Speeding around Boyle
There will be many people anxiously awaiting their local postman in the coming weeks….and he won’t be calling to tell them they won the lotto…but he may bring the news that they were caught speeding around Boyle last Tuesday. The Garda Gatso speed van spent a number of hours on the old Carrick Road and then on the N4 at Ardcarne where it was sure to have caught many unsuspecting motorists. On the N4 many motorists are not aware of the 60k speed limit currently in force from Kelly’s Guesthouse to the turn off for Drumharlow lake – just past the Golf Club and that’s where most of the speeding fines will come from. While it is accepted that no one should break the speed limit, catching people on a section of road where the road works seem complete and where there are no cones etc will only cause ill feeling and resentment when the fines arrive.
Shuttle Bus is a great success
The Boyletoday.com sponsored Shuttle Bus has been a great success to date, which is a credit to those who had the foresight to plan and set up such a service earlier this year. Despite unfounded and personal criticism from one or two after launch, the idea of a shuttle bus was welcomed with open arms by the people of Boyle and it’s success was plain to see this week with tourists packing the bus to the town. Over 250 people have used the facility to date and with an extra bus being added for Arts week, the benefit to the town will be immense. Boyle has now firmly been stamped as the home town of Lough Key Forest Park and the bus and recently erected directional signs have been a catalyst for this.
An Arts Festival for everyone
A warm sunny evening greeted the many people who turned out in their finery in King House last night for the opening of the annual Arts Festival. (See pictures in the news section). It was great to see King House host so many locals and visitors on such a celebratory occasion with everyone in good humour sipping wine and mingling with each other. One could say this year’s festival is among the biggest and best to date. An energetic committee have put together something for everyone and visitors and locals alike will be well entertained every day for the next 10 days. It is great to see local premises that lay vacant being opened up for the hosting of exhibitions. Perhaps it will give an opportunity to showcase to the public that there are many fine buildings within our town in which to locate a business. Hopefully the weather will remain sunny and warm for the festival and if the goodwill and enthusiasm that was evident last night is transferred to visitor numbers then the 25th Boyle Arts Festival will be one of the best ever. On nights like last night one could not but think of the late great Fergus Ahern and how proud he would be to see what has been achieved with the Arts Festival.
The Irish and the weather
What is it with us Irish and the weather? We spend much of our lives hoping the weather will improve and the minute it does all you can hear is ” this weather would kill you” ” It’s awful dead” and “Jasus, the sooner it cools down the better” and most annoyingly, as soon as the weather picks up you are told when it will finish! It’s beautiful weather and it’s great to be alive, so the advice is head out and enjoy it (while it lasts!)
The Rockingham Monument
There are mixed feelings locally at one exhibition that is currently in place for Boyle Arts Festival. Out in Lough Key Forest Park, Australian artist Sean Rafferty is salvaging some of the stonework from the great house that has lay overgrown in Kingston Hall and elsewhere on the estate to create a monument to Rockingham House. There are those who say the stonework should be left where it is and not disturbed while others say bring it out in the open. Indeed from an historical point of view, Sean Rafferty is well qualified to construct the monument as he is a grandson of Pat Flanagan – one of the last herdsmen employed by the Rockingham Estate. Sean will host a talk on the legacy and history of the project today (Friday) at 4pm in the Moylurg Room in the Visitors Centre in the Park. If his grandfather was alive, the talk would be guaranteed to be a lively one!!
And Finally….!
A certain politician is visiting the Plunkett Home.
“Do you know who I am?” asks the politician to an elderly resident.
“No” replies the resident, “But if you ask the nurse over there I’m sure she will tell you”
