The dangers of walking without high vis clothing
A viewer has been in contact requesting us to raise the problem of people out walking without high vis clothing. The viewer pointed out that a number of walkers are of the belief that just because they are in a lit up area (and on occasion because it is daylight) they think they can be seen, which is not always the case.
The issue also of three or more walkers, with one walking on the road instead of the footpath so they can social distance, and the dangers that brings, has also been raised.
There has been a marked increase in people taking exercise around Boyle since the Covid crisis hit which is to be welcomed but please wear a high vis waistcoat or jacket if out walking or cycling, even if it is not dark. If you don’t have a high vis top you can get one here
A Royal day for Boyle’s future
At last. After what seems like an age, the contracts for the near €3m redevelopment of the Royal Building in Boyle were signed on Wednesday (see story on our homepage). It’s now full steam ahead with work due to commence in January 2021. In addition to an upgrade of a vital piece of town centre infrastructure, Boyle will get an economic boost from the construction traffic on the redevelopment which will be welcomed. There will also be a certain level of disruption in the town centre during construction, but the final result will be well worth any inconvenience.
There have been many words published about the Royal development over the last few years, not all complimentary, but the signing of the contract has now taken place which might just put the gobstopper back in the mouths of the one or two locally who tried their best to undermine this project from the very start.
Love is in the Air in Boyle
Boyle’s Lough Key Forest Park was the location for an episode of ‘Love is in the Air’ which was broadcast on the RTE Player last Sunday. Filmed during the pandemic, this six part series follows six couples as they have their first dates in outdoor locations. The locations of the dates include Phoenix Park, Dun Laoghaire Pier and Lough Key Forest and Activity Park . In episode two Siobhan from Ballinamore and Eoin from Edenderry met in the Park for a ‘first date’. They took a tour of the Lough Key Experience and took in the views from the Moylurg Tower giving themselves plenty of ‘room for their guardian angel’ as Sr Gerard used to say when the slow dances came on at the discos in Scoil Chroist an Ri many years ago! You can watch the episode of ‘Love is in the Air’ on the RTE Player here
A Boyle street that is growing faster than any other
One street in Boyle that is probably growing faster than any other is St. Patrick Street. In recent times there has been more new businesses open on the street than in any other street in Boyle i.e. the Spool Factory, Fitt Factory, Amy’s Nails, Food Fusion, John Sirr Antiques, Simpson Property Care with others due to follow in 2021. There has also been some upgrade of residential premises in the last few months to facilitate town centre living with more work ongoing.
Many years ago, St Patrick Street was one of the busiest spots for industrial footfall with 9am, 1pm, 2pm and 6pm seeing hundreds of people move along the street. At one stage you had the ‘Herald Works, Candons, Stewarts and Nire with large work forces heading to and from their places of employment at those times – mostly on foot. They stopped off in the various shops on the way which also brought custom to those premises. That has all changed now but St Patrick Street has held it’s own and could be the street to see a lot more regeneration in 2021.
Immediate reduction in social contacts now required
Just because restrictions are eased today it does not mean it is a ‘free for all’ and people can act as if Covid-19 has gone away. That Covid has gone seems to have been the view of many since the first easing came into effect on December 4th, with the resultant concern at what will happen from today Friday 18th when restrictions are eased further again for the holiday period. If it turns into a ‘free for all’, then hospitals will become over burdened in January, people will die and we will be back in lockdown once again, which based on the advice of NPHET last night, now looks highly likely. Right now, those of you who want to see your parents or grandparents over Christmas need to reduce your social contacts with immediate effect. There is no point in heading out to socialise this weekend and next week and then come home thinking all will be fine. It will not and you could be the reason some of your family get sick with Covid-19. So this Christmas let’s all be smart and limit our contacts, practice social distancing, hand washing, sneeze etiquette and wearing our mask. That way we will continue to keep the incidence rate low in this area (our rate in the Boyle LEA is now below the national average) while keeping ourselves and our loved ones safe this Christmas.
Council’s shop local campaign hits Boyle this weekend
Local radio station Shannonside FM will have an outside broadcast from Boyle today Friday between 11am and 5.30pm. The OB is part of Roscommon County Council’s “Stay local, shop local campaign” which aims to encourage everyone to shop local this Christmas. The Council are also behind the ‘Christmas Projections’ project which will show the brilliant video of Santa arriving in Boyle recently, which was captured so professionally by Padraig Cunningham from www.puredesigns.ie. The projections took place initially last week on the front of the old Royal, which may not have been the best idea before moving down down! This weekend they will be shown on the southern gable wall of Boles of Boyle. If you have not seen the video, make sure to stop off in town this Friday and Saturday from 5pm and have a look for yourself.
‘Isn’t there a grand stretch in the evenings’
With the weather now well and truly in winter mode and with a little over two weeks left in 2020, (and a cold Christmas forecast), thoughts begin to turn to brighter days and longer evenings ahead. Traditionally December 21st is viewed as the shortest day of the year, which is true, but in fact the winter solstice on that day does not have the latest sunrise nor the earliest sunset of the year. This is because of a discrepancy between our modern-day timekeeping methods and how time is measured using the sun, known as the equation of time. This year the earliest sunset took place, for example in Dublin, at 16.07.25 on last Monday December 14th. So the evening have started to get longer since last Monday (by 4 seconds on the first day!). The mornings though will continue to darken until the latest sunrise on December 29th from when they will get brighter, initially by a few seconds also. So since last Monday on you are permitted to say “Isn’t there a grand stretch in the evenings!”
Christmas Greetings from the Boyle’d Pot
Merry Christmas and a prosperous and healthy New Year to the regular and increasing number of new viewers of the Boyle’d Pot, including all the ‘Boylers’ from all over the world who could not make it home this year. Thank you for making this website your number one media choice for all factual news relating to the town and area. Boyletoday.com will, as always, have updates from the town over the holidays. If you would like an event or item featured, please feel free to email [email protected]. The Boyle’d Pot will be back again on January 8th. Merry Christmas everyone!
And finally….!
A dying husband in his hospital bed asks his wife:
“Our seventh child always looked different from the other six.”
“Please tell me, as I lie here on my death bed – did he have a different father?”
His wife, crying uncontrollably answers – “Yes”
He asks: “Who’s is it?”
His wife replies: “Yours!”
