Storm Eowyn makes landfall
We are currently (Friday morning) in the middle of Storm Eowyn with Boyle under a Status Red warning until 11am. This is a serious storm so please obey all warnings.
Please remain indoors during the warnings and only head out when it is safe to do so in the afternoon or evening. Once the time duration of a Red warning has passed, please exercise extreme caution and care when venturing out on the public roads, as an Orange wind warning remains in place. There will be fallen trees, structural and other unexpected debris and fallen or damaged live electricity wires in many areas. Trees and structures may also be unstable.
As long as we have power, Boyletoday.com will update any relevant information relating to the storm, mainly on our social media platforms. The following is a list of closures to hand:
- Boyle Family Resource Centre will close on Friday
- TFI Local Link will not operate today
- Loftus Medical Centre closed in morning, emergency only in afternoon (subject to change)
- All schools will remain closed Friday
- All Civic Amenity sites closed Friday and Saturday
- ATU and St. Angela’s in Sligo closed
- Applegreen Service Station Boyle closed
- Ardcarne Garden Centre and Cafe is closed Friday
- Spool Factory closed
- Ireland West Airport closed between 4am and 2pm
- Boyle Credit Union closed Friday and Saturday
- All public transport cancelled for duration of storm
- Lough Key Forest Park closed Friday
- Roscommon Co Co buildings, offices, playgrounds and libraries closed
- In fact, most businesses and services remain closed today Friday.
- You can also find further updates throughout the day (power permitting) on our Facebook page.
ESB Emergency Services can be contacted at 1800 372 999 and you can monitor power restoration times at www.PowerCheck.ie.
Uisce Éireann customers can check the website and social media channels for updates and to get in touch with any issues or concerns via their 24/7 customer care centre at 1800 278 278.
Strong winds are due to continue this afternoon (Friday) as the clean up gets underway but there is growing concern that a secondary storm could also hit Ireland on Sunday delaying power restoration for some customers.
Update provided on Lough Key Greenway
A recently published Transport Infrastructure Ireland document “Major Roads and Greenways Projects Active List” references the proposed ‘Lough Key Greenway’. This 17k project will link Carrick on Shannon with Boyle’s Lough Key Forest Park “along the River Shannon”. The document says the project is currently at “Phase 2 Options Selection” with the next stage being “Approval in Principle”. It says the construction timeframe is 2027 – 2029 (subject to approvals).
The document gives the following background information: “The Greenway is proposed to connect Lough Key to Carrick on Shannon via Lough Key Forest Park. It could also connect to the town of Boyle. The Greenway would showcase Lough Key Forest Park and in particular its history, culture & heritage surrounding the Forest Park and Rockingham House. There are a number of walking and cycling trails in the park area. The Greenway will offer a unique and tranquil experience to Greenway users, connecting them with this natural and historical environment whilst immersing in the history, flora and fauna that make Lough Key so unique”.
It also lists the Strategic Value the Greenway can bring to the region: “The development of the Greenway will enhance and extend cycle/walking infrastructure within the county to support sustainable transport initiatives and will contribute to health promotion, wellbeing and overall quality of life. The Greenway will provide an important addition to tourism infrastructure within the county and especially from Boyle to Carrick on Shannon and the surrounding rural areas, which are expected to benefit from increased visitor numbers and a significant boost to the local economy”.
Adopt a Road Scheme announced
Roscommon County Council is inviting Community and Tidy Towns Groups throughout Roscommon to get involved in the Adopt a Road Scheme. The aim of the Scheme is to highlight and combat the problem of roadside litter. A participating group will adopt a stretch of road, for the purpose of removing litter from the roadside verges. Full details and application form can be found at: https://roscommon self.achieveservice.com/service/Adopt_A_Road_Scheme or email the environment department at [email protected]. Closing Date: Wednesday 5th February 2025
Events in Boyle for St. Brigid’s Day
Here in Boyle, St. Brigid’s Day and the creativity of women will be celebrated by the good folk in Una Bhan Tourism in their Craft Shop. Commencing on Friday January 31st photographer and blogger Magnumlady, along with writer Louise Cole will host a talk on their book “Happy Out”. This takes place from 1pm-2pm. On Saturday from 2-3pm, there will be a workshop for children/parents/grandparents making St. Brigid’s crosses. On Sunday magical storytelling with Helen Mc Sharry takes place from 2-3pm. On Monday there will be a workshop of drawing/painting of St. Brigid and a cross with artist Margaret Rattigan from 1-3pm. All events are FREE, but please call 071 966 30 33 to reserve your place as numbers are limited. These events are kindly sponsored by Roscommon County Council and Creative Ireland.
News snippets from around Boyle
If every business owner in Boyle took it upon themselves to pick up litter and weeds and keep the paths clean outside their premises, it would make the town look so much better. Despite the efforts of the local Tidy Town committee, there is currently a lot of litter on our streets…….You can still vote here for Boyle woman Aileen Kennedy in the “40 under 40” awards in the USA……..King House Tea Rooms would like to thank everyone who donated to their free Christmas Dinner. There was a huge response and in excess of the amount required. The remaining €880 was donated to SVP Boyle to help families in the locality……….Great to see another restaurant soon to open in Boyle, this time on Main Street beside the Bank of Ireland……..St. Joseph’s Conference St. Vincent de Paul, Boyle wishes to sincerely thank all who donated to their annual appeal. During these difficult times, your generosity towards those that are less fortunate was greatly appreciated and will have eased the burden of many families in difficulty………Weather (and storm damage) permitting, the “Moylurg Open Cross Country” running race takes place in Boyle’s Lough Key Forest Park on Sunday January 26th. The event is part of the Galway/Roscommon Goal Cross Country Series. On the day there will be four races available for all ages and fitness levels……….Once again indiscriminate parking – this time on Main Street saw the emergency ambulance with lights and siren on, unable to move for a period of time yesterday evening (before the roadworks commenced). Vehicles parked on the path at Christy Wynnes and on the path at McDonagh’s Corner, added to by two other vehicles parked in the yellow hatched area outside Sloan’s, ensured the ambulance had to sit and wait for traffic coming from Military Road to stop and flash them on……….For 94 households around Knockarush, the power cuts came early yesterday as a fault resulted in no electricity from 12.50 to 18.17.
And finally….!
A priest dies and is waiting in line at the Pearly Gates.
Ahead of him is a guy who’s dressed in sunglasses, a loud shirt, leather jacket, and jeans.
Saint Peter addresses this cool guy, ‘Who are you, so that I may know whether or not to admit you to the Kingdom of Heaven ?’
The guy replies, ‘I’m Bruce, retired airline pilot from Sydney .’
Saint Peter consults his list.
He smiles and says to the pilot, ‘Take this silken robe and golden staff and enter the Kingdom.’
The pilot goes into Heaven with his robe and staff.
Next, it’s the priest’s turn. He stands erect and booms out, ‘I am Father Bob, pastor of Saint Mary’s for the last 43 years.’
Saint Peter consults his list.
He says to the priest, ‘Take this cotton robe and wooden staff and enter the Kingdom.
‘Just a minute,’ says the good father. ‘That man was a pilot and he gets a silken robe and golden staff and I get only cotton and wood. How can this be?
‘Up here – we go by results,’ says Saint Peter. ‘When you preached – people slept. When he flew – people prayed’.
