Connacht Final was a welcome economic boost
Last Sunday afternoon was a busy one in Boyle. A large crowd of supporters travelled to the Abbey Park for the Connacht LGFA Junior Club Championship final between Claremorris and St. Brigids. Cars filled the over flow car park at St. Joseph’s Church and around the venue and into town for an event that did bring an welcomed economic benefit to Boyle, whither that was fuel supplies or shop visits. Well done to all the club members who had the grounds looking so well but unfortunately, when they opened the gates, they were faced with broken chairs and racist graffiti in the John Joe Nerney stand, along with beer cans littering the grounds. Shame on whoever did this and if you have any information on the thugs involved, please inform a member of Boyle GAA or the local Gardai.
A great example of thinking outside the box
The need to ‘think outside the box’ here in Boyle has long been view of this blog. If ever there was a great example of ‘thinking outside the box’ it will become evident this evening, when Dalys Wine Bar will have Pete’s Pizza located right outside their premises, where according to the award winning business ” you can enjoy his delicious hand stretched, woodfired pizza’s in the comfort of our Wine Bar”. This is a brilliant idea. Instead of siting back and doing nothing and blaming others, the ladies in Dalys have taken the initiate to come up with a novel way to have food with your after work Friday evening drink here in Boyle. Well done to all.
The need for CCTV in Boyle
A large number of people have mentioned the need for CCTV in our town and with recent increases in vandalism and petty crime locally, that need is now greater than ever. When CCTV was suggested previously, there were those who felt the cameras would be an invasion of their privacy but that is incorrect, as a request to view footage from a public CCTV system and it’s use is very well covered under current law.
Boyle is one of the last towns in the county not to have a CCTV system. If we had cameras at key strategic locations in our town centre, it would act as a deterrent to criminality and the acts of vandalism that seem to be growing in Boyle. But even if there was agreement right now for a CCTV system, it would take time to get it up and running and is not the immediate answer to our problems, but more of a long term solution.
What we urgently need is additional Gardai assigned to Boyle Garda Station, our Garda Station open at a minimum for the hours advertised – or indeed longer – and additional Garda patrols on the streets of Boyle, both day and night. It is understood these suggestions have been made in recent days to Garda management via local representatives on the Joint Policing Committee.
(See also poll on bottom right of this website)
Dog control measures will be welcome in Boyle
A new suite of measures to enhance dog control was announced yesterday (Thursday) by Minister Heather Humphreys, that will hopefully go some way to control the problem we have here in Boyle of dogs not under effective control. This blog has previously highlighted the fear people face (not to mention the mess they leave on the footpaths) with a handful of dogs roaming free around the town. Their owners have been identified but the dogs continue to run free on a daily basis as if the town centre was their back garden. Likewise, we have highlighted the fear people face with dogs running off lead in the Park and along by the Canal.
From December 1st 2023, a fine of €300 will apply if your dog is not under “effectual control”, €150 if a stray dog is found and not dealt with in the correct manner and €200 if a dog has No / Incorrect Collar / ID. No dog licence will also get you a fine of €150. According to the law “If you own a dog, you must have a dog licence. You must have a collar or harness on your dog with your contact details attached. As it is a legal requirement that dogs are accompanied and kept under ‘effectual control’, it is recommended to keep your dog on a lead in public spaces.” Hopefully the dog warden will visit Boyle again once the higher fines come into play and put an end to dogs roaming the town and local amenity areas.
News snippets from around Boyle
Confirmation will take place in Boyle on Saturday April 20th 2024 at 11am and First Holy Communion will be held on Saturday May 18th 2024 at 12 noon………..There must have been great excitement for children in the junior classes in Abbey School (Scoil na nAingeal Naofa) on Monday last when they returned to see a lovely new play area installed in their playground……….Trojan IT are hosting a coffee morning in aid of “Plant the Planet” today Friday November 10th from 11am-1pm in aid of Boyle local Roisin Wynne who will be travelling to Kenya where she will be helping plant 1 million trees with Self Help Africa……….Health and happiness are wished on Maura Callaghan who has retired after 26 years with Boyle Family Resource Centre……….If you are looking for something to do tomorrow Saturday, why not pop out to Ardcarne Garden Centre where they will host their always enjoyable Hospice Christmas Fundraising Event and the launch of their Christmas Shop……..The popularity of the annual Boyle Musical was obvious last Saturday morning as a queue formed well before 10am at Boyle Craft Shop for tickets for the Hunchback of Notre Dame……..Not really Boyle related but credit where credit is due. A local person tells of applying to renew their passport online at 4.30pm on Tuesday evening with their passport arriving in their letter box in Boyle at 8am Thursday morning!……..An informal Irish Conversation meet-up takes place every Tuesday at 18.30 – 17.30 in the Moylurg Room in Boyle Library. An hour of Irish, chat and listen, improve and learn. No cost. Just your hour of time. Friendly bunch of enthusiastic people. Contact Tarlach 0879914526 or Micheal 0872358667…………And nearly finally, remember folks, and this certainly applies locally to some posts online this week (not Boyletoday), “Just because you read it on Facebook does not always mean it is factually correct”!!
And Finally…….!
The Chief of Staff of the US Air Force decided to personally recruit some pilots and he saw two young twins.
He looked at the first young man and asked: “Son, what skills can you bring to the Air Force?”
The young man looks at him and says: “I’m a pilot!”
The General gets all excited, turns to his aide and says: “Get him in today, all the paper work done, everything, do it!”
The aide hustles the young man off.
The General looks at the second young man and asks: “What skills to you bring to the Air Force?”
The young man says: “I chop wood!”
“Son,” the general replies: “We don’t need wood choppers in the Air Force, so what is it exactly you do?”
“I chop wood!”
“Young man,” huffs the general, “You are not listening to me, we don’t need wood choppers, this is the 20th century!”
“Well,” the young man says, “You hired my brother!”
“Of course we did,” says the general, “He’s a pilot!”
The young man rolls his eyes and says: “But sure I have to chop it before he can pile it!”
