Boyle’s Loss is Another Town’s Gain
In what was a bad week for jobs in Boyle, we hear of 115 positions being established by Green Isle Foods in Longford and Portumna. One can’t but think would be celebrating here in Boyle with positive news if the same company was still in production in Greatmeadow. Why they left Boyle has been well thrashed out but they are gone and they won’t be back. The factory still lies idle as we await further news on the announcement of April 14th that “terms had been agreed to buy the Green Isle plant”
Plenty To Drink But No Way Home
Boyletoday.com was contacted during the week by an irate viewer who has become frustrated with the lack of taxi’s, or hackney’s as the case is in Boyle, especially at weekends. The viewer said that himself and his wife “couldn’t be bothered heading into town” anymore as it was “near impossible” to get a taxi home on Saturday nights. He said “it seems the only trip most drivers are interested in is the lucrative Carrick run and a two or three mile journey outside Boyle on a Saturday night is only a hindrance”. To ascertain the view of the public, the weekly poll on this website asks ” Is there a need for an increased hackney/taxi service in Boyle at weekends”. You can cast your vote on the Boyletoday.com homepage. Certainly it would seem that the general view is that pubs are loosing out in Boyle, especially at weekends, due to a lack of available transport home.
Bad Publicity Or A Golden Opportunity
There has been mixed reaction to last Monday nights “Desperate House Buys” programme on RTE. The programme highlighted the differing house prices and property sales between Dublin and the rest of the country with Boyle town used as the barometer for rural Ireland. While we are all aware Boyle town, like similar sized towns in Ireland, has suffered due to the economic downturn with many closures of businesses, there are those who would feel highlighting such a negative on national television is not helping Boyle’s resurgence. Then there are others who feel that “there is no such thing as bad publicity” and the programme was an opportunity to show the bargains that can be obtained in commercial and residential property in the town. But the last thing we need now is a programme like this to cause division. Let’s look on the positive and tell the smart investors out there to put there money in to Boyle now before property prices rise, which they most certainly will.
Walking Through The Crap
In Boyle we must have some of the fittest people in Ireland. The Carrick Rd., Maple Drive, Abbeytown and Drum, Canal circuits are used by large volumes of walkers each day. And it’s not only the rain showers that the walkers have to watch out for as they step it, with dog droppings still posing a major concern for the fitness enthusiasts. At the side of The Woodenbridge housing estate along by the N4, one concerned person has gone to the trouble of spray painting around the droppings in an effort to highlight the lack of cleanliness by the pets owners. The local Tidy Towns committee are also well aware of the problem and next Thursday they will have a “dog fouling awareness evening ” at the Marina at 6.30pm. While the committee have to be commended on highlighting this problem, it will be interesting to see how many turn up on the night, but one thing is sure – dog owners who walk their pets along footpaths and roads in Boyle should clean up any mess their canine friends leave after them.
Businesses Need To Help Themselves
Plans are now in place for the Boyletoday.com Shuttle Bus between Rockingham and Boyle to be launched on the June bank holiday weekend and operate twice a day, 6 days per week. The timing of the trips will ensure visitors are in Boyle to shop and/or visit our restaurants/bars. But those behind the iniative can only do so much by getting people into the town – it is then up to the business owners to have special offers and incentives in place to entice the visitors into their premises. Restaurants need to be open all week with early bird and tourist menus and bars need to have entertainment for the summer season – perhaps even on a rota basis, so the tourists are not left to wander around at night. If everyone works together Boyle can be the winner this summer.
Big Crowds For Boyle Again This Weekend
Last Saturday seen up on 170 cyclists in Boyle for the Lough Key Classic cycle sportive. This Sunday it’s the turn of the Breffini Vintage club to bring a large crowd to Boyle when they hold their vintage car rally in our town. From 12.15 until 3pm, car enthusiasts from around the country will descend on Boyle and King House grounds to see the classic cars. The Breffini club have been good enough to choose Boyle so let’s come out and support them and show our thanks for their choice of venue.
And Finally….!
When Little Johnny’s mother found out she was pregnant, she told the good news to anyone who would listen. But 4-year-old Johnny overheard some of his parents’ private conversations.
One day when Johnny and his mother were shopping a woman asked the little boy if he was excited about the new baby.
“Yes!” Johnny answered, “and I know what we are going to name it, too. If it’s a girl we’re going to call her Christina, and if it’s another boy we’re going to call it quits!”
