Battle of the Curlews anniversary today
Every year around this time in mid August we make reference to the Battle of the Curlews and today August 15th is the 426th anniversary of the famous event. Unless the Battle is mentioned here on Boyletoday.com, chances are it’s anniversary would go unnoticed, which is a real shame. Many years ago, a festival was held locally to mark it’s 400th anniversary but since then there was been no remembrance of the event. It is said over 200 soldiers died in the battle on the Curlew mountain pass just outside Boyle. One wonders at the amount of historical armory and artifacts that must be buried under the mounds of bog and heather at the unmarked site as you travel up the old Mail Coach road from Boyle. Read more here.
Paul’s Shannon Swim enters day six
Croghan man Paul Little is now on day six of his eight day swim of the River Shannon. Yesterday (Thursday) Paul was in the water for 16 hours straight and was back in again this morning at 6am for another big day that will see him swim from Banagher in Co. Offaly to Kilgaravan Quay, crossing Lough Derg, a large lake that has been on Paul’s mind for a while. Paul commenced his epic journey in Dowra on Sunday last and will swim over 230km over the course of eight days, averaging roughly 30km per day, reaching Curraghgour Boat Club in Limerick City this Sunday 17th August. In what is a mammoth personal test of psychical and mental stamina, Paul is also raising funds for North West STOP – a community-based, voluntary charity founded in 2004 by families who had lost loved ones to suicide. Their primary aim is to prevent suicide by providing accessible, free, confidential counselling services which is an invaluable service to the North West of Ireland. You can follow Paul’s progress on “Paul’s Shannon Swim 2025” on Facebook and you can donate to the event here.
Minister Chambers visit to Boyle
Any day you get a Government Minister to visit Boyle is a good day and so it was beneficial to have Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation Jack Chamber in town on Monday last. Minister Chambers first met with representatives from Boyle Childcare Committee who are doing their best to get an additional child care facility set up in the town. The group met with the Minister in Boyle Family Resource Centre – an organisation who are also instrumental in getting the facility to become a reality. While there, Roscommon SafeLink also briefed the Minister on the urgent need to have a women’s refuge located in Boyle. It was then on to King House where he met a delegation from Boyle Town Team. The Team thanked the Minister for the investment Government have made in Boyle to date and led by Chairman Ciaran Sheerin they went on to discuss a wide range of topics relevant to the town including tourism and hospitality, transport in town and the night time economy, planning and development and the need for additional housing in Boyle. It was a productive day and before he departed, the Minster spook glowingly of his visit in Boyle adding “The Government have real ambition for Boyle”. He also acknowledged “All the good work done in Boyle in recent years and the really good energy and volunteerism that exists in Boyle. He went on to say that it was “Important that Government partners with the work being undertaken in Boyle”. Finally, he gave a great endorsement of the Town Team who he described as being ‘Fantastic, really positive and ambitious”.
Minister Chambers was accompanied by Deputy Martin Daly, Senator Gareth Scahill and Councillor Sean Moylan.
A sad week in the search for David
It was not the outcome everyone hoped for, but a cordoned off area surrounded by Garda cars, Fire Brigade and Civil Defence vehicles late on Tuesday morning last gave the public the first indication that there had been a development in the search for Mohill man David O’Callaghan. David had been missing since Saturday evening from near where he was found in St. Joseph’s Church grounds. On Monday, locals joined family members and friends in searches of the cycle way from the Marina to Lough Key and were joined later by members of Roscommon Civil Defence. Gardai visited premises to view CCTV in the hope that they would be able to track David’s movements. But on Tuesday, the news came through that a body had been found which led to an air of sadness all over the town and area. Our sympathy goes to David’s family and friends and our thanks also to those who gave of their time to search for David since Saturday. We are indeed blessed to live in such a caring and helpful community. (A GoFundMe page has been set up for David’s funeral expenses and you can donate here).
Top honours for ‘local’ chef
Congratulations to ‘local’ sous chef at Kilronan Castle Lauma Kilgas who was crowned Ireland’s Next Top Chef 2025 after serving a faultless three-course menu in front of a live audience and world-class judging panel at the Balmoral Hotel in Belfast. Lauma was up against Stephen Dowie (La Taqueria, Belfast) and Scott Mallett (Café Zulu, Lisburn) in a live cook-off that showcased the very best of emerging culinary talent from across the island of Ireland. Lauma’s menu stunned the judges with its flawless execution, bold flavours, and beautiful presentation. Lauma has won an invitation to cook and train under the supervision of a leading culinary team at the prestigious 2 Michelin Star restaurant Dinner by Heston Blumenthal in London.
News snippets from around Boyle
What a pity we have to constantly spend time deleting derogatory and inappropriate comments and banning people from Boyletoday Facebook page. The comments usually appear on a Friday or Saturday night and can originate from accounts that are known or sometimes fictitious. Viewers of Boyletoday.com should know by now that we will not tolerate abuse or derogatory comments or bad language on our pages……..Boyle GAA club Senior Team will play Castlerea in the second round of the Senior Championship on Saturday at 6pm in O’Rourke Park Castlerea, while the Junior Team will play St Joseph’s in the second round of the Junior A Championship on Sunday at 1.30pm in the Abbey Park………..Another two weeks of travel misery for those who use the N61 to get to Roscommon from Boyle or vice versa with the road closure from Shankill to Tulsk being extended for a further two weeks until September 8th…….Thankfully, Boyle will benefit from the update to the Route 23 Expressway bus that serves Boyle. From August 24th the earlier morning bus from Sligo to Dublin that did not stop in Boyle will now do so at 06.38. Also the 17.30 Dublin to Sligo service that heretofore bypassed Boyle will now stop in the town at 20.53. There are also time changes to other services so best to check the new timetable from August 24th……..Sligo Councillor Gerard Mullaney has asked that the speed limit on the old N4 from Castlebaldwin to Collooney be increased from the current 60kph as it is used regularly when there is an accident on the new N4 and many motorists are getting caught for speeding on the old road……….Ballinameen could be inline for 4 new 3 bedroom town houses with planning permission being sought by T.P. Halligan Ltd to construct the houses at Knockglass……..Work commences next Monday on the Boyle Celtic Community Hub – a multi-purpose facility designed to meet the growing needs of both the club and the wider community and a facility that will be most welcome in Boyle, especially the 100 person seated function room……..Yesterday’s Outdoor Recreation Funding announcement included €45,000 for study and design work to upgrade and expand facilities at Lough Gara.
And finally…….!
An solicitor arrived home late, after a very tough day trying to get a stay of execution.
His last minute plea for clemency to the governor had failed and he was feeling worn out and depressed.
As soon as he walked through the door at home, his wife started to give out: ‘What time of night to be getting home is this? Where have you been? Dinner is cold and I’m not reheating it’. And on and on and on.
Too shattered to play his usual role in this familiar ritual, he poured himself a shot of whiskey and headed off for a long hot soak in the bath, pursued by the predictable sarcastic remarks as he dragged himself up the stairs.
While he was in the bath, the phone rang.
The wife answered and was told that her husband’s client, James Wright, had been granted a stay of execution after all. Wright would not be hanged tonight.
Finally realising what a terrible day he must have had, she decided to go upstairs and give him the good news.
As she opened the bathroom door, she was greeted by the sight of her husband, bent over naked, drying his legs and feet.
‘They’re not hanging Wright tonight,’ she said.
He whirled around and screamed:
‘Ah for God sake, do you ever stop complaining’
