A bright light is now shining on Boyle
Finally…..the long awaited and highly anticipated Lough Key Masterplan has been made public, with the planning application for the massive development now lodged with Roscommon Co Co. This plan has been in the pipeline for many years with the origional meeting for the plan, between representatives from Boyle Town Team, Roscommon Co Co, Coillte and the project concept designers, taking place over a period of time, pre covid, in the Spool Factory. The development is a massive €20m investment in the Park and by extension in Boyle. It is a well thought out plan, sensitive to the surroundings of the Park yet capable of doubling visitor and employment numbers. We have been saying for a long time here in the Boyle’d Pot that the entrepreneurs in our community need to embrace all that is planned for our town including the Lough Key Plan – one of the biggest developments in the area in many years. Double the visitors in the Park, double the employment numbers, Aldi hopefully coming on stream, the Courthouse project and other developments will see the need for additional restaurants, food outlets, accommodation, bike hire, etc in Boyle and gives a solid endorsement on the need for a hotel. There is a bright light currently shining on Boyle from a development and economic perspective and all the behind the scenes work of the last few years is finally paying dividend for our beautiful town.
A theatre would be a great use for former Courthouse
There was unanimous welcome for the news that funding has been obtained for a feasibility study for the future use of the old Courthouse in Boyle, with emphasis on turning it into a theatre. One can rightfully ask “Why undertake a feasibility study when we know it would make a great theatre” but if additional funding is to be sought for a theatre, then having a feasibility study will make any application a lot stronger.
A theatre right in the centre of town would have many benefits, especially for the night time economy and would copper fasten the need to additional food outlets in the town centre where theatre goers could have a meal before and after performances.
In addition to a theatre, there are a number of outbuildings at the back of the Courthouse, once know as the Bridewell, which was a form of holding centre or jail for the Courthouse that thankfully still has many of the origional stone features in situ from when it was in operation. The future use of this section of the building will also form part of the feasibility study with one suggestion being a food hub for small producers, but of course the study will determine what is best suited for the historic building.
Anti Social motoring causing concern around Boyle
Over the Christmas period we were inundated with messages and emails detailing the concern of members of the public at anti social behaviour by a number of so called “Boy Racers” on the N4 outside Boyle. We published a story on the issue which we also posted on our social media channels. Then by coincidence or not, after 5 nights of speeding, drifting, tyre screeching and general loud noise, the cars went away and the residents along the N4 finally got a night’s peace.
This type of erratic driving and anti social behaviour by a certain group of motorists is not new to Boyle and has been ongoing for some time now, but for it to happen for so many consecutive nights was most annoying. Add into the mix, the behaviour and attitude of some of those behind the steering wheels of a number of the cars and you can see why there was such annoyance with some residents of the Curlew’s area who told of intimidation tactics when the motorists were questioned or reprimanded.
Suggestion that trains should by pass towns like Boyle
There was raised eyebrows recently when a Sligo County Councillor suggested that the Sligo Dublin train could be made more efficient if some trains did not stop at every station along the route. Independent Councillor Marie Casserly suggested that two trains should run every day that would not stop at ever station thus shortening the journey time to Dublin. The Councillor believes people would travel to the stations where the train did stop if it meant they got to the city in a faster time. Not everyone agreed with the suggestion especially those in towns along the route where the train currently stops.
Aldi development will have ‘No significant effect on biodiversity’
Since the last Boyle’d Pot was last published, the news that agents for Aldi have submitted the further information that was requested for their development in Boyle, has been greeted with open arms. The F.I. is very detailed and includes nearly 36 reports ranging from traffic, landscaping and waste management to conservation and ecology. Amazingly, one local media outlet honed in on the ecological impact statement and made a story out of reference to bats and badgers in their news report. No doubt conscious of the problems a previous development had with bats in Boyle many years ago, the news outlet’s story ran with a headline “Bats’ roost would be destroyed if supermarket gets go ahead”. Of course this got the desired affect and started people clicking and talking with some wrongly assuming that planning was refused for the development because of bats. Here on Boyletoday.com we reported directly from the ecology report which stated: “Construction and operational mitigation proposed for the development satisfactorily addresses the potential for significant effects on the badgers, bats, avian and aquatic sensitive receptors through the application of the standard construction and operational phase controls outlined in this report. No significant effects on biodiversity are likely”. Not for the first time, a positive for Boyle was turned into a negative by the news site.
The submitted F.I. is extremely detailed and hopefully will answer any concerns expressed by Roscommon Co Co. Let’s hope that planning is issued by the local authority for the development by the January 22nd indicated date and that construction can start asap.
News snippets from around Boyle
With thanks to Boyle Town Team and Roscommon Co Co, the poles for the new solar lights on the cycle path adjacent to the N4 at Woodenbridge are now in place. When the lights are operational, this will really be a great addition to the path, especially for night time walkers………..Lough Arrow Christmas Day Swim annual Quiz Night will take place in the Mayfly Inn on Saturday January 17th at 9pm. €10pp with a maximum of five people per table…….On a bright evening you can see “the stretch”. This evening Friday January 9th, the sun is setting 20 minutes later than December 21st……….Boyle Athletic Club Couch to 5k will commence on Monday January 19th………Boyle Abbey is still without floodlights for over a year now. The lights are in place but it would seem not operational which is a shame. Hopefully they will be fixed in advance of St. Patrick’s Day when the Abbey traditionally turned green………December saw 1.2 million views on Boyletoday Facebook page – 1209236 to be exact, with December 30th being the busiest day with the page having 131,739 views!…….There was more (illegal) fireworks around Boyle town just after midnight on New Year’s Eve than you would have seen during Gala Week…….Boyle Athletic Club AGM will take place in Trojan Offices on Thursday January 15th at 7.30pm.
And finally….!
A woman in a hot air balloon realized she was lost.
She reduced altitude and spotted a man below.
She descended a bit more and shouted: “‘Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago but I don’t know where I am”.
The man below replied “You’re in a hot air balloon hovering approximately 30 feet above the ground. You’re between 40 and 41 degrees north latitude and between 59 and 60 degrees west longitude”.
“You must be a technician.” said the balloonist. “I am” replied the man “how did you know?” “Well,” answered the balloonist, “everything you have told me is probably technically correct, but I’ve no idea what to make of your information and the fact is, I’m still lost. Frankly, you’ve not been much help at all. If anything, you’ve delayed my trip with your talk.”
The man below responded, “You must be in management”. “I am” replied the balloonist, “but how did you know?”
“Well,” said the man “you don’t know where you are or where you’re going. You have risen to where you are, due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise, which you’ve no idea how to keep, and you expect people beneath you to solve your problems. The fact is you are in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but now, somehow, it’s my bloody fault!
