Great sense of community spirit at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade
If ever there was a great sense of community spirit in Boyle, it was there to be seen last Sunday when the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade drew one of the largest crowds into town for many years. Everyone was in jovial mood and a party like atmosphere preceded and followed the Parade with many people heading to St. Joseph’s Hall when the main event concluded for the highly enjoyable performances by Music Generation. It was great to see so many new residents in our town out joining in with the locals and being made feel welcome on what was a memorable day and one that can hopefully be repeated again next year. Well done to all the Committee members and helpers and thank you for all your effort, dedication and hard work in making the day possible.
The only negative point would be the lack of participation in the parade by a number of the larger businesses in Boyle who were obvious by their omission. While it is appreciated that the construction of a float is time consuming, surely there has to be a sense of pride among the larger businesses that should see their staff make an effort to participate.
Commercial vacancy remains high in Boyle
Boyle did not feature that well in the latest GeoDirectory Commercial Building Report for Q4 2024 that was published this week. The report examined commercial vacancy rates among a sample of 80 towns located across the state. It found Ballybofey in Co. Donegal with the highest commercial vacancy rate in Q4 2024 at 33.6% followed by Edgewortstown (30.2%), Shannon (29.8%), Boyle (27.7%), and Letterkenny (26.6%) making up the top five towns by highest vacancy. It also showed that the commercial vacancy rate increased in 14 of the 26 counties surveyed in the twelve months to December 2024. But it should be noted that only two towns in County Roscommon, Boyle and Roscommon town were included in the survey.
No doubt certain traditionally media and some local radio stations will have a field day reporting on the vacancy rates for Boyle, while giving a platform for the online trolls to spew out their tainted views, but while ignoring this, we should be using the survey as a tool to get further investment and funding for our town. We can only hope that Aldi and a few other recent positive developments will be the catalyst to change local vacancy rates, as business owners see that Boyle is a town that has never given up hope and is now being ear marked by national brands, which is most encouraging.
Informative talk on drug problem in this general area
For those who attended the informative talk on drug use in Cortober on Wednesday night last by Carrick on Shannon resident and Chairman of the Citizens Assembly on Drug Use – Paul Reid, their belief was confirmed that drug use, especially cocaine, is prevalent in every small town in Ireland – and Boyle is no different. Once believed to be the prominent in areas of “high social depravation” that has all changed, according to Paul.
We all know that weekend cocaine use is now the norm by the most unlikely people in our towns and villages and is being consumed like others would take a pint on a Friday night. But by buying illegal drugs you are supporting and lining the pockets of the criminals who are involved in the drug trade. Thankfully we have seen regular visits by the Divisional Drugs Unit to Boyle in recent times and more visits, especially on Friday afternoons and evenings when the ‘drop off’ occurs, would be most welcome.
Getting people to live in Boyle town centre
Back in 2018, Boyle was one of six towns nationwide that was chosen to participate in a pilot study to consider ways in which properties that are currently not in use can be renovated to allow them to be used for residential purposes. It took a while for the results to become available but when they did, Boyle’s reasons for having so few people living in the town centre were exactly the same as the other five towns in the survey. They included:
• Properties bought for investment several years ago where it is difficult to trace the owner.
• Properties not transferred following the death of an owner due to there being no will.
• If an owner uses the lower floor for commercial use they are not eligible for a mortgage for the overall property.
• Lack of “community” among owners resulting in high costs for maintenance when operating on an individual basis.
• Uncertainty relating to the structural integrity of the building until works commence.
• Age profile of owners.
• Complications and cost when properties are in the Architectural Conservation Area and/or are designated protected structures.
• Properties are stuck in probate.
• Lack of finance to renovate properties.
• Properties are in negative equity.
• It is difficult to make a return on investment.
• In a number of cases the lack of access to the rear of the properties and/or no garden limits the attractiveness for families.
• Preference for suburban living with access to own garden.
Fast forward a number of years and most if not all of the problems remain the same. We currently have a housing crisis in our country, yet we have so many commercial properties in our town centres that are lying derelict (for reasons outlined above) or we have buildings that are commercial on ground floor and are vacant on first and second floors. Maybe it is time to revisit the 2018 report and findings and see how we can repurpose some of our buildings to get more people to come and live in Boyle town centre, especially now that the public realm is making the town so much nicer aesthetically.
News snippets from around Boyle
The sad passing of ex Formula 1 boss Eddie Jordan brought back memories of the time the legendary man visited Boyle during the World Rally Championship in 2008. Eddie, along with some friends had a band who played at the event on the ‘Micro-Cam’ stage that was set up on Shop Street. He then went across the road to see another famous Eddie – Eddie Creighton – in Creighton’s Bar and drank a few pints while happily posing for photographs with Eddie and Sylvia’s customers……….The town could badly do with a visit from the road sweeper to clear away the grains left after the anti skid coating was installed each side of the pedestrian crossings in recent weeks. Indeed some of the grains have made their way to parts of the town that did not have the coating installed!……..North West Hospice memorial Walk in memory of loved ones no longer with us, starting from Doorly Park in Sligo on Sunday April 6th……….Boyle Tidy Town AGM and prize giving took place last night with Termon Residents winning the most improved/best kept estate, Taylors Interiors for best kept building and Padraig McGrath Butchers on best flower display………..Please be aware that today (Friday’s) flights to and from Heathrow Airport to Ireland West Knock has been cancelled due to an overnight fire at Heathrow. In fact all 679 flights scheduled to land and 678 scheduled to take off today at Heathrow today are cancelled………Tapas evenings recommence at Lovage at the Gate Lodge in Boyle at 7pm each Friday from April 4th………James Kilbane will play King House this Saturday at 7.30pm. Tickets priced €15 available from King House reception or 087 1444739……….Parents Childcare Information Clinic this morning Friday from 10.30am – 11.30am in Boyle Library where a member of Roscommon County Childcare Committee CLG team will be available to answer your childcare queries…….Clean up of Assylinn Cemetery this Sunday from 2-4pm. Gloves and bags will be provided. You are welcome to bring your own tools/wheelbarrows……….Boyle Arts Festival has announced some of it’s headline acts for this year’s festival and they include; The Furey’s; The Irish Tenors; The Seeger Sessions Revival; Bad Manners; Jarlath Regan; Karma Police and Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh. Tickets go on sale on Friday March 28th. If you add in the ‘Day and Night’ festival, (with Paul Brady announced this morning) there will be a terrific line up of music this summer in Boyle…….Don’t wash the car or house windows just yet as Sahara dust is due over Ireland when the rain arrives later today!
And finally…..
Two hunters are out in the woods when one of them collapses.
He’s not breathing and his eyes are glazed.
The other guy whips out his mobile phone and dials 999.
“I think my friend is dead!” he yells. “What can I do?”
The operator says, “Calm down. First, let’s make sure he’s dead.”
There’s a silence, then a shot.
Back on the phone, the guy says, “OK, now what?”
