Off lead dogs in Lough Key Forest Park
A viewer has requested us to ask people to please keep their dogs under control in Rockingham. The viewer said she was walking her small dog on a lead near the toilets in the Park last week when a much larger dog, that did not seem to have an owner with it and was running freely, ran at her and her dog in an aggressive manner. The small dog and owner were very frighten as were a number of young children who were in the area at the time. She said she did report the matter to the Visitors Centre.
The problem of dogs running off lead in the Park has been highlighted many times here in The Boyle’d Pot. Coillte say owners of dogs should be sure that they are under ‘effective control’. Effective control means that your dog will come at your command – if not your dog must to be kept on a lead. Common sense will tell you that not everyone may be as fond of your dog as you are and in fact may have had a bad experience that leaves them terrified of dogs running off lead.
Opening up the ‘back lands’ in Boyle
Part of the current work on the regeneration of the former Mullaney’s Drapery shop on Main Street in Boyle involves the opening up of the origional stone front on the building which will be a welcome feature when completed. The work led to a conversation recently on the amount of natural stone that must be behind the façade of so many buildings in Boyle and could they be opened up and brought back to their origional glory?
Another suggestion that was made relates to the opening up of premises on to the ‘back lands’ in Boyle. (The ‘back lands’ is the name given to the laneways at the rear of the streets around Boyle in the Boyle 2040 plan). A question was asked could a grant be obtained or formatted to encourage those with businesses on Main Street and St. Patrick Street to open up rear entrances (and expose the stone work as mentioned above) onto the ‘back lands’ or lane ways behind the streets. This would add new life to the lane ways and provide an additional entrance to the businesses concerned.
So much could be achieved if we think outside the box
If we think outside the box so much can be achieved here in Boyle. Thinking outside the box resulted in King House main saloon being turned into a cinema last weekend. This weekend, the same town centre venue is again transformed, this time into ‘Horror at the Museum’ for Halloween. Every Saturday the Courtyard outside King House is turned into a market.
Think what could be done with all the other facilities we have in Boyle if we ‘think outside the box’. Think of how St. Joseph’s Hall could be further utilised, An Rioga, the old Courthouse, the portion of King House that currently houses the Army Reserve, the Pleasure Grounds, Boyle Abbey. The list is endless and the possibilities are enormous.
‘Adopt a Monument’ could work in Boyle
A new scheme has been unveiled that could be of benefit to Boyle. ‘Adopt a Monument’ is a scheme to help communities become actively involved in the conservation and interpretation of their local archaeological and cultural heritage sites. Through the Adopt a Monument Scheme the Heritage Council will provide expertise, mentoring and support to encourage communities to ‘adopt’ a monument in their area in order to ensure ongoing maintenance and greater protection through increased civic value. The aim of the scheme is for community groups to embrace their heritage site, be it a prehistoric tomb, stone circle, medieval town wall, castle, church, bridge, graveyard, landed estate, mine, kiln, mill, traditional house or battlefield. The vision is that the chosen monument will serve as a focal point for heritage-related, educational and recreational activities and will encourage greater interpretation and understanding. There are plenty of local monuments around Boyle that would fit in nicely with this scheme. The closing date for completed applications is 13th November at 5:00pm with completed application forms and accompanying files to be emailed to [email protected]. Read more here
The need to be seen at night on our roads
We received the attached from a viewer who asked if we could highlight same: “One evening last weekend I was coming out of town around 7.30pm. It was dark. Suddenly, I thought I saw something moving up in ahead on my side of the road. Turns out it was a young lad (no more than 10 yrs) on a bicycle with no lights and dark clothes. It was between Drumderrig and the Abbeytown shop. He was out on the road! I got such a fright. Had I been going at or above the speed limit I would not have spotted him and I dread to think what the outcome would have been. Parents need to make sure 1. High vis. 2. Lights on their bicycle . 3. Cycle on the footpath at night . I did speak to him and explained how dangerous it was. Overall I notice a big drop in people wearing high vis clothing at night on our roads”.
News snippets from around Boyle
The film crew from ‘Moving West’ really seemed to enjoy their time in Boyle this week, complimenting the beauty of the town that had ‘so much to offer’. One executive member of the crew was ex RTE and said the last time he was in Boyle was as a very young camera man at the Fleadh Cheoil in 1966!……………. Clocks go back this weekend so you have an hour extra in bed this Saturday night!…………..There is plenty to keep the kids happy this Halloween in both Lough Key Forest Park and King House with details on the homepage of Boyletoday.com……….Boyle currently seems to be one of the cheapest places in the general area for petrol and diesel………..’Discover Boyle’ has changed it’s name back to the origional ‘Una Bhan Tourism’. This decision, according to Una Bhan Tourism “is based on our desire to reflect the rich cultural heritage of the whole area centred in the Town of Boyle; and beyond it too”……….Halloween film night tonight Friday 27th- Classic Silent Horror Movie- “Nosferatu” 1922, in Boyle Family Resource Center. Rating PG. Doors open at 7:30 pm. Admission is a donation to help the film club to start a season programme…………..Good luck to all the Boyle athletes taking part in this Sunday’s Dublin City Marathon.
And finally….!
A heavy gambler at the races had lost every bet.
Then he noticed a Priest step onto the track and bless one of the horses before a race.
Lo and behold the horse won.
Next race the Priest stepped onto the track and blessed one of the horses.
The gambler, who was not a regular church goer, dashed for a window and placed a bet on the horse.
Even though it was a long shot, the horse won the race.
He collected his winnings and waited to see which horse the Priest would bless next.
He bet big and it won.
As the races continued the Priest kept blessing long shots which all won.
The gambler made a dash to the ATM, withdrew everything and waited for the Priest’s blessing to tell him which horse to bet on.
The Priest stepped onto the track and blessed an old nag that was the longest shot of the day.
The Priest blessed the eyes, ears and hooves of the horse.
The gambler bet every penny he had.
He watched dumbfounded as the horse came last.
In a state of shock, he went to the Priest and said ‘Father! What happened?
All day you blessed horses and they won.
Then in the last race, the horse you blessed came last.
Now I’ve lost everything’.
The Priest nodded and said. ‘Son that’s the problem with not attending Church, you can’t tell the difference between a blessing and last rites’.
