Time to ban footpath parking
For Boyle to gain its age friendly status, one of the habits that needs to change is drivers parking their cars on footpaths around the town. It may sound ridiculous to anyone who is not from Boyle but the practice is commonplace in certain parts of the town. For a person with reduced mobility or a person in a wheelchair, a car parked on the footpath can cause distress and is a real danger. Getting age friendly status will be a great benefit to our town and respectful parking will have to become part of everyone’s daily life if the status is to be achieved.
Cracking down on drugs in Boyle
Well done to the local Gardai on their recent successful efforts to disrupt the sale and supply of drugs in the Boyle area. One operation last weekend resulted in a number of searches, an arrest and the seizure of a quantity of what is believed to be illegal drugs. Unlike many other towns in Ireland, drugs is presently not a major problem here in Boyle but it is vitally important that we ensure it stays that way. While it is widely known where and from whom drugs are available locally, the Gardai needed to build a picture of the situation and have their facts correct before they could take action. The result was a major operation last weekend involving local Gardai backed up by members of the Roscommon Longford Divisional Drugs Unit, Armed Response Unit and Customs officials. Hopefully the operation will go some way to limiting the supply of illegal substances in Boyle. If you have any information in relation to drug dealing in our town, please contact the Gardai on 071 9664620 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 66611.
Getting Boyle ‘Greenway Friendly’
The main story here on Boyletoday.com this morning outlines further grant aid for Boyle. This time the Town Team allocated funding is to assist in making Boyle the county’s – and perhaps the country’s – first cycle friendly town. Cycling is gaining in popularity year on year and fast becoming a major tourism driver in this country. With the Lough Key to Boyle Greenway peeking over the horizon, having the town cycle friendly is a priority. Cycling tours and associated activities can fill room nights and put bums on seats in Boyle from March to October and in between, as people use the greenway and cyclist appreciate that they are welcome here. Right now, Boyle needs to prepare for the Greenway, just like Newport and other town’s did on the Great Western Greenway. Another example of how a business got ‘Greenway Friendly’ formed part of the ‘At Your Service’ TV programme in recent times when Kersey’s in Kilmacthomas in Waterford was visited by the Brennan Brothers. You can listen here to how three businesses in the South East capitalized on their Greenway.
Wednesday opening/closing
Rain, hail or shine Wednesday’s in Boyle are one of the quietest days of the week. Perhaps it’s a hangover from the ‘Closed Day’ syndrome that was at one time associated with Wednesday’s locally. While there are still a handful of businesses that continue to shut up shop mid week, many more remain open but unfortunately, for whatever reason, the consumers are not consuming on that day of the week. During the summer, the situation is as serious on Sunday’s in Boyle when there are nearly no shops open. A retail strategy to include 7 day opening should form part of the future planning for Boyle.
A nice mention for Boyle
Boyle got a nice mention in this week’s Roscommon People newspaper. Under the heading “A Boost for Boyle”, the article says ‘Here at the Roscommon People we’ve always had a soft spot for the historic character-filled town of Boyle and we were delighted to hear that the town has been chosen as one of six areas nationwide for inclusion in the Residential Occupancy Scheme”. The article concluded “We have no doubt there will be great support in Boyle for this project and we wish it every success”.
Sligo jobs can benefit Boyle
Thursday’s announcement of 350 new jobs for Sligo by Eir should be looked on favourably by Boyle and all other areas within commuting distance of the capital town. The 350 customer service positions comes on the back of approximately 1000 other jobs announced for Sligo so far this year. Chances are we may never see a major jobs announcement like this for Boyle but we can piggyback on these announcements for the gateway town of Sligo. What we need right now is the construction of additional affordable housing in Boyle so families can live here and work in the likes of Sligo.
And finally…!
Three old golfers are walking down the fairway, or in their case riding down the fairway,
“Sixty is the worst age to be,” said the 60-year-old,
“You always feel like you have to pee. And most of the time nothing
happens.”
“Ah, that’s nothing,” said the 70-year-old. “When you’re 70, you don’t
have a bowel movement anymore. You take laxatives, eat bran, you sit on the toilet all day and nothing happens.”
“Actually,” said the 80-year-old, “Eighty is the worst age of all.”
“Do you have trouble peeing too?” asked the 60-year-old.
“No, I pee every morning at 6.00 am. I pee like a racehorse; no problem at all.”
“Do you have trouble having a bowel movement?” asked the 70-year 0ld.
“No, I have one every morning at 6.30 am.”
Puzzled with this the 60-year-old said, “Let’s get this straight. You
pee every morning at 6.00 am and poop every morning at 6.30 am. So what’s so tough about being 80?”
“…I don’t wake up until seven.”
