Boyle resident composer in the National Concert Hall
On Friday May 8th at the National Concert Hall, National Symphony Orchestra Ireland, conductor Jessica Cottis and violinist Darragh Morgan will perform the world premiere of Canto (Turned to Stone), a new work for violin and orchestra commissioned by National Symphony Orchestra Ireland from the leading Irish composer and Boyle resident, Siobhán Cleary.
The programme also includes Grieg’s Holberg Suite and Tchaikovsky’s impassioned Symphony No. 4. The concert will be broadcast live on RTÉ lyric fm.
Composed in response to the death in 2024 of Siobhán’s older sister Eilish, and dedicated to her, Canto is inspired by the Italian philosopher-poet Giacomo Leopardi.
This is the third work commissioned by National Symphony Orchestra Ireland from Siobhán. She says: ‘National Symphony Orchestra Ireland has been the most supportive organisation of my work over many years. They performed my early works Hum! (1997) and Threads (1992), and have commissioned Alchemy (2001) and Cokaygne (2008), both of which received a number of repeat performances. I have built up a relationship with the orchestra over the years as well as with individual players, and that continuity feeds directly into how I compose for them’.
Born in Dublin in 1970, and living in Boyle since 2012, Siobhán Cleary is one of the leading composers of her generation. Her work has been performed and broadcast worldwide. She was elected to Aosdána in 2008.
Her work spans opera, orchestral, chamber, choral, film and electronic music, with a strong focus on vocal and dramatic composition. She is currently working on Circe, a theatrical work for mezzo soprano and chamber ensemble with poetry by Frank McGuinness. Her critically acclaimed opera Vampirella, based on a story by Angela
Carter, premiered in Smock Alley in 2017 and ran for four nights to a sold out house. Her work has been featured at New Music Dublin; Horizons; Imagine Ireland, Culture Ireland’s year-long celebration of Irish arts in the United States in 2011; and Imagining Ireland 2020 at the NCH and the Barbican. Siobhán has also written the music for films and documentaries including the scores for two Roger Corman feature films. In 1996, she worked with the Ciniteca di Bologna writing music scores to restored films. Her works have been performed by ensembles including the National Symphony Orchestra Ireland, BBC Singers, Chamber Choir Ireland, Irish Chamber Orchestra, Vox Clamantis, Ficino Quartet, and Carducci Quartet, and have featured on radio programmes across the world. She is the founder of the Evlana Ensemble and Sinfonietta, an ensemble dedicated to contemporary music.
Tickets are available here.
‘Plug into the West’ will showcase the North West and West of Ireland
If you live in London, an interesting event is taking place in the London Irish Centre on Wednesday May 13th from 6.30pm-9pm. “Plug into the West” aims to showcase the West and Northwest of Ireland as a dynamic hub of innovation, talent, enterprise and community and offers you the opportunity to be part of its future. Bringing together London-based diaspora, founders, investors and regional leaders, this event offers a unique opportunity to connect with peers and explore how you can live, invest and contribute to the region’s continued growth. Attendees will hear directly from entrepreneurs on the ground as they share their experiences of building and scaling businesses in the West, including Darren Burke of FeelTect and Conor Layden of Arigna Group, as well as founders from Sliabh Liag Distillery and Common Knowledge, among others. The evening also highlights the powerful role of the diaspora, creating space for meaningful connections, new partnerships and shared ambition. You can reserve a place at the event here.
More national publicity for Boyle
Boyle most certainly got some good national publicity during the week. Firstly, RTE’s ‘Young Forever: The Death of Ageing’ paid a visit to well know Boyle business ‘Marians’ where many of the team are past the standard retirement age with presenter Kathryn Thomas asking the question: “Is Boyle harboring a 6th blue zone?”. Interspersed with segments from Roscommon town and Boyle, it was yet another great promotion for our town. (If you missed the two part programme with Boyle featuring near the end of the second programme, you can watch it here)
Later in the week, Dalta Hotel Group , who sponsor the GAA U20 Football Championship, commissioned famous Boyle native Chris O’Dowd to film a piece where he joined the Roscommon U20s even stepping back into goals to test his old keeper skills and of course, providing a few laughs. Chris, decked out in his Boyle GAA hoodie, drove through town and told a few stories while a number of locals provided some funny comments relating to Chris. It was a great segment and so far has had 112,000 views on Dalta Hotel Group’s Facebook page and perhaps aided the team to their great win last Wednesday!
Additional aeromedical service is good news for this area
There are many in Boyle who owe their life to the aeromedical service provided by both the Air Corps, operating out of Custume Barracks in Athlone and also the Coast Guard based in Strandhill. Helicopters from both bases have called to the Abbey Park and College Field on many occasions to bring patients to Galway or Dublin. In recent days it has been announced that the new HSE North West Air Ambulance is also to be based at Strandhill which is good news for Boyle and this area. The new Eurocopter will compliment the Coast Guard’s Leonardo AW189 with both based in Sligo, while the Agusta Westland in Athlone will also continue in operation. We are indeed very lucky to have these three aircraft such a short distance from our town.
