Memories of a trip of a lifetime for 21 Boyle lads
The 1988 trip by a number of lads from Boyle to the Euro finals in Germany was detailed in a two page article in the Daily Star last week. 21 hard bucks left Boyle for the two week trip on board an ex London Transport double decker bus sourced by local man and now T.D. Frank Feighan. The lads slept upstairs and chefs Georgie Tiernan and Jim Feighan cooked the food downstairs. According to Frank: “We had three large bins: one for beer, the second for Coke and Fanta and the third was for an unusual sangria mix”. When they arrived back in Boyle the battle weary supporters were heroes and were paraded around town on the back of a truck. Reminiscing on the historic trip, Frank said “We were only supporters but to judge by the cheers that greeted us that night in Boyle, you’d swear that we played in all three games!”.
Boyle shop fronts on Nationwide TV programme
Some of the fabulous mosaic shop fronts that are still visible in Boyle were featured on last Monday evening’s Nationwide programme. McNamara’s, Cosgroves’s and Carroll’s were featured as the programme followed artist Laura Earley who has documented the mosaic fronts that still exist on many shops around the county. Laura’s research has pointed to the former Irish Mosaic Factory in Roscommon as the reason why the county has such a large number of such shops fronts. Another example of mosaic in Boyle is on McDonagh’s on the corner of Bridge Street and Main Street. Hopefully when this building gets a planned refresh later this year, the mosaic at ground floor level that is currently painted over, will be restored. If you missed the Nationwide programme, you can view it here
Calls for security personnel on train services
There was yet another incident on the Sligo Dublin train on Tuesday last that resulted in the 9.05am ex Sligo, that serves Boyle, having to stop in Kilcock to await Gardai after a man allegedly brandished a weapon believed to be a knife following a psychical fight on the train. It resulted in knock on delays for most of the remainder of the day.
There have been so many incidents of late on the Sligo Dublin line, that regular passengers are suggesting security personnel need to patrol the trains. Others will tell of alcohol and drug consumption and general rowdiness that is common place on the train at weekends – especially Friday night or Saturday as groups of stag and hen parties head to Carrick on Shannon.
Concern at teenage vaping outlined at meeting
There has been a lot of concern among parents in Boyle in recent times in relation to an increased level of vaping among younger people. Vaping is the inhaling of an aerosol (mist) created by an electronic cigarette (e-cigarette). Some parents have told of younger teenagers being bullied by others because they do not vape. Parents have also expressed concern that certain premises in Boyle are illegally selling vapes to under 18’s. To address the situation, a meeting was held on Wednesday night last in Abbey College, Boyle which will hopefully lead to stricter policies being put in place in certain locations locally in relation to the use of e cigarettes.
News snippets from around Boyle
Ladies ‘Get Into Golf’ programme commences next Wednesday April 17th at Boyle Golf Club. There are still places available which is aimed at getting ladies who are complete beginners “up and running” in golf. The programme will include 6 lessons with a Golf Professional and club members. No equipment or experience necessary. The lessons will be starting on Wednesday with places available in either of 2 sessions 5:30- 6:30 or 6:30- 7:30. The cost for the 6 weeks will be €50. For further information please contact Bernie on 0872437364…………….‘No Parking in this Area. Through Traffic Only’ reads the sign outside Lovage and the entrance to The Shambles Yard yet cars park here for short intervals everyday causing disruption and marking of the stone surface……….Well done to the Boyle Beavers who undertook a litter clean up around the town on Monday evening last and also the 2nd year students in ACC who did likewise on Thursday………The military like organisation that went into the parking and transportation of mourners to and from the late Desssie McLoughlin’s reposing on Monday and Tuesday last was a credit to all involved. For what was one of the largest funerals ever seen in Boyle, everything worked like clockwork – a fitting tribute to a man who would have been the first there in a fluorescent jacket if the funeral was for anyone else………Nearly €1m worth of cannabis was discovered in two Garda raids this week not that far from Boyle (Fairymount and Loughglynn). Hopefully the finds will limit the supply of the drug in Boyle and other towns………..April opening hours at Zipit in Lough Key Forest Park – Thursday and Friday 3pm onwards, Saturday and Sunday 9am-5pm…….It’s hard to believe that An Garda Siochana had to put down no parking signs on the yellow hatched area on Main Street to stop people illegally parking in advance of the funeral on Wednesday. Surely the marked area should indicate that you cannot park there. It did not take long after the funeral passed for the cones to be lifted onto to the footpath by motorists so they could once more park illegally – and block traffic. It was a similar scene yesterday afternoon when a delivery truck illegally parked on upper Bridge Street caused gridlock for a period of time……….Visitor numbers increased by 1,437 at Boyle Abbey in 2023 up to 7,862 from 6,425 in 2022………Darkness into Light will once again take place in Boyle on Saturday May 6th. Community registration will take place in Natural Options over the coming weekends. The organising committee require clean clear glass jars to facilitate lighting the route. Please contact any committee members if you can assist.
And finally…!
Tommy took a pair of stuffed dogs that he had found one night in a skip outside the pub to the ‘Antiques Roadshow’ that was being held in his local town.
“Oh my goodness!” declared the normally unimpressed taxidermy expert, “This is very rare; to find on the open market one dog produced by the celebrated taxidermist, Peter Spicer, who operated in the late 19th century is very rare indeed.
But to find a matched pair – that is quite unheard of.
Spicer was very well known in Victorian times, he even stuffed things for Queen Victoria!
Do you have any idea what these dogs would fetch if they were in good condition?”
“Sticks?” our hero asked.
