Could Boyle have no Christmas Lights this year?
Just before Christmas last we published a piece here in the Boyle’d Pot suggesting that 2023 could be the final year that there were Christmas Lights in Boyle. It followed news that the long standing committee, who had voluntarily undertaken the job for the last ten years, were stepping down. Now, less than six months until the big day, the realism of the situation is beginning to hit home and a call has gone out for a new committee to be formed to undertake the erection of the 2025 Christmas Lights in our town. The ‘old’ team, who have been fundraising, erecting and dismantling lights will hand over the mantle to whoever is interested in taking on the task. The new crew, whoever they might be, will have the previously purchased lights handed over to them.
It would be a real shame to not see Boyle lit up this Christmas and unless a new committee is formed very soon, that is exactly what will happen. It is also an opportunity for a new committee to plan an event around the switching in of the lights with a visit from Santa etc.
If you are eager to assist in Lighting up Boyle for Christmas 2024, you can call to Brian Kelly at Bettery Buys-Surprises or give him a call on 071 9662526 or indeed chat to any of the old Christmas Lights crew.
Boyle to feature in ‘Roscommon Bound’ promotional video
A video segment for a promotional video for ‘Roscommon Bound’ was filmed in Boyle on Wednesday last. Roscommon Bound is an economic development project which aims to promote Roscommon as an ideal place to live, work, invest and visit. King House, Lough Key Forest Park, Boyle Abbey, The Spool Factory Co Working Hub and Office Suites and An Rioga all were featured. ‘Ambassadors’ for each of six towns in Roscommon were involved in Wednesday’s shoot with Ciaran Sheerin, Anna Robertson and Brian Nerney representing Boyle. The Roscommon Bound promotional video will also featured on ‘Global Rossie Day’ which will be held this year on September 22nd.
Lough Key Forest Park included in 2025 CIE Tours Trip
Boyle’s Lough Key Forest Park has been included once again in the CIE Tours “Ireland, Britain and Beyond” itinerary. Also included for 2025 is the Arigna Mining Experience. Lough Key Forest Park and the Mining Experience are featured on day nine of the fifteen day ‘Scots Irish Tour’ which costs “from $4,695pp”. After overnighting in Kilronan Castle, guests will visit the Arigna Mining Experience and then onto Lough Key Forest Park to: “Explore how humans have shaped the landscape on this old estate over thousands of years. Walk through tunnels used by servants from the 19th century, see the sunken garden and then walk along the tree canopy bridge for panoramic views of nature and the shimmering lake. Return to the charming village of Ballyfarnon and relax in your castle hotel before dinner”. The tour starts in Edinburgh, moving onto Belfast, Donegal, Boyle, Galway, Clare, Kerry and finishing in Dublin.
A few years back representatives from Boyle Town Team and Roscommon Co Co met with Stephen Cotter Chief Operations Officer CIE Tours and Martin Donnelly of Failte Ireland to get the area included in the CIE Tours itinerary. That meeting was organised by Neil McGarry.
Boyle artist exhibition opens in Roscommon tonight
Boyle based artist Naomi Draper opens her exhibition – “But if I could understand what you are – root and all, and all in all” – tonight Friday 12th in Roscommon Arts Centre. According to Naomi: The title for this exhibition is extracted from a poem by Alfred Tennyson which articulates his curiosity and bewilderment before a familiar object. This exhibition is the culmination of an extended period of related artistic and research engagement with Roscommon Arts Centre. The invitation to present this exhibition follows a three year curatorial residency that I undertook at the gallery from 2021-2023. During this residency I maintained a studio practice where ideas were simultaneously explored in my studio practice and my curatorial methodology. Both these practices were informed by an interest in the relationships between humans and other matter, the role process’ of production plays in this negotiation, and the potential of materials as active participants in our development and learning. I am fascinated by the human desire and drive to preserve, protect and care for collected things. My making practices explore the collection, preservation and archiving of plant material and found objects”.
Naomi’s exhibition opens at 6pm and continues until August 31st.
News snippets from around Boyle
It is great to see the new Intermediate carriages coming into service on the Dublin Sligo rail line that serves Boyle. These new carriages have additional bicycle space and a new seating arrangement for those with bicycles………If you would like to sponsor a seat in the new ‘Hal Cawley’ stand in Celtic Park, then please contact chairman Eddie Conroy or any member of the Boyle Celtic committee. There will be 166 seats in total in the stand and each sponsor will have their name on a plague. It is hoped to have the stand fully built by the end of the Summer……….Historic walking tours of Boyle with Tony Conboy commence this Saturday and every Saturday at 2pm from Boyle Craft Shop in the grounds of King House………A talk and slideshow with well known award winning photographer Brian Farrell will take place on Saturday in the Old Schoolhouse Community Cafe in Ballinafad from 1pm-2pm. Brian will lead attendees on a photographic journey of his distinguished and varied career………Culture Friday continues today in Boyle Craft Shop from 1-1.30pm when Eilish and Anna from Úna Bhán Tourism will share the inspiration and stories behind their books which focus on the places and people of Boyle……..What a shame it was left to the Tidy Town volunteers to clean the weeds around the Roscommon Co Co owned King House in advance of the opening of Boyle Arts Festival next Thursday. The volunteers were out in force last evening and weeded along the perimeter wall of the House and also on the opposite side of the road. They also cleaned up the Pleasure Grounds and cut saplings and weeds from the walls of the river. Well done also to Abbeytown Road Residents Association who also undertook a clean up of their area yesterday evening……..Boyle Arts Festival office is now open in An Ríoga on Bridge Street. The office will be open from 11am to 5pm every day (excluding Sundays) until July 27th. Call in to book tickets, to get information on upcoming events or simply to pick up one of the brand new programmes…………A short film – ‘The Visitors’ – featuring Boyle based actor Conor Hamill was shot recently in the Ox Mountains in Tubbercurry……….A Mass to celebrate the 140th anniversary of St. Aidan’s Church in Monasteraden will take place this Sunday July 14th in the Church at 11am. Refreshments after in school hall with all welcome………The Boyle GAA senior men take on Eire Og this evening (Friday) at 7:30pm in Ballinameen. They must win this game to retain their Division 1 league status for next year. All support is welcome.
And finally…..!
Two young ladies and a senior citizen were sitting naked in the sauna.
Suddenly there was a beeping sound, one of the young women pressed her forearm and the beep stopped.
The other two looked on questioningly.
“That was my pager” she said, “I have a microchip under the skin of my arm”
A few minutes later a phone rang, the second young woman lifted her palm to her ear and proceeded to take the call.
When she finished, she explained, “that was my mobile phone, I have a microchip in my hand”.
The older woman felt very low-tech, so not to be outdone, she stepped out of the sauna and went to the changing rooms.
She returned to the sauna with a piece of toilet paper hanging from her rear end.
The others raised their eyebrows and stared at her.
The older woman finally said…….” Well would you look at that, I have a fax coming through”
