Remembering Count Plunkett’s election
A busy weekend for the town of Boyle commences this evening at Boyle Courthouse at 7.30pm. The ceremonial presentation of polling boxes to Boyle Courthouse will be the start of two days of events to mark the anniversary of the election of Count Plunkett as an MP for North Roscommon during the “Election of the Snows”. The celebrations continue on Saturday with a 4 pm re enactment, culminating at 6pm with a torch lit procession through the town. There are also many other events planned (see events section of Boyletoday.com). The weekend is being organised by Roscommon Sinn Fein to whom you have to give praise for organising a remembrance event to mark the 100th anniversary of Count Plunkett’s election, a date that would probably have gone without any form of ceremony had they not stepped up to the mark. The election and the involvement of Boyle in the process is an integral part of our history and should be remembered by everyone in the town by attendance and participation over the weekend.
And you thought your rates were high!
The official from the valuation office had a busy day in Boyle yesterday as business and property owners queued up to enquire why their rates had gone up by over 200% in some instances. While property prices in Boyle are showing signs of recovery, the rents suggested by the valuations office are way off the mark and would be a dream for many if they could be achieved! Rents in Boyle are relatively low but maybe they are on the way up if a situation that arose in Carrick recently is anything to go by. “Riverview House”, the building anchored by the Department of Social Protection, near the Landmark Hotel, sold recently for €6.2m – a premium of more than 11% on the €5.47m which was the guide price. The 40,000 sq ft building is let to the Department on a full repairing and insuring lease for an annual rent of €600,000 per annum ( that’s approximately €11,538 per week!) with the lease not due to expire until 2026. It was bought by a private investor. And you thought your rates bill was high!
Lough Key omitted from Failte Ireland funding
Unfortunately Boyle’s Lough Key Forest Park was not among the five national parks to receive funding last week from Fáilte Ireland in their new strategic partnership with the National Parks and Wildlife Services (NPWS). The funding was provided to “grow tourism revenues in the rural areas where the parks are located and increase Ireland’s appeal as a holiday destination” according to the organisation. Glenveagh, Co. Donegal; Ballycroy, Co. Mayo; Connemara, Co. Galway; Burren, Co. Clare; Killarney, Co. Kerry and five Nature Reserves: Inch, Co. Donegal; Union Wood, Co. Sligo; Coole, Co. Galway; Dromore, Co. Clare; and Glengarriff, Co. Cork will all share €500,000 under the initiative. In reply to a query from Boyletoday.com, Failte Ireland said the funding was only for Parks along the Wild Atlantic Way. One could argue for Boyle’s inclusion in the general Wild Atlantic Way, but it would seem we are not classed in that category and therefore will lose out on funding that goes under the successful tag line.
All roads lead to Celtic Park on Sunday
Excitement is building ahead of Sunday’s vital 7th round FAI Junior cup clash between Boyle Celtic and Dublin team VEC FC. This is one of the biggest games for the club in many years and it deserves the full support of the town. Green and white flags and bunting are on sale in Betterbuys and it would be great to see Boyle decked out in advance of the game to show support for the team. Indeed the Sligo Road looks great with flags all the way from the Abbey Park to Celtic Park. There is a 2pm kick off for the game and a €5 admission. With home advantage and a strong local support, let’s hope we can send the Boyle Boys into the last eight of this prestigious competition. After the game there will be a get together in Dodd’s Crescent Bar.
Abbey students having the time of their lives
The Abbey College musical “Back to the Eighties” opened to local schools on Wednesday morning last and played to a full and appreciative audience again last night. Further shows will be held tonight and on Saturday at 8pm in St. Joseph’s Hall. Those who have witnessed the musical so far have been blown away by the performance of the students. Apart from the acting, the singing and dancing leaves one with the view that there will definitely be stage performers of the future from among this year’s cast. As principal David Harding said to the pupils on Wednesday, they would look back on the musical and their involvement in it as “the time of my life” similar to the words of a song they had just performed. Well done to all involved. And if you haven’t seen the musical yet, there are a limited number of tickets still available from the College.
And finally…..!
Finding one of her students making faces at others on the playground, Mrs. Smith stopped to gently reprove the child.
Smiling sweetly, the teacher said, “Little Johnny, when I was a child, I was told that if I made ugly faces, it would freeze and I would stay like that.”
Little Johnny looked up and replied, “Well, Mrs. Smith, you can’t say you weren’t warned.”
