change is affecting the world, there is every chance that the Boyle river could easily burst it’s banks in the centre of the town in future and damage buildings in that area. A hotel is classed as a ‘highly vulnerable development’ in the CFRAM flood report, so it would never have got planning (or insurance) in that location due to the risk of flooding.
New book by Boyle native
A new book, written by a Boyle native titled ‘The Calling’ is now available to purchase here. Noel Lynagh’s fictional 179 page book concerns a boy born in mid-20th century Ireland who grapples with a vocation to the priesthood. Noel’s family has a long association with Boyle. Noel himself was born in what was known as ‘The Nursing Home’, run by Nurses O’Brien and Hannon, on the Carrick Road. His father was a Garda Sergeant in Boyle for many years and the family lived beside the Garda Station and later on Elphin Street. Talking of his time growing up in Boyle, Noel said : “I had wonderful times growing up in Boyle (outside of school). I had lots of friends and acquaintances outside of the family. The town and its environs was both our pleasure-ground and adventure park. We swam at the Quarry Hole in the Boyle river and at the Doon Shore in Lough Key. We fished in both the river and the lake. We played Cowboys in The Glen. Of course we explored the Abbey. And we explored the old skeleton-filled crypt in the Church of Ireland graveyard. We explored every inch of the Military Barracks. We were frequent visitors to the Abbey Cinema. I couldn’t really tell you all we did those days. But I can tell you there never was a dull moment”. Like his father, Noel joined An Garda Siochana and spent all his years of service in Co. Offaly before retiring in 2000. Noel’s book “The Calling” is independently published and available here.
Boyle deserved more than a 9 point increase in Tidy Towns Awards
The results of the 2024 Tidy Towns were published on Tuesday here on Boyletoday.com and they show that this year Boyle increased it’s mark by 9 points. On further analysis, it can be seen that Boyle increase by one point in each of the seven areas under which the adjudicators allocated points, with the exception of ‘Green Spaces and Landscaping’ where Boyle increased by 2 points. One has to wonder why Boyle did not increase by more this year considering the effort put in by so many to have the town looking so well – in fact, the town looked better than ever this year. The spring/summer flowers in Boyle were superb, “the town was almost litter-free on adjudication day” according the the adjudicator and the weekly and bi weekly weed picking by so many volunteers left the town pristine. An increase of nine points is commendable but with all the effort that was undertaken by so many volunteers this year, one would assume a one point increase in each category was an underscore.
Maintenance plan for Cycle way is urgently needed
Back in September 2023, then sitting Boyle Councillor John Cummins put down a notice of motion at a meeting of Roscommon Co Co, calling for funding for the purchase of mechanical footpath sweepers that would assist in the maintenance of the many public developments that have taken place around the county. In reply, representatives from the Council said a specialised team would be introduced to keep clean the new public spaces around the county. Now, over 14 months since the announcement, it would seem there is no specalised team in place or if there is, they are not visible in or around Boyle.
Our cycleway, that cost over €600,000 is nearly unusable such is the level of overgrowth and leaves and debris on the path (see news story on homepage of this website). In fact, it is a real danger and many have now taken to walking on the road way between the first and second gate of Rockingham such is it’s state and as we all know, some vehicles travel that road way in excess of the speed limit, posing a real danger to those out for exercise or a leisurely walk.
In September, Roscommon Co Co told Councillor Leah Cull that they have responsibility for maintenance of the cycleway. They now need to get the promised ‘specalised team’ in place to urgently clear the cycleway of leaves and debris and cut back overgrown hedges and verges and bring the much used piece of infrastructure back to what it was originally.
No donations – No Christmas Light
The GoFundMe page for Boyle Christmas Lights is now live and your support would be appreciated (and needed) if we are to have festive lights this year in Boyle. A new committee is in place for 2024 (made up of a number of individuals, some who will not benefit financially from a lit up town as they are not in business in Boyle, but are civic minded residents). This committee has made it quite clear that between insurance, replacement of broken and damaged bulbs and materials, contractors, electricity supply etc, it will cost close on €10,000 to light up Boyle this year. If the funds are not raised – there will be no lights – simple as that. Please help in any way you can by donating here as it would be a shame to see Boyle without Christmas Lights in 2024 – and at present, that is a strong possibility.
News snippets from around Boyle
Thank God we only ever have temporary traffic lights in Boyle such is the disregard many motorists have for a red light. On Elphin Street, when work was taking place recently, very few motorists seem to stop when the lights went amber or indeed red and traffic from the opposite side moved forward on green causing a backup and frayed tempers………Boyle Family Resource Centre will host a 4 week ‘mini messer’ programme for toddlers (ages 1 to 3) and their parent/caregiver. The classes will run on Monday mornings from 10am to 11.30am starting next Monday November 11th. These classes focus on play through food for your child, encouraging them to try out all their senses at their pace. If you would like to book a place, please contact 086-0143942 or 071-9663000……..Hopefully we have seen the last of the cross road digging with work being finalised on pulling electric cables from a sub station on Shop Street to An Rioga car park………..With Corrigeenroe man James Bolger lining out on Sunday for Drogheda United in the FAI Cup Final against Derry City, a number of local soccer supporters are travelling to the Avivia Stadium in Dublin on Sunday to shout James and his team on………Inland Fisheries Ireland posted details during the week of a €150 fine, issued by their fisheries officers on patrol on the Boyle River, to an angler for using a “non native live goldfish purportedly obtained from a pet shop” as live bait………Wine Tasting evening in Daly’s on Bridge Street next Thursday November 14th at 7.30pm. Admission €20 and booking essential……Thursday’s announcement of 250 jobs in Carrick-on-Shannon is also good news for Boyle. If we could get the vacant town centre houses and overhead properties repurposed and a commencement on affordable housing around the town, then people could live in Boyle and take up some of these jobs in Carrick……..There was an advanced publicised high profile Garda presence on trains on the Dublin – Sligo line on Thursday to ‘crack down on anti-social behaviour’. Would this not have been a lot more beneficial if it was a covert operation that took place on a Saturday or Sunday?…………Last thought – in light of Donald Trumps election – How is any parent supposed to tell their children that to succeed in life you need to be respectful, not break the law, don’t lie and be a general all round good person, when the opposite is playing out in front of our eyes in the USA…….??
And finally….!
Jill, a middle-aged woman, is having surgery in hospital following a severe heart attack when she has a vision of God by her bedside.
“Will I die God?” she asks.
To which God responds, “No my dear, you still have 30 more years to live yet.”
Well if she’s got 30 more years to look forward to and since she’s in hospital anyway, Jill decides she might as well make the most of her operation.
So she gets breast implants, liposuction, a tummy tuck, a hair transplant, and collagen injections in her lips.
When it’s all finished and the bruises have healed she looks absolutely stunning and 10 years younger.
The day she’s discharged from the hospital, she leaves the hospital with a real spring in her step.
Feeling very good about her makeover, Jill steps into the street and is immediately knocked down by an ambulance and killed.
As she steps through the Pearly Gates, Jill sees God and decides to complain.
“You said I had 30 more years to live,” she says to God.
“Well that’s true,” says God.
“So what happened?” Jill asks.
To which God shrugs and says, “I’m sorry but I didn’t recognize you.”
