Pulling together all our tourist attractions
There was a positive vibe around the Una Bhan offices and King House on Tuesday last for the launch of the ‘Boyle Experience Trail’. In attendance were representatives of Una Bhan, Roscommon Co Co, Boyle Town Team and Failte Ireland and all were high in their praise at the finished product that now pulls together into one place, all the tourist attractions around Boyle including Trail Itinerary’s, Cafes and Restaurants, Bars and Landmarks and Point of Interest. The ‘Boyle Experience Trail’ is available on line (here) and via a QR code and also in traditional map form which is available around town. The next piece of marketing of the Trail will include a well known ‘Influencer’ visiting the town and sampling all it has to offer.
The danger of cycling on footpaths
A viewer has been in touch asking if we have noticed an increase in the amount of people cycling on footpaths locally. The viewer said she was nearly hit recently by two teenagers cycling at speed on a footpath in the town centre as she exited a shop. The last thing she said she expected was to have a bicycle belting along the path. You are not allowed to cycle on a footpath unless there is a designated cycle lane on the footpath or you are entering or exiting a property. Cycling on a footpath is not a specific fixed charge offence. However, you could be fined for doing so if a Garda deemed their cycling to be without ’reasonable consideration‘. So please people – young and old – do not cycle on the footpaths, especially in the town centre.
An underutilised but effective local service
One of the most underutilised, but effective transport services in rural Ireland has to be the Local Link Bus. It seems to travel near empty most of the time, certainly in this area anyway, but those who do use it talk highly of the service. Route 571 travels between Boyle and Arigna three times per day, stopping off in Lough Key Forest Park, Knockvicar, Cleen, Keadue, Drumshanbo, Mount Allen and Arigna. You can see the route here.
This is a service that should really be increased during the summer months and should also be advertised better to those on boats on Lough Key who want to visit Boyle.
The Lough Key to Roscommon (via Boyle) route 570 (here) again operates three times per day, stopping off and picking up in Ballinameen, Croghan, Elphin, Tulsk and Strokestown. Unfortunately with so many stops, this service can take some time but with proper planning, it can be used for hospital appointments in Roscommon by those who do not own a car.
New Library due for completion in March 2027
Work is progressing at pace on the new Boyle Community Library facing onto the Boyle River. Construction on the impressive building is due to finish in March 2027 with an opening date before next summer. When completed, the new Library will be a landmark building in the town centre and one of the first buildings that will face the river as opposed to backing onto the river which was the feature of many of our town centre buildings for centuries. The new state of the art two storey structure will be a modern Community Library facility that will be fully accessible, flexible and suitable for the provision of innovative library services into the future. The ground floor be open plan with the main spaces orientated to the river and a new public square with services areas at the rear of the building. The spaces orientated to the river will be fitted with floor to ceiling glazing connecting to the external spaces. The library will be clad in timber at first floor with framed windows overlooking the river.
For those of a certain generation, libraries were seen as places where you could not talk and where you were regularly told to ‘keep quiet’ and as such were places you frequented with fear. The new Boyle Community Library will not be like this. It will be a bright modern community facility housing more than books and magazines. It will be a community space with meeting and study rooms and places for people to gather and socialise and will compliment the An Rioga building and performance space adjacent to it. It will be a brilliant facility to have right in the centre of our town.
News snippets from around Boyle
Only 11 days to go until we get news from An Comisiun Pleanala as to whither they agree with Roscommon County Councils decision to grant permission for the Aldi development on St. Patrick Street. The mention of it being refused does not even bear thinking about……..‘Boat Knot Demonstration’ at Boyle Craft Shop / Úna Bhán Tourism in the grounds of King House on Thursday 13th at 12noon. Whether you’re a maritime enthusiast, a lover of traditional crafts, or just looking to try something new, why not drop by and give it a go………RTE TV’s ‘Building Ireland’ on Tuesday evening last was of local interest featuring the Arigna Mines and Kilronan Castle. If you missed it, you can see the programme here……Cloonloo Development requires assistance for a Lake Shore cleanup. Meet at Lough Gara Pier on Tuesday 11th August 7:30pm. Litter pick and general tidy up. Please bring gloves………..All support welcome on Saturday evening when Boyle Celtic Masters take on Ballaghaderreen in the Cup Semi-Final at 7.30pm. On the night, they will also be officially presented with the league title after being crowned champions……….Damien Dempsey is set to headline the inaugural ‘Hideaway Session X Night and Day’ on Saturday, 19th September in Drumhierny Woodland Hideaway, Co. Leitrim. According to the organisers: “This is the first Night and Day satellite event, following the success of this year’s festival which attracted more than 10,000 people to Lough Key Forest Park, Co. Roscommon”. Commenting on the announcement Alison Moffat, co-founder of Drumhierny, said: “This means a lot to us. Bringing people together through culture and arts is something the founding fathers of Drumhierny always wanted for this place, and hosting Night and Day here, with a lineup like this, is us carrying that on. We’re proud to build this with them, and it puts the northwest on the map,” she said. Co-founder of Night and Day Craig Hughes said: “We’re delighted to be bringing Night and Day to Drumhierny. It’s a truly spectacular location and we’re looking forward to transforming it into a musical playground filled with lots of great talent and some surprises to be discovered. Damien Dempsey brought the house down with his headline performance at Night and Day in 2024 so we can’t wait for his return,” he said.
And finally….!
A woman is preparing dinner for her parents and sends her husband out to buy some fresh snails.
The husband buys the snails, then stops by the pub for a quick drink.
One drink leads to another and before he knows it, he’s had several rounds. By the time he leaves, it’s 9 p.m.
Realizing he’s extremely late, the husband rushes home, pours the snails onto the path leading to the house, and rings the doorbell.
His furious wife opens the door. “Where the hell have you been?” she demands.
The husband waves toward the snails and shouts, “Come on, lads! We’re almost there!”
