Boyle’s Sculpture Trail takes shape
A number of further art installations are planned for the Pleasure Grounds in Boyle with some already in place. One of the most recent pieces, which was commissioned by artist Martin Heron, replicates the Grand Piano that is located across the river in King House. When in situ, all the art will form the Boyle Sculpture Trail that was funded under Failte Irelands Destination Towns Scheme in cooperation with Boyle Town Team and Roscommon County Council. Back in April, a public call went out for artists to commission some pieces for this trail. The submissions were then adjudged by members of Roscommon Co Co and a number of local community groups. When the successful artist was selected, the public were invited to view the proposals at an open evening in King House on August 25th and give their views on how they would fit in with the upgraded Pleasure Grounds. Despite the public presentation being advertised on websites, social media channels and local press, only three people turned up to outline what they thought of the art – with all speaking favorably of the piece. At the time (last August) we wrote here in the Boyle’d Pot: “These public information sessions are brilliant as they give the public a chance to have a say on a piece of art like this and not whinge or moan if they do not like it when erected”.
With the art pieces now coming into place, the Boyle Sculpture Trail, once completed, will be yet another great attraction right in the town centre.
Viewers annoyance at ‘Dog Poo’ in the Park
A viewer contacted us during the week to outline their annoyance at ‘dog poo’ in the green areas in Lough Key Forest Park. The viewer wrote: “I was out in the Park yesterday with the grandchildren. They were having a great time playing in the grass along the lake front until one of them slipped and fell in dog poo. He got it all over his clothes, hands etc. I think it’s about time that walking dogs on the green in front of the lake was stopped. There are plenty of walk ways around the park for walking dogs. I can’t understand why people walking dogs can’t clean up their mess. I would be grateful if you could put something up Boyletoday.com just to let people know if they out with children to be aware of what is out there”.
Rain did not deter the troublemakers at Halloween
The rain seemed to have put a damper on Halloween night for the good people of Boyle, but it did not deter a gang of young people who thought it fun to throw fireworks/firecrackers into business premises in the town as customers went about their business. In one instance, some customers chased the culprits but did not catch them. There is currently a small group of young troublemakers in Boyle who are causing a nuisance around the town, at a level unseen before, and their actions should not be tolerated any longer.
Author Anne Byrne to the fore once again
Well done to local author Anne Byrne who was came third in the ‘Bard of Connacht’ poetry competition during the week for her entry – “The Dying Fields”. The competition revolved around writing poems on the theme of the Irish Famine of 1847. No stranger to winning awards, Anne was the recipient of the 2021 Roscommon Arts Office Chapbook Bursary and launched her work on the 30th April last in Boyle.
Spending a spooky season in Boyle
Boyle’s Lough Key Forest Park featured prominently in a sponsored post last weekend on independent.ie. Titled “Visit Roscommon: Spend spooky season in the birthplace of Halloween”, the article suggested some fun ways to spend Halloween in the county. The Lough Key Remembered Tour, the Halloween Festival in the Park, and nearby Kilronan Castle, Arigna Mining Experience and Strokestown Park House along with Rathcroghan all featured. You can read the article here
Abbeytown road works
The resurfacing of the Shilling Hill to the Bridge section of the Abbeytown Road is now completed as the public wait, with their damaged shock absorbers and suspensions, for work to start on the Abbeytown Hill part of the road. And despite all the online negativity concerning the so called ‘build outs’ at the Shilling Hill – the road looks quiet well and with some tasteful planting and seating next spring in the grass section by the river, the recent work could really enhance this area. It just goes to show that one should never be critical of any piece of infrastructure until it is completed – something many of our keyboard warriors must have a degree in around this town.
Do you want to see more cycle paths around Boyle?
The National Transport Authority has opened the public consultation process for proposals to develop new cycle networks across 22 counties, forming part of the ‘CycleConnects: Ireland’s Cycle Network’ programme. Around this area, the only proposal seems to be a greenway from Boyle to Carrick on Shannon (see here). But the public still have time to make submissions and if you would like to see cycle paths around or connecting to Boyle, then you have until Friday November 11th to make a submission here
Tidy Towns Adjudicator seemed to have missed a lot
Last Wednesday we published the Tidy Towns adjudicator report for Boyle here on this website. Between Covid and everything else, this was Boyle’s first time to enter the competition since 2019. From the report, it seems the judging took place in August which makes you wonder how the judge missed so much. There was no mention of the lovely painting and flowers on Creighton’s Bar, the flowers on the Crescent or the revamp of a number of other residential and business premises on St. Patrick Street and other areas of the town.
The adjudicator also mentioned that signage needed cleaning which in reality falls under the remit of Roscommon Co Co. They also could not find any signs for the cycleway in town and perhaps that is something that could be looked at for next year.
The local Tidy Town committee are a small group of people who do a great job, under difficult conditions with limited resources, For next year, perhaps a greater emphasis should be put on getting people to ‘adopt and area’ – maybe where they live or have a business – and ensure a group from that area undertake weekly weed control and litter picking with the bigger jobs being coordinated by the Tidy Town committee, Boyle Town Team, Boyle Chamber of Commerce with input from Roscommon Co Co.
And finally….!
A guy walks into a bar and he says to the bartender, “Hey buddy, if I show you a really good trick will you give me a free drink?”
“Well,” says the bartender, “if it’s really good I will.”
So the guy reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small rat.
He then reaches into his bag and pulls out a miniature piano with a tiny piano stool.
He sits the rat at the piano and it then proceeds to play the Scott Joplin classic, The Entertainer.
“Wow, that’s impressive,” says the bartender, giving the guy his free drink.
The man takes a sip at his ice-cold beer and then he says to the bartender, “If I can show you an even better trick, will you give me free drinks all night?”
“Listen, buddy, I can’t see how you’ll top that,” says the bartender, “but if you can, you’ve got yourself a deal.”
The man reaches into another pocket and pulls out a tiny frog. The frog then begins to sing, accompanied by the rat playing Hit the Road, Jack.
As the guy’s enjoying his free drinks, a stranger who’d been watching the performance walks up to him and says, “I’ll give you “€100,000 for the frog.”
“The frog’s not for sale,” the guy responds.
“How about €250,000?” the stranger asks.
“No, the frog’s not for sale,” the guy responds
“OK,” says the stranger. “I’ll give you €500,000 for the frog. That’s my last offer.”
“You’ve got yourself a deal, mister,” says the guy, giving the stranger the frog once the money’s been transferred to his bank account, via the stranger’s smartphone.
Having watched the transaction, the bartender says to the guy, “You must be nuts letting the frog go for €500,000. It’s got to be worth millions.”
The guy smiled and said, “Not really.”
“What do you mean?” asked the bartender.
“Well,” the guy responds, “ sure the rat’s a ventriloquist”.
