Boyle’s top tourist attraction does it again
Hats off once again to Louise Fitzpatrick and all her staff in Lough Key Forest Park who won yet another award on Saturday night last – this time probably one of the biggest ones – ‘Best Public Park’ in Ireland. The knock on effect from this accolade and the marketing opportunities it presents can not be overstated. Add to this the opening of the cycle path in April and the imminent launch of the strategic plan for the Park and the future of Boyle’s top tourist attraction looks secure.
For years we saw visitor numbers grow in the Forest Park with very little spin off for Boyle. A shuttle bus was initiated for the summer months to be superseded by the Local Link bus. Now we have the cycle path and while this will no doubt attract additional visitors to the town, they will only visit, and Boyle will only benefit, if we have a wider range of restaurants and cafes to feed them and shop opening seven days per week in high season. While on the subject of cafes, there have been many enquiries already from families wondering if there are any coffee shops along the route of the soon to be opened cycle path. Unfortunately, as yet, there are none but it is yet another opportunity for an enterprising person(s) to set up shop and meet the demand.
Mixed reaction to new speed zones
Boyle’s new ‘speed zones’ have met with mixed reaction. The newly designated areas that will see increased speed checks have been welcomed by local residents on the N61 in Greatmeadow and R294 Carrick Road, but cursed by those who may have got a ticket during the week! In reality, many vehicles travel too fast down Greatmeadow especially around Cooney’s where there is always a large volume of traffic entering and exiting. Likewise vehicles speed down from the railway bridge on Elphin Street while traffic is exiting and entering another busy spot – Supervalu – all accidents waiting to happen. For the record, the speed limit on the N61 through town is 50 kph, while the speed limit on the Carrick Road is also 50kph for the majority of the road . Don’t say you haven’t been warned!
Banning fictitious Facebook post
It was ironic that this blog should publish a piece last week on the need to monitor content and comment on social media, only a few days before the subject became major news following the tragic death of Caroline Flack.
Here in Boyletoday.com we have had to block a number of fictitious Facebook accounts from posting on our Facebook page and directly on this website over the last six years. One recurring fictitious poster was ‘outed’ a few years back by this website following his posting of derogatory comments. In recent months another (?) poster has come to light attempting to post comments on this site and other Facebook pages around Boyle with defamatory comments about a named individual. This ‘poster’, operating under a fictitious woman’s name, was immediately blocked by Boyletoday with Gardai and Facebook notified. It is unfortunate that we have a person or persons living locally who uses Facebook and their ‘knowledge of the internet’ to publish personal attacks at those with whom they hold a grudge, while at the same time cowardly hiding under a fictitious name(s).
Boyle connection to award winning hotel
Congratulations to St. Patrick Street native James Clarke, General Manager of the prestigious Hilton Bankside in London, who was on hand this week to see his hotel win the ‘Splendid Best Large Hotel of the Year’ award. James himself was the recognised last year at the same awards for winning the Hilton EMEA Franchise General Manager of the Year. A regular visitor to his hometown, James was previously Director of Operations at the Hilton Park Lane.
Having the foresight to save our past
Yesterday’s news story here on Boyletoday.com about the salvaged pillars from Rockingham House received a tremendous response. Many people had wondered recently what were the ‘stones’ on the roundabout at the waterfront so we contacted manager Louise Fitzpatrick who gave us all the details. While speaking to Louise, this writer recalled seeing the stones being rolled down from the house, while in the company of the late Miceal O’Callaghan, when the House was being demolished in the Autumn of 1971. Some of the pillars were rolled on to what was then the old Grass Tennis Court while others continued down the hill and into the water. It was great this week to hear that the maintenance team have also found those same stones in the water, which will be hopefully retrieved when water levels drop and also that they have found the location of the Tennis Court. There are so many artifacts and pieces of history still around Boyle from Rockingham House – not only in the park but in private ownership. It is heartening to see that those charged with the future development of the Park have the foresight and interest in also saving our past
And finally…!
Donald Trump steps out onto the White House lawn in the dead of winter. Right in front of him, on the White House lawn, he sees “Donald Trump sucks!” written in urine across the snow.
Well, he’s pretty annoyed about this so he storms into his security staff’s headquarters, and yells, “Somebody wrote an insult in the snow on the front damn lawn! And they wrote it in urine! Whoever did it had to be standing right on the porch when he did it! Where were you guys?!”
The security guys stay silent and stare ashamedly at the floor.
Trump hollers, “Well dammit, don’t just sit there! Get out and find out who did it! I want an answer, and I want it tonight!”
The entire staff immediately jump up and race for the exits.
Later that evening, his chief security officer approaches him and says, “Well Mr. President, we have some bad news and we have some really bad news. Which do you want first?”
Trump says, “Give me the bad news first.”
The officer says, “Well, we took a sample of the urine and tested it. The results just came back, and it was Mike Pence’s urine.”
Trump says, “Oh my god, I feel so… so… betrayed! My own vice president! Damn. …Well, what’s the really bad news?”
The officer replies, “Well Mr. President, it’s Melania’s handwriting.”