Information meeting on improving water quality in this area
Surrounded as we are by lakes and rivers, the quality of the water around Boyle is of real importance and with this in mind, the public are invited to attend a community information meeting in King House from 7-8.30pm next Tuesday, which is being held to make more people aware of work to improve water quality in the area and to encourage as much engagement as possible with all stakeholders right across the community, including key agencies, special interest groups, voluntary, public and private sectors. Organised by the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO), working on behalf of Ireland’s 31 local authorities to protect and restore good water quality in rivers, lakes, estuaries, ground and coastal water, the meeting relates specifically to water quality and water issues in the Boyle Municipal District.
Birthday weekend for Ardcarne Garden Centre
It is hard to believe that one of Boyle’s most successful businesses will celebrate 40 years in business. Ardcarne Garden Centre is one of the best known Garden Centres in all of Ireland and along with the Garden Café, is a welcoming and inviting place to visit. To celebrate their 40 year milestone, Ardcarne Garden Centre is inviting members of the public to join them tomorrow Saturday April 25th for a day of special offers, giveaways and fun. In addition, there will be Free Draw with a chance to win 40 fabulous prizes. Special Guest speaker at 2pm will be local author Michael Harding and there will be live music from 3pm. “Come along and enjoy the celebrations with family, friends and neighbours – we would love to see you!”
News snippets from around Boyle
‘Lightning McQueen’ will be in Lough Key Forest Park today Friday 24th from 12pm-6pm so come along and grab a photo with your favourite ‘Car’. ‘Lightning’ is raising vital funds for JB and Me – a Child Bereavement Charity, so every little helps………Boyle Film Club screening of “Spilt Milk” (15A) will take place in Boyle Family Resource Centre on Saturday April 25th at 8pm. Tickets at the door: 10€/8€oap but It is advisable to book, as space in venue is limited- To book please send email to [email protected]……….Best wishes to all the pupils of parish schools who will be conferred with the Sacrament of Confirmation in St. Joseph’s Church on Saturday at 11a.m……… Lenny Chen free Piano Recital takes place on Saturday April 25th in King House at 4pm. Join an afternoon of classical piano music, performed by Lenny with booking essential………Clothes collection for Ballinafad Playground this Saturday from 1pm-4pm. Please leave bags in Carty’s (Old Post Office)……..It’s back on the road to Castlebar this Sunday where we will hopefully see another victory by a Roscommon team, this time when Roscommon take on Mayo in Connacht senior football championship semi final. And following the U20’s great win in the same venue last Wednesday, Cian Smith’s men head to Tuam Stadium next Wednesday to also take on Mayo in the U20 Connacht Final with throw in at 6.30pm………..King House Tea Rooms are celebrating 10 years in business this Saturday with €10 menu all day along with fundraising for Roscommon SPCA from 10 am-3pm……..Registration is now open for the Lough Key Triathlon which will take place this year on Sunday August 30th……..Congratulations to the members of local dance group Victoria Walker Dance who travelled to Dublin recently and danced their hearts out in various dance categories including ballet, lyrical, contemporary, showstopper, commercial and tap dance in the qualifier competitions for the dance world cup. Against very tough competition between 60 dance schools and dance teams from all over Ireland, Victoria Walker’s Dancers came away with two 3rd place trophies and also qualified and qualified in 5 other categories, with 7 dances qualifying in total……….Expect busy traffic heading into Carrick this Saturday (and indeed through Boyle) when Galway take on Leitrim in the Connacht Championship at 3.30pm……….Chris O’Dowd will be a guest tonight on the Late Late Show……….Darkness into Light Boyle Community Registration today Friday, April 24th from 12:00pm – 2:00pm outside Natural Options Pharmacy, SuperValu, Boyle……..28 day insight (March 26th – April 22nd) for Boyletoday Facebook page shows a total of 1,135,773 views!!
And finally……!
One day, Mrs. Jones went to talk to the priest at the local church.
“Father,” she said, “I have a problem. My husband keeps falling asleep during your sermons. It’s very embarrassing. What should I do?”
The priest thought for a moment and said, “I have an idea.
Take this hatpin with you.
I’ll watch for when Mr. Jones is dozing off and I’ll motion to you.
When I do, you give him a little poke in the leg.”
The following Sunday, Mrs. Jones brought the hatpin to Mass.
Sure enough, during the sermon, Mr. Jones started to nod off.
The priest noticed and said, “And who made the ultimate sacrifice for you?”
He nodded toward Mrs. Jones.
“Jesus!” Mr. Jones cried, waking up as his wife poked him with the hatpin.
“Yes, you’re right, Mr. Jones,” said the priest.
But soon after, Mr. Jones dozed off again.
The priest asked, “Who is your redeemer?” and motioned toward Mrs. Jones.
“God!” Mr. Jones yelled out, again getting poked in the leg.
“Right again!” said the priest.
But before long, Mr. Jones fell asleep again.
This time, the priest didn’t notice, and he picked up the pace of his sermon, making some gestures that Mrs. Jones mistook for signals to poke her husband.
The priest asked, “What did Eve say to Adam after she bore him his 99th son?”
Mrs. Jones poked Mr. Jones again and he woke up, shouting, “If you poke me with that thing one more time, I’ll snap it in half and make you regret it!”
“Amen!” the congregation replied in unison.
