Need for fast charging in Boyle highlighted
A viewer form the area who lives in Germany has been in touch suggesting that Boyle should try and get some fast car charging points installed. The viewer wrote: “At the start of May, I drove home to see my grandmother (who was living in the excellent Drumderrig Nursing Home), and stayed a couple of weeks. I was based in Boyle town during this time. As my car is an EV and I really think that Boyle is missing a huge trick in not having some high powered (very fast) EV chargers in the town. Lunney’s in Carrick has one true fast charger, but it is always in use (given its location and frontage on the N4) and the only other EV charger in Carrick (behind the Bush Hotel) is often not working. In short, there aren’t very many fast chargers in the north Roscommon / Leitrim / Sligo catchment area”.
“Given Boyle’s size and strategic location along the N4 corridor, I am fairly certain that there would be huge demand for fast EV chargers in the town (like the movie says: if you build it, they will come). This would in turn bring in extra footfall – fast charges mean a captive population for 30-40 minutes – and should hopefully benefit nearby small businesses and cafes etc. As I was driving around the town, I though that perhaps 3-4 high speed chargers on the Crescent might be a good location or maybe somewhere in or near the Super Valu carpark (assuming this isn’t private property etc.)”.
“I don’t know if this is something on the radar of the movers & shakers of Boyle, but if you ever get a chance to float this idea with them then I would be immensely grateful. A town revival isn’t just a series of big ticket or marquee initiatives, but is an aggregation of small and marginal improvements/quality of life initiatives. From personal knowledge, a lot of people take EV charging infrastructure into account when planning getaways and vacations, and I think Boyle having this string in its bow would be to its credit”.
Two days of cycling showed Boyle in all it’s glory
If ever there was a day to be proud of Boyle it was last Wednesday, when the Ras Tailteann international cycle race came to town. The sun shone brightly and the town looked it’s best as the 145 riders came hurdling in Military Road at break neck speeds heading up the Crescent faster than any of our local boy racers. Events like this – and indeed the Lough Key Classic cycling sportive a few days earlier – do not just happen but entail months of planning and organisation. Having the town looking well is also no coincidence and involved the Tidy Town group and Roscommon Co Co working hard for weeks to have the place looking pristine. The planned resurfacing of the Crescent fitted in nicely with the stage finish and lent itself to a natural park for race vehicles. Unfortunately for the large crowd who lined the Crescent for the finish, they did not see the bigger part of the race which involved a spectacular cavalcade of motorbikes, team cars and race officials who has all peeled off at the Shilling Hill before entering the town.
The Ras stage end crew arrived in Boyle shortly after 10am and were met by a number of willing volunteers who along with members of An Garda Siochana and Roscommon Co Co outdoor staff, had secured parking spaces and erected barriers the night previous. The organisers were quick in their praise for all the help and cooperation they got in Boyle and could not speak highly enough of the beautiful town Boyle is and the friendliness and the warm welcome they received from everyone during their visit here.
A big thank you to Ger Campbell from An Ras Tailteann and his team who chose Boyle for a stage end. Thank you also to the local stage end organiser Noel Feeley and co organiser Carmel Regan and all the volunteers who worked tireless to get Boyle ‘Ras Ready’ and also to the marshals who gave of their time freely to ensure the safety of all. And not forgetting the members of An Garda Siochana and Roscommon Co Co outdoor staff who were key to the smooth running of the event. There was only one mishap when team Team Skyline rider Con McDunphy hit the deck on the approach to the town near Celtic Park. He finished Stage 1 but with his left side full of road rash. His injuries did not stop him starting on Thursday when he was in the thick of the action finishing in 20th position and now lies in 4th place overall going in to today’s stage – a tough man!
Boyle can certainly feel proud that the town hosted nearly 400 cyclists and their entourage between the Lough Key Classic and An Ras and did so with the friendliness and courtesy that our town has become synonymous with.
