Concern at changes to postal delivery times
There has been some disquiet around Boyle in recent weeks in relation to changes to postal delivery times. Previously, post was delivered in the town early in the morning, but now it could be late afternoon before there is a delivery, with businesses in particular being affected. Following a number of concerns being expressed to Boyletoday.com on the subject, we contacted An Post Public Affairs who provided us with the following statement: “As part of An Post’s on-going transformation across the country we have been completely redesigning many of our mail delivery routes, adjusting some of our schedules and changing the way we work. This process began last year and is being carried out across the country on a rolling basis”.
“We’ve made big changes, and we are working hard to build a more efficient and sustainable postal delivery service for the people of Boyle and its environs. All with the full agreement of our staff and the Communications Workers Union”.
“In recent years’ letter volumes have more than halved, parcel volumes are running at unprecedented high levels and continuing to grow. Customers want the minimum time between making an online order and it being delivered to their door. We are also reflecting changes on the ground in terms of road layout and population density for example. We are very happy to hear from customers who might feel impacted by some of the changes and we will work with them to complete this process. Everything we are doing is based on data, close analysis and the wealth of knowledge we have built up over the years. If you are adversely affected by the changes you can contact An Post Customer Services at (01) 705 7600 and they will be able to co-ordinate with the delivery office and our colleagues on the ground in Boyle”.
Great praise for all the Arts Festival brings to Boyle
There was a lot of local people in Boyle suffering from PAFWS (Post Arts Festival Withdrawal Symptoms) during the week, such was the fun and buzz of the previous week versus the quietness of this week! Hats off to the relatively small festival committee who put together such a brilliant ten days in our town. There was literally something for everyone and the festival, as we said last week, brought a large number of visitors to the town with everyone from bars to restaurants to most local businesses all benefitting. Indeed King House Team Rooms summed it up nicely in an online post when they said: “Once again a huge thank you to an amazing committee who brought up a truly memorable Arts Festival, I’ve really don’t know how you put it all together. As a business it is an invaluable 10 days of the year”.
New surgical hub will be of benefit to this area
The planned new surgical hub for Sligo will be of great benefit to this area when up and running, which according to Minister Carroll MacNeill, should be in the next two years. Most people from Boyle would count Sligo as their ‘local’ hospital while many others use Roscommon Urgent Care for non life threatening injuries, so having a new surgical hub that will significantly expand elective surgical capacity in the area is most welcome. The underutilisation of Primary Care Centres across the country has also been the subject of discussion over the years with suggestions made that centres, like the one we have in Boyle, should be further utilised to treat minor injuries and provide MRI’s, X-Rays and other services that would take pressure off the main hospitals.
Anger at short notice for month long civil works in Boyle
Last Monday evening at 4.30pm, a notice was issued by hand to businesses and residents of St. Patrick Street by a firm working on behalf of Roscommon Co Co, advising that work would commence at 8am the next day on “footpath and civil works” on the street lasting for a month, from 8am until 6pm daily. The notice also advised of parking restrictions and temporary traffic management for the duration of the works. Many people on the street were quite rightly angered at been given less than 17 hours notice of major works taking place. Contact was made by a business on the street with Roscommon Co Co to get an outline of the scope of the works, with a reply received Wednesday advising that “The works involve footway reinstatement on certain parts of the street. We are doing the minimum amount of works necessary and just focusing on the defective areas and we apologise for any inconvenience while these safety works are ongoing. These works are interim safety works”.
News snippets from around Boyle
Local nursing home Abbey Haven will host a ‘Family Day’ this Saturday from 2.30pm with resident musician David Godfrey and special guest Eleanor Shanley and Charlie McGettigan. Light refreshment and canapes served and all are welcome to attend…….The O’Carolan Harp Festival continues this weekend in neighbouring Keadue with plenty of events taking place……..Nice little marketing coup for the popular Harry Potter themed Draiocht House in Boyle with Hollywood star Chris O’Dowd and family staying there recently……..Justice Minster Jim O’Callaghan told the Dail during the week that there were 65 people fined for illegally parking on footpaths in counties Roscommon, Mayo and Longford so far this year. If An Garda Siochana were ‘on the beat’ in Boyle they would most likely apprehend that number and more in one day……..Boyle GAA Senior Men’s team will begin their Championship campaign against Roscommon Gaels this evening (Friday) at 7.30pm in Abbey Park. It would be great to see a big local support there. Then on Sunday, the junior men’s team kick off their championship against St Ronan’s in the Ballyfarnon…….Safe travels to the group from Boyle who will commence a nine day walk on Saturday from Strokestown to Dublin in solidarity with the people of Palestine……..If you venture into the Courtyard Market this Saturday or are near KIng House at any stage, why not pay a visit to the redesigned garden at the rear of the great house. Deigned by Ardcarne Garden Centre, the beautiful new space includes a sculpture titled “Elements” by local man Jack Murphy, that represents the four elements the earth is created from…….Sad but understandable news on Wednesday that Donie Smith is retiring from intercounty football. Having scored 8-273 over his 13 years of intercounty, Donie has been huge asset and a loyal servant to Roscommon football and is wished all the best for his future……..For an inland town, there seems to be a big influx of seagulls around Boyle in recent times.
And finally…….!
A burglar broke into a house one night.
He shined his flashlight around, looking for valuables, and when he picked up a laptop to place in his sack, a strange, disembodied voice echoed from the dark saying, “Jesus is watching you.”
He nearly jumped out of his skin, clicked his flashlight out, and froze.
When he heard nothing more after a bit, he shook his head, then clicked the light on and began searching for more valuables.
Just as he pulled the TV out so he could disconnect the wires, clear as a bell he heard, “Jesus is watching you.”
Freaked out, he shone his light around frantically, looking for the source of the voice.
Finally, in the corner of the room, his flashlight beam came to rest on a parrot.
“Did you say that?” He hissed at the parrot.
“Yep,” the parrot confessed, then squawked, “I’m just trying to warn you.”
The burglar relaxed. “Warn me? Who in the world are you?”
“Moses,” replied the bird.
“Moses?” the burglar laughed. “What kind of people would name a bird Moses?”
“The same kind of people that would name a Rottweiler Jesus.”
