Fifty years since the disappearance of Bernadette Connolly
Today April 17th marks the 50th anniversary of the disappearance of 10 year old Bernadette Connolly from Doorla, Collooney. Bernadette went missing on April 17th 1970, 3km from her Sligo home. Her bike was quickly found less than a mile from where she lived but Bernadette’s body was only found four months later in Limnagh Bog on the northern slopes of the Curlew Mountain near Boyle by a local woman out cutting turf. In the biggest manhunt ever seen in Ireland up to that time, over 2,300 people were fingerprinted, including many males in the Boyle area, as a result of Bernadette’s body being found close to the town. Over the years a number of suspects were identified and interviewed nationwide but no one was ever convicted of the murder. Rumours as to who was responsible still abound but despite a review of the case in 2009, little Bernadettes murderer was never caught. You can read and hear more here and here and here
Those who will survive need an exit plan
Businesses that will survive this crisis are the ones who are now thinking ahead and implementing new ways of operation as they plan for life post the current Covid-19 lockdown. Sitting around whinging and moaning will not get you back in business, but looking at new ways of operation and having an exit plan will. For years this blog has been stressing the need for every business in Boyle to have an online presence and for a number of retailers – the need to have an online store on which to sell their goods. Now, more so than ever, this is vitally important – and it’s not too late with help still available from Roscommon LEO through their Trading Online Voucher scheme (Details here).
One popular local group that has responded to the challenge Covid-19 has presented is ‘Slimming World’ as detailed on a news story on this website yesterday. Before the crisis, Slimming World was one of the most popular gatherings in Boyle every Thursday evening. Along with providing assistance those who wanted to lose weight, it was also a sort of social gathering. The Boyle group is run by local lady Tracy King who along with her Slimming World consultants were quick off the mark and are now continuing their groups online. Tracy says there has been a great response to the virtual group whereby, through modern technology, members can still enjoy all the benefits of Slimming World from the comfort of their own home. Let’s hope more Boyle businesses follow what Tracy and Slimming World are doing so they can be ready for life post Covid-19.
Gigabit broadband nearly here
It is reported that packages for the long awaited gigabit fibre broadband for Boyle are now available in certain areas of the town, but not in others. A date that has been mooted for all areas to be live is May 6th, but that could change. The current situation where so many people are working from home has highlighted the need for fast and reliable broadband in rural Ireland. Unfortunately to make an omelette you have to break eggs and in recent weeks, the broadband coverage from Eir in this area has not been the best with regular outages reported. Perhaps this has something to do with the final pull through of cables for the new fibre network? In any case, it will be well worth the wait when finished in the next few weeks when uninterrupted and super fast broadband will become part of everyday life in most of Boyle.
‘I’m Homesick. send me some sexy landscape photos’
While we have desisted in posting photographs of the scenic area in which we live during this fine spell for fear of enticing people to come and visit during the crisis, local celebrity Chris O’Dowd, who resides in the U.S. took a longer term view and did his bit for tourism around Boyle and Ireland in recent days when he posted on his Twitter account: “Homesick today. Can anyone in the West of Ireland send me big sexy photos of landscapes please”. The response was instant from the actors 790,000 followers with numerous images being posted on line including some fantastic shots of Boyle and as expected, Lough Key. Even Minister for the Diaspora and International development Ciaran Cannon send Chris his favourite photograph of Ben Bulben. Well done Chris!
An unusual sight in the skies over Boyle
Here in Boyle we had become accustomed to hearing and seeing low flying aircraft overhead as we are on the approach path to Runway 26 at Ireland West Airport, but that has all changed now and it is a rear sight to see any aircraft in the sky let alone one on finals to IWAK. Yesterday (Thursday) was a bit different. A Diamond DA62 aircraft with tail reg G-TACN transversed the Boyle skyline over the day as it used the quiet airspace to undertake some flight calibration on behalf of IWAK.
No assessment hub in Boyle
Despite speculation that Boyle Primary Care Centre was to become the County’s first Covid-19 Assessment Hub, it was confirmed mid week that Castlerea Primary Care Centre is to be the chosen location. Following a query from this website to find out if the Boyle Centre was being considered, the HSE replied to Boyletoday.com last Monday saying the Roscommon venue was yet to be confirmed and then announced on Tuesday that it was Castlerea. There had been mixed feelings one whither it would have been good or bad to have the assessment hub in our town, but that is one thing we don’t have to worry about now!
And finally….!
Donald Trump has a heart attack and dies. He goes to hell where the devil is waiting for him.
“I don’t know what to do”, says the Devil. “You’re on my list but I have no room for you. But, you definitely have to stay here so I’ll tell you what I’m going to do. I’ve got 3 people here who were not quite as bad as you.I’ll let one of them go but you have to take their place. I” even let you decide who leaves.”
Trump thought that sounded pretty good so he agrees.
The Devil opened the first room. In it was Richard Nixon and a large pool of water. He kept diving in and surfacing empty handed over and over and over an over, such was his fate in hell.
“No!” says Trump, “I don’t think so. I’m not a good swimmer and I don’t think I could do that all day long”.
The Devil led him to the next room. In it was Tony Blair with a sledgehammer and a room full of rocks. All he did was swing that hammer time after time after time after time. “No! I’ve got this problem with my shoulder. I would be in constant agony if all I could do was break rocks all day!” commented Trump.
The Devil opened the third door. In it, Trump saw Bill Clinton lying naked on the floor with his arms staked over his head with Monica Lewinsky, doing what she did best.
Trump looked at this in disbelief for a while and finally said “Yeah. I can handle this.”
The Devil smiled and said “OK Monica, you’re free to go!”
