Seeking home hosters in Boyle
We have been contacted by an Italian family who are looking for local families to host their son and his friend when they come to Abbey College in Boyle for a “Foreign Experience” this Spring. Federico Fogliano wrote: My 17 year old son and a friend will join Abbey College in Boyle from March 1st 2025 to mid June for a foreign experience. My first son studied in the same school 3 years ago and it was a great experience. We are looking for a family to host our son but apparently the school don’t have connections, so for this reason they told us to contact Boyletoday.com – can you help me? Best option for us is to find two families for the two young students, but it could also be one single family for both of them. I can assure you both of them are very serious and polite and with excellent school vocation. If you can help, please contact me Federico Fogliano on [email protected].
Boyle native’s Seanad Eireann bid
We published a request on Wednesday last from well know local man Tony Conboy who outlined his view that Boyle native Hilary Beirne’s election to Seanad Eireann would be “a very positive contribution to Boyle’s political landscape”. And Tony is right. Currently we do not have a TD or Senator from Boyle town which is regrettable but Hilary’s election could change that. Hilary has also said he will base himself and his constituency office on St. Patrick Street in Boyle in a house that many will remember belonged to Bridie and Hubbie Beirne – directly opposite the entrance to the Spool Factory. Hilary is contesting the election in the N.U.I. constituency and graduates from the National University of Ireland which is made up of U.C.G. / U. C. D. / U. C.C. and Maynooth can vote for him – once they are registered before January 23rd- which you can do here. It would be great if NUI graduates from Boyle voted for Hilary and got a local man elected to the Upper House.
Cross Country running returns to Forest Park
Planning continues for the upcoming “Moylurg Open Cross Country” running race 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. Race Director and local man Seán McDermott said: “We hope the clubs from the county and province support this event as its actually put on for them in preparation for schools cross country, also All Ireland Masters and intermediate and Juvenile B championships are just 2 weeks after this event at Westport House in Mayo”. You can enter here
Memories of the Dinner Dance Scene in Boyle
The social scene in Boyle was a busy one in the months of January and February in the ’70’s/’80’s and ’90’s. During these months, the majority of Friday and Saturday nights were taken up by many attending local Dinner Dances. Held in either the Royal Hotel or the Forest Park Hotel, they were always enjoyable nights out. You had the Garda Dinner Dance, the Vintners Dinner Dance, Emmet Tyres Dinner Dance, the Town Commissioners Dinner Dance, the Chamber Dinner Dance, GAA and Soccer Dinner Dances and then nearly every business in Boyle had their own Dinner Dance – Nire, Candons, Feelys to name but a few. Looking back, the Garda and Vintners Dinner Dances were the among the most memorable for many. In the case of the Garda dance, businesses, especially those in the licensed trade, dropped bottles of spirits into the station in advance (for spot prizes of course). On dance night, law abiding, and those not so law abiding, mixed with the legal profession and the men and women in blue in a night of celebration that continued into the small hours. In the case of the Vintners, the tables turned and the off duty Gardaí were out in force on the dance floor returning the compliment to the publicans of the town! The day after the Vintners dance was one of legend for many involved in the organistation of the event, as it provided a good excuse for some of the organising committee to have “the bills paid” and in reality, start the celebrations all over again! Some said the next day was better than the night before! All gone now, into distant but happy memories.
Local businesses need our support
In the run up to Christmas, the annual call to “shop local and support the small business” went out. But now, with Christmas a distant memory and a dead week commercially due to the cold weather, one could contend that shopping local is more important right now than it was in December. January is traditionally a quiet month as the bills for the Christmas shopping arrive and the January pay packet is awaited. Add to this the cold weather of late, which has seen drop off in business all over the country and you will see why we need to support our local shops now more than ever. So this weekend, and for the rest of January, why not make a special effort to support the shops, bars, restaurants and businesses in Boyle.
News snippets from around Boyle
Last week was one of the coldest in a number of years but being the hardy bunch we are here in Boyle, it did not stop the Ice Cream van from visiting our residents even when the temperature was sub zero……..Boyle’s Lough Key Visitor Centre and Café will be closed until Saturday 11th January at 10am as they prepare for the upcoming season and new year ahead. The Park is open as always for walking, cycling and exploring………… Storytime continues in Boyle Library every Saturday at 12.00pm. All welcome…….‘Room to Improve’ returned to our TV screen’s last Sunday night and featured the transformation of a former butcher shop in Charlestown into a dream home. It was a great example of what could be done with so many properties here in Boyle town centre. If you missed the programme, you can see it again here……..Clean up of Assylinn Cemetery this Sunday at 2pm……..Boyle Family Resource Centre are hosting a Building Bricks club for children with additional needs and their siblings ages 4-12 years of age. New term of 6 weeks starts Monday January 13th from4 – 5pm. Cost: €2 per child. Please contact the centre on 0719663000 to book your child’s place……….Boyle Film Club will hold a free screening of Charlie Chaplin’s ‘City Lights’ on Friday January 17th in the Family Resource Centre. Please book your place at [email protected]………….The Adoration Chapel in St. Joseph’s Church which was closed since Wednesday due to the bad weather, will reopen this coming Sunday, 12th January at 1pm………Due to the ongoing severe weather and hazardous travel conditions, Boyle Credit Union will not open until the later time of 11am today Friday 10th January.
And finally….!
A Kerryman gets on a bus and asks the driver how long the trip is from Limerick to Cork.
“About 2 hours,” says the driver.
“Okay,” says the Kerryman “then how long is the trip from Cork to Limerick?”
The irate driver says “It’s still about 2 hours. Why’d you think there’d be a difference?”
“Well,” says the Kerryman, “It’s only a week between Christmas and New Year, but it’s one hell of a long time between New Year and Christmas!
