18 dark days around Boyle
It took 18 days – yes 18 days – for some homes around Boyle to have power reconnected following Storm Eowyn. It is accepted and acknowledged that the operatives on the ground did everything they could to get power restored as quickly as possible but questions remain as to why it took so long for power to be restored to a large number of homes in Boyle and North Roscommon. Some of the last households to be reconnected on Monday were adjacent to a main road in Boyle, with the damage a couple of meters in from the road and easily acceptable, so why then did it take 18 days for this to happen?
Hopefully political influence did not play it’s part in where power got restored first, but one could easily be forgiven for making a connection, rightly or wrongly, between the lack of a TD living in North Roscommon and our area being one of the last to have power restored.
31 years since Boyle hosted Ras Tailteann stage finish
In what will be another marketing boost to Boyle, the town has been chosen to host a stage finish of this year’s Ras Tailteann cycle race. The event, which attracts a field of top class international riders, will arrive in Boyle from Drogheda on Wednesday afternoon May 21st. Unfortunately there will be no overnighting for the riders and their large entourage in Boyle for obvious reasons, but to get the stage finishing in the town is a great achievement and one that has the potential to generate an economic boost on the day and a great marketing opportunity for the town.
There had been speculation for a while now that Boyle was to host a stage of the race after Race Director Ger Campbell and his Drogheda Wheelers car was seen in the town one Friday evening last August, around the same time Ger tweeted “If you see us this week, you have a fair idea we’re coming your way next May!”
It is a number of years since Boyle hosted An Ras. The last time was May 1994 when, coincidentally, the race also departed Drogheda and finished in town before heading to Westport the following day. Prior to that, Stage 2 in 1977 also finished in Boyle having come from Carrickmacross and onto Nenagh the next day. The only Boyle man ever to compete in the grueling event was Joe Mulleady who took part in the 2018 Ras.
Planning is currently underway for the stage finish this May in Boyle with further information here on Boyletoday.com as the day draws closer.
Public lighting problems are getting worse not better
Electric Skyline were in town on Monday (and are due back again) to connect the street lights on Shop Street, Bridge Street, Boyle Bridge and An Rioga car park that form part of the public realm scheme. This work was scheduled to be undertaken during the road closure but due to circumstances outside the control of the contractor, it did not take place then. Representations were also made during the week to Roscommon Co Co to see could Electric Skyline finally fix the lights at the Pleasure Ground/Marian Road and St. Patrick Street junctions that have been out of order now for close on 4 years, but to date, the representations to Electric Skyline seem to have fallen on deaf ears.
Separately, Boyle Town Team has funded and installed new solar powered motion sensored lights in the Pleasure Ground. It is understood the Team has plans to install similar lights at certain locations along the cycleway in the near future.
St. Patrick’s Day parade in Boyle
Good news – The Boyle St. Patrick’s Day Parade will take place this year, commencing at 3.30pm on the 17th March. Following on from last year successful parade, the viewing stand will remain on the Crescent and there will be a DJ playing before and after the parade. According to the organisers: “The big success of our parade last year was the inclusion of Music Generation and all the local young people who played after the parade. Music will commence at the rear of An Rioga before the parade with face painting taking place there. After the parade Music Generation will run a concert at St Joseph’s Hall where they have a number of different bands and groups playing a variety of music from Rock to Traditional Irish. The Parade costs approximately €6,000 to run and all support is greatly appreciated via our go fund me page here. Volunteers are also needed, so if you wish to participate and help please email [email protected] or contact 0876521271″.
News snippets from around Boyle
Congratulations to Boyle native octogenarian athlete John Mc Dermott who was a member of the Irish Masters Athletic Team that set a new world record in the 4 x 800m relay in Dublin on Wednesday night. John is no stranger to the top spot on the international winners podium as he holds World and European gold medals in various athletic disciplines (listen to an interview with John on our Facebook page)……….Enrolment for Abbey Primary School, Boyle for the 2025/2026 school year is still open, closing date for enrolments is Friday 14th February………….Boyle Camogie Club has announced that they will have a junior team this year. The club say “This will be a fun and enjoyable environment for girls and ladies to play Camogie at junior level”. Please message the club on social media if interested……….Lough Arrow Christmas Day Swim Quiz Night in Mayfly Inn this Saturday night at 9pm. Table of 4 – €40. All money raised goes to North West Hospice……….This Sunday’s 3rd round league game between Roscommon and Monaghan in Hyde Park will be shown live on the TG4 App and Player……..Great work once again by members of Boyle Tidy Town who were out on Wednesday morning weeding the bed in the Green Street car park and picking litter around the town including Main Street which seems to be heavily littered of late………The two posts that got the most interaction on Boyletoday.com during the week just goes to show the popularity and high respect both are held in. The first related to the glowing HIQA report that the Plunkett Home received. The second was birthday wishes to well known priest Fr Brian Conlon………Some achievement by Boyle athletes David Green and Mary Moran who competed in the Donadea Forest 50k run last weekend. David finished in a brilliant time of 4.48.13 closely followed by Mary in 4.49.03……..‘Boyle One Voice Singers, Community Singing Group’ first meeting is taking place in Boyle FRC on Thursday 27th February from 7 – 8.30pm. This is open to everyone, the only requirement is that you enjoy music, meeting new people and singing. There are no auditions. The focus is on fun and positivity. If you would like more information or to register, please phone 071 966 3000 or email [email protected]………Shame on the person(s) who dumped all their black refuse sacks full of household rubbish on Quarry Lane recently. Hopefully the Litter Warden will get some information from it’s contents to execute a prosecution……….Tune in to the Late Late show tonight (Friday) to see Boyle’s famous son Chris O’Dowd, who along with Christina Hendricks will discuss their new comedy-drama Small Town, Big Story…………Congratulations and well done to ‘local’ hotel Kilronan Castle who won a number of awards recently including: Gold – Ireland’s 4-Star Hotel at the Gold Medal Awards; Bronze – Ireland’s Fine Dining Hotel Restaurant at the Gold Medal Awards; Gold – Hotel Accommodation at the CIE Tour Awards of Excellence and Winner – Hotel Wedding Venue of the Year (Connaught) at the Wedding Supplier Awards.
And finally…..!
After arriving in a hotel in Dublin, Michael O’Leary from Ryanair went to the bar and asked for a pint of Guinness.
The barman said, “That will be €1 please, Mr. O’Leary.”
Taken aback, O’Leary replied, “That’s very cheap,” and handed over his money.
“We do try to stay ahead of the competition”, said the barman. “We have the cheapest pint in Ireland”.
“That is remarkable value”, Michael comments.
“I see you don’t have a glass, you’ll need one of ours. That will be €3 please.”
O’Leary scowled, but paid up. He took his drink and walked towards a seat.
“Ah, you want to sit down?” said the barman. “That’ll be an extra €2. If you’d pre-booked it would have cost €1.”
O’Leary swore to himself, but paid up.
“I see you’ve brought your laptop” added the barman. “That wasn’t pre-booked either, that’s another €3.”
O’Leary was so incensed and his face was red with rage.
“I’ve had enough! I insist on speaking to a manager!”
“Here is his e-mail address, or if you wish, you can contact him between 9.00 am and 9.01am every morning, Monday to Tuesday. Calls are free, unless answered, then there is a charge of only €1 per second”.
“I will never use this bar again”.
“OK but do remember, we are the only bar in Ireland selling pints for €1.”
