Friday 9th May ...clouds and showers on the horizon!

Boyle Music Fest Fundraiser:

Sunday May 11th - in the Moylurg Inn, come along to a Fundraiser for this year's Music Fest. Starting at 9.30pm you will be amazed by the talents of Stevie Starr. Watch him swallow snooker balls, live goldfish and even a Rubik's cube, followed by Disco with Partytime. Check Stevie on Youtube [here] Admission €8. Please support this event to make this year's Music Fest possible...

New photo section:

Following requests that I should include photos of "Boyle Faces", today is launch day for the first of these. The Boyle Faces section is and will be located on the left of this page under a couple of adverts. Each weekday there will be an additional photo. Click on the photo or the link underneath it to see a larger version. If you want to grab any of the photos, save them ... I will not be running an archive, though the large versions will still remain on Flickr!
ps/ If you live or work in Boyle, or if you came from Boyle I hope I will have your photo here at some stage!!!
pps/ Did I tell you about a website I designed recently for a restaurant in Carrick-on-Shannon? If not, you can check it out [here]

Hello to all amateur artists:

Once again, it is the time of year to remind all local artists, new artists and those under 25 that it is time to be thinking of your entry for BAF '08 Local Art Open Exhibition. The exhibition runs throughout the Boyle Arts Festival from Friday 25th July until Friday 1st August.

Arts Festival Programme:

This year's Boyle Arts Festival promises to be one of the best ever! Included will be displays from over 150 leading artists, and outstanding performers like Phil Coulter, Regina Nathan and Kevin McAleer. The programme for the Festival is "almost ready", and can be seen on the "almost ready" Festival website [here]

Photoshoot:

Members of Boyle Camera Club are reminded that there will be a "Club shoot" next Sunday (11th May). Assembly on The Crescent, Boyle, departing at 8.30am for the Bluebell Wood, and then on to Keadue Village.
• Next Wednesday's monthly meeting promises to be an interesting one with a presentation by Press photographer Peter Wilcock, viewing and marking the "Love Theme" photographs and discussion on our forthcoming Boyle Arts Festival Photo Exhibition in Boyle Library.

Upgrade for Strokestown House

Four weeks ago, on a cold Saturday morning I took photographs in Strokestown House and its Famine Museum. I was very impressed with the displays and courtesy offered. The photographs will be online shortly on a new dedicated site for County Roscommon!
Now comes the announcement that the location is to receive €255,000 funding this year for developments [here]

Tourism:

It is good to note that this part of the country is slowly but surely being developed as a premier tourism location. For those who wonder what is available within a 20 mile radius of Boyle, can I remind you of some places to visit: Lough Key and its new Activity Centre, Boyle Abbey, King House, The Arigna Mining Experience, Tidy Towns winner Keadue Village, Elphin Windmill, Cruachan Aí in Tulsk, the Douglas Hyde Centre outside Frenchpark, Strokestown House and Famine Museum, Carrick and The River Shannon, our Drumanone Dolmen and the Bricklieve Passage Tombs near Castlebaldwin.

New Courthouse for Boyle:

This time I am way behind with the news! It has been reported in various local media for some time, and I forgot to have it here. The relevant Authority is seeking a location on which to build a new courthouse for Boyle. Through its existence the new Courthouse will have quite a different "face" on the types of offences presented for judgement from the building it replaces. "No light on yer bike" and "late night drinking" will make way for more cases relating to traffic offences and anti-social behaviour!

Boyle Music Fest Fundraiser:

Sunday May 11th - in the Moylurg Inn, come along to a Fundraiser for this year's Music Fest. Starting at 9.30pm you will be amazed by the talents of Stevie Starr. Watch him swallow snooker balls, live goldfish and even a Rubik's cube, followed by Disco with Partytime. Check Stevie on Youtube [here] Admission €8. Please support this event to make this year's Music Fest possible...

Growth:

In two short weeks these trees on the Shelling Hill have transformed from skeletal fingers reaching skywards to lush green... Photo 7th May [here]

Transition Year Art Exhibition:

This will be Transition Year's second time to stage a public Art Exhibition in Boyle. Fourteen students have worked towards this since Christmas and it’s a great achievement considering only five students had any previous art experience. Their exploration of the theme “Creatures” has led to a bright, colourful and vibrant display, ranging from creatures of the deep, to creatures of the air. Most students were happy working in the area of 3D, while one student explored the theme through painting. Worth paying a visit to! Official opening 7pm. Thursday the 15th of May by Mayor of Boyle, Mary Clifford running until Wednesday May 21st. Venue King House. All welcome.

€4 million per annum?

The €4 million annual salary being offered to the new manager of some fatuous British soccer team is another indicator that humanity has lost the plot! This figure is only a drop in an ocean of squandered resources which might otherwise feed the world's poor, provide sufficient hospital beds or save our planet...
Maybe life is just a game. Are Internet games and virtual worlds just an escape, or do they show us what people really want most out of life? Are the lengthy reports after every news bulletin and the countless pages written daily a reflection of "real life".
Laugh if you will, History does repeat itself! ...remember that the decline and fall of the Egyptian, Greek and Roman Empires came about in circumstances similar in many ways to those in which we find ourselves today. As surely as history repeats itself, so will our demise as the python-grip from vices: superbia, avaritia, luxuria, invidia, gula, ira, acedia.

Game:

Oh, well if you want to play a game, have a little innocent fun [here]

Boyle Abbey Reconstruction:

Thanks to Ben Millett for spotting an Internet graphic representation of the works now in progress at Boyle Abbey. Move your cursor over the images [here] Photo 7th May [here]

Hilary Beirne writes from New York...

