No need to Boil in Boyle anymore
At long last the boil water notice has been lifted in our town. After nearly three years of having buy bottled water, residents can now drink from their taps again. During that agonising period, we had film crews from RTE, TV3, UTV and the BBC visit our town. We received many inches of column space in the national press and residents and business people vented their anger on the local and national airwaves. There are those who would argue that all the negative publicity was not helpful in attracting visitors to the town, but that is in the past and now businesses must use the same energy and publicity to let the tourists know that you don’t have to Boil in Boyle anymore.
Does the Castlerea Garda know where Gubbarudda is?
Local councillor Rachel Doherty stated at a recent Boyle Municipal District meeting that the “people of Boyle and surrounding areas are feeling isolated because of the reduced hours at Boyle Garda Station”. Here in Boyle we can sometime only think of how the hours are effecting us in the general town area but spare a thought for those in Arigna and north Roscommon who get through to Castlerea station when Boyle is unmanned and who have to explain their concerns and rural location to a Garda sitting at a desk 60 kilometres away who hasn’t the foggiest of an idea where Gubbarudda, Carrownadargny or Derrinavoggy are located. Thankfully the reduced hours and the negative effect it is having on the community is due to be discussed on the agenda of the next County Council meeting. With continued pressure, we may get the current situation reversed.
Not all good news with low unemployment
It was good to read here on Boyeltoday.com last Wednesday that unemployment in the town continues to fall, with 860 people signing on in the month of March, the most recent figures available. But one wonders why are the numbers falling? With the exception of Vention Medical, there have been very few job announcements made in Boyle in recent times. It would seem that emigration and movement out of the town is the main reason why we have 200 less claiming the dole than we did in March 2014. While the drop is welcome, unfortunately there is a negative side to the figures. State agencies may not now look on Boyle as an unemployment black spot and one which needs attention when in fact the reality is the town badly needs employment assistance and promotion. Low unemployment figures should not be an opportunity to let Enterprise Ireland and other state aid bodies off the hook when it comes to assisting our town.
And finally….!
An 86-year-old man went to his doctor for his quarterly check-up.
The doctor asked him how he was feeling, and the 86-year-old said, ‘Things are great and I’ve never felt better.’
‘I now have a 20 year-old bride who is pregnant with my child.’
‘so what do you think about that Doc?’
The doctor considered his question for a minute and then began to tell a story.
‘I have an older friend, much like you, who is an avid hunter and never misses a season. One day he was setting off to go hunting. In a bit of a hurry, he accidentally picked up his walking cane instead of his gun.’
‘As he neared a lake, he came across a very large bird resting on a branch’
‘He realized he’d left his gun at home and so he couldn’t bag the magnificent animal. Out of habit he raised his cane, aimed it right at the animal as if it were his favourite hunting rifle and went ‘bang bang’.’
‘Miraculously, two shots rang out and the bird fell over dead.
Now what do you think about that?’ asked the doctor.
The 86-year-old said, ‘Logic would strongly suggest that someone else pumped a couple of rounds into that bird.’
The doctor replied, ‘My point exactly.’