Event on Sunday in memory of late Chris O’Dowd
North West Roscommon GAA are organising a 5k and 10K challenge in Boyle’s Lough Key Forest Park this Sunday in memory of the late Chris O’Dowd who was the Chairperson of North & West Roscommon GAA and a well know businessman in Boyle for many years. Chris played a massive part in all aspects of the GAA in the county and especially at underage level. The event will be taking place in Lough Key Forest Park on May 25th commencing at 10am with registration in the Moylurg Room from 9am. This event welcomes runners aged 16 and older and offers two race distances. Both routes will take participants through the beautiful woodlands of Lough Key Forest Park, providing a unique opportunity to experience the stunning natural landscape while testing their endurance. This is a chip-timed event, ensuring accurate results for all competitors.
Infrastructural developments are making Boyle look great again
There will always be a few who will give out about roadworks in Boyle and the temporary disruption they cause, but people need to look at the bigger picture and be thankful that we are getting all this infrastructural development taking place in our town. Having a stage finish of An Ras Tailteann has helped advance some planned works, with the Crescent looking great now it is resurfaced and lined out, the public realm on Bridge Street and Shop Street also looks brilliant and road resurfacing is currently taking place on Hanley Avenue. The uneven surface around the manhole outside Studio 11 and a few others were fixed on Monday and the water measuring unit at the bridge that was damaged in an accident earlier in the year was fixed last Saturday. Work should commence soon on the upgrade of The Lawn area and the installation of a multi games area in the Pleasure Ground and hopefully before summer is out, work will commence on the new Library at the rear of An Rioga.
News snippets from around Boyle
Best wishes to all the children from the parish who will receive First Holy Communion tomorrow Saturday in St. Joseph’s Church at 12 noon. What a pity the good weather of late did not hold out at least until Saturday evening!…….The large number of cyclists who enjoyed their Lough Key Classic mid sportive break in King House last Sunday spoke of the beauty of the building with plans to return again for a tour. But they will have to wait until the June bank holiday weekend as amazingly, the House is not open until then. In reality, King House should be open full time from Easter to the end of October and on weekends during the winter……Deputy Kerrane and Councillor Cull will hold their monthly constituency clinic on Saturday in the Spool Factory……Our ‘local’ airport – Ireland West- is set to receive funding of €5.6m along with €1.1m from the airport itself for construction of a new Aerodrome Fire Training Centre; Security Systems Upgrade; Air Traffic Control Charts; Electrical Infrastructure Upgrade; Solar PV Farm; Electrical Hi Loader; Electrical Ambulift; Air Traffic Control Engineering Vehicle Replacement; Aeronautical Ground Lighting (AGLs) and Airport Carbon Accreditation Level 4 Transition………..We now have seven pedestrian crossing in our town and people need to start using them when crossing the road. Currently pedestrians are crossing at any point they wish in town which is a dangerous manouver such is the speed of vehicles travelling through Boyle at present………Boyle Film Club will host their season finale this Friday 23rd at 7.30pm in Boyle Family Resource Centre with a 1975 American crime drama based on a real story……It has been a busy few days for the members of Boyle Fire Service who have been battling bog and forest fires throughout the county since Sunday in hot and testing weather conditions………The Connaught Rangers Association is to receive a Heritage grant of €17,433 towards the museum upgrade in King House.
And finally…!
A young doctor moved to a small community to replace one who was retiring.
The older doctor suggested that he should accompany him on his rounds.
At the first house a woman complains, “I’ve been a little sick in my stomach.”
The doctor says, “You’ve probably been overdoing the fresh fruit. Cut back on the amount and see if that works?”
As they left, the younger man said, “You didn’t even examine that woman, How did you know?”
“I dropped my stethoscope on the floor and when I bent over to pick it up, I noticed a dozen banana peels in the bin that was what probably was making her sick.”
The younger doctor said, “Very clever I’ll try that at the next house.”
At the next house, they spent several minutes talking with a younger woman.
She said that she just didn’t have the energy she once did saying, “I’m feeling run down lately.”
“You’ve probably been doing too much for the church,” the younger doctor told her.
“Perhaps you should cut back a bit and see if that helps.”
As they left, the older doctor said, “I know that woman well and she’s very active in the church, but how did you arrive at that?”
“I did what you did at the last house.
I dropped my stethoscope and when I bent down to retrieve it, I noticed the Priest under the bed.”