"Connie Doolan was the Grand Marshal of the 1992 New York City St Patrick's Day Parade. Connie passed away Wednesday. The Cork native became one of the best-known figures in the Irish American community during the last three and a half decades. Connie involved himself in countless community causes, such as helping arriving immigrants, supporting Gaelic games in New York and working with many charitable organizations. Please keep him in your prayers."

Tony and Martin write from Boyle:

"Once when talking to a fifties County footballer I wrongly said about Gerry O’Malley winning a lot of games 'on his own'. He responded to my indiscreet suggestion by saying: 'Sure we might have won a few more if he played with the rest of us!' " ...more [here]

Business Update:

Always on the move, DJ Richie has added to services available from Partytime. On board now are 14 experienced DJ's and an expanded service offering Theme Nights, Bands, Entertainers, Wedding Entertainment and Audio Equipment Hire. Read more on DJ Richie's updated website www.partytime-dj.com [here]

"Daisy, Daisy..."

It may be just a simple photograph, but I like it [here]

Green schools Award:

On Friday, Neville Knott, TV personality and presenter of the hugely popular "Showhouse" programme visited his old national school in Boyle, the Parochial School, at Knocknashee. Before hoisting the flag marking the school's achievement on being awarded environmentally-friendly Green Flag status, Neville was introduced to a full-house gathering of students, teachers, parents and friends by the school's board chairperson, Neil Stewart. Recounting his happy experiences at the school, Neville congratulated the current teachers, pupils and committee on their foresight and great achievement as well as wishing them well in the future... [website][large photo]

Latest from Africa:

Martina Morris and Eileen McGowan approach the end of their mercy and mission trip to Africa.
Tuesday 6th May: Hi Sean, thanks for everything. Work finished for us though it continues for others. Taking a few days break. See you all next week ...M&E
Monday 5th May: "Spent the day in Mapepe school catching up on the last of the sponsorship. The children have been on holidays from school during April so it is hard getting work done. We also visited the hospice and that was an eye opener. One lady just died as we got there. Three on average die there every week. We saw a baby who was very sick and was told she will probably die. All Aids/HIV, very tough on the staff. They have nothing but they never complain and are always smiling.

Visit the Bluebells:

Over the next week or so the bluebells in Derreen Wood on the Knockvicar Road will come into full bloom. At one stage on Sunday afternoon I counted 45 cars parked along the roadway at the entrance to the wood, and decided to call back later in the evening. With sunshine filtering through the trees, the calm blue and bright green of new season leaf growth creates a "cathedral-like" serenity that is breath-taking. Make time for a visit there yourself as the bluebells come to full maturity, and soon fade away too quickly.
... [photo]
It is surprising that though stacked neatly, some visitors still decided to leave their rubbish in this beautiful place. I wonder did they realise that there is nobody designated to clear up after them
... [photo]

Wedding:

Best Wishes to Alan Cooney and Martina Cryan who get married on Saturday in St. Joseph's Church, Cloonloo. I have photos on Flickr for you [here]

Breaking News:

Last week our "word on the street department" accurately accessed that C.E.Callan Solicitors, Boyle have alamgamated and will be known soon as Callan Tansey Solicitors...

Sunshine:

I love this time of year - the goodbyes to winter, the hope for a nice summer, nature's gifts by way of renewed growth and sunshine. Apart from sunshine in Ireland I am reminded of sunshine in beautiful places I have been fortunate enough to visit like La Carihuela, Spain, New York City and Kiawah Island, South Carolina. Youtube music videos which remind me of such places are [here] [here] [here] oops, and [here]

Badminton Connaught Champions:

Boyle Badminton Club had a great win in Galway Lawn Tennis Club yesterday, they are now Division 4 Connaught League Champions and go forward to the All-Ireland finals on Sunday 18th May in Dublin.
 

Camera Club:

'Love' is the subject of the current motivational exercise for members of Boyle Camera Club. Photos will be reviewed at the Club’s monthly meeting in King House on May 14th. The Club now boasts 64 members and meets every second Wednesday evening for discussions, presentations and exchanges of information. The May meeting will feature a talk about the paparazzi from former UK daily newspaper photographer Peter Wilcock, who is now based in Sligo. New members are welcome. Log on to www.boylecameraclub.com for details.

Silveroe:

If you will be in Boyle and are interested in the housing market, Boyle has much to offer you at the moment. Of particular interest is "Silveroe". Three Showhouses are now fully furnished & ready for inspection... online info [here]

Congrats Louise...

Congratulations and best wishes to Louise Fitzpatrick on her appointment as Manager at Lough Key Forest and Activity Park.

John answers the call:

"Lili was crying, her normally tough façade cracked at the memory of so many wasted lives, so much potential trampled on by callous self-seeking officials devoid of conscience or morals. Paddy levelled slight undulations in the gravel with his shoe. "Bastards!" he said."
Read John Mulligan's excellent article, written specially for the Sunday papers "Romanian Funeral" and be glad we live here in Ireland...

It is a pleasure to welcome John Mulligan to realBoyle.com. John is one the country's authors for whom I have great respect and an admiration for his works

New Boyle Businesses:

New signs erected over the weekend in Boyle indicate 2 business openings:
 

Arts Week appeal for Volunteers:

This year's Arts Festival will run from July 24th to August 2nd. The aims of the festival are not just cultural but also to bring a commercial vibrancy and a much needed boost to our town. The number of events has expanded from previous years and the organising committee are trying to bring information about the festival to incoming tourists from all over the world in the hope of getting some of them to visit and enjoy our community. [more]

Lough Key - a short history:

I have a short history of Lough Key, Castle Island and Úna Bhán [here]

Did You Know?

Úna Bhán Tourism can offer you a complete office service: typing, photocopying, laminating, binding and CVs. They can also fax documents for you. Call in to the office in the grounds of King House or ring 071 9663033 for more information.

Supporting realBoyle.com:

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