Monday’s Weather
TODAY – Monday 30th January: Mainly dry this morning with bright or sunny spells developing. Cloud will build in from the west through the late morning with outbreaks of light rain and drizzle following. Highest temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees.
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BOYLE ST PATRICK’S DAY PARADE
The Toon Team – Posers
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Donie Smith – 100
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Boyle GAA Club – Update
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February Bank Holiday: Roscommon County Council Civic Amenity Sites
*OPEN*
Friday 3rd February 2023
Saturday 4th February 2023
Tuesday 7th February 2023
Open 8.00 am – 4.00 pm (Lunch 1pm – 1.30pm)
Roscommon Site is Open through lunch
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St. Joseph’s Parish Newsletter
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Recycled clothes collection
The playground committee in Ballinafad will have a Recycled clothes collection on Monday 6th February 2023.
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First Thursday Folk Club
Derek Caldbeck and Johnny McGlynn will be entertaining us next Thursday, 2nd February in Dodd’s Bar, The Crescent, Boyle at the First Thursday Folk Club. With these two on stage, it promises NOT to be one of our quieter nights! Can’t wait! Hope to see you all there. Music from 9pm.
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Community Festival and Events Grant Scheme 2023
Roscommon County Council is currently taking applications for the CommunityFestival and Events Grant Scheme 2023.
The Festival and Events Programme is aimed at festivals and events that fit within one of the following categories:
= Fund A – A Community Festival – held over a minimum of 3 consecutive days’ duration
= Fund B – A Community Tourism Event – An event held on a day/evening including literary, historic, culture event, food & drink, family focused etc.
The application form must be completed online via My Online Services here:
The application form can be found under A-Z services (https://roscommon-self.achieveservice.com/)
Completed applications should be submitted by 4pm on Wednesday 15th February 2023.
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Roscommon Co Council Decade of Centenaries Grants
This year, Creative Roscommon Grants will be available under 3 Strands:
Strand 1: Community/Creative Collaboration
Strand 2: Individual Creative Bursary – New Work
Strand 3: Outdoor Cultural Events
• Decade of Centenaries Grants aim to provide support to local communities to facilitate commemorative actions and events in the county relevant to 1923.
Full details of both Schemes are available on our website at https://www.roscommoncoco.ie/en/services/community/creative-ireland/ and https://www.roscommoncoco.ie/en/services/community/creative-ireland/decade-of-centenaries/ respectively and I attach our guidelines for each herewith for your convenience.
• Applications will only be accepted via My Online Services on the Roscommon County Council Website. https://roscommon-self.achieveservice.com/
• Navigate to “A-Z Services” and there you will be able to choose either the Creative Roscommon or the Decade of Centenaries Application form.
Looking forward to seeing your exciting and creative project ideas.
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Job opportunity
Respite Service

This announcement has been warmly welcomed by local FG TD, Frank Feighan who has stated that it will be welcome news for up to 17 families who have been identified as potential users of this interim service.
Abbey Haven Care Centre & Nursing Home
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Roscommon TD calls for urgent action on home care crisis
Claire Kerrane says hundreds of people across Roscommon and Galway are waiting up to 18 months for home help due to the long-running recruitment and retention crisis in the Sector.
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Boyle Town Clock
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Roscommon Herald 24th January
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The Toon Team – Moylurg Tower
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Clearance works at Doon …
The Toon Team – Harry’s Book
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… and St. Anthony
Tony Martin wrote
There was great interest in this photo published on my Facebook page – 104 likes etc – and many comments noting how much the lads appeared unchanged through the years
Hi Sean
I have come across this old photo of the Carrick Road team from St Josephs’s NS taken either 1961 or 1962.
Pictured are L to R
Shane O’Dowd, Christy Harrington, David Hever, John Mulhern, Dennis Mc Hugh, Tony Martin, Tom Mulhern Ronald Healy.
I thought you might be interested.
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Future lift for Boyle Rail Station
Notice has been published that Iarnrod Eireann will apply for permission for a new development at Boyle Rail Station.
The structure is intended to include concrete and steel elements, a pair of staircases (two flights each), free-standing lift shafts and a walkway.
This is a very welcome development and will confirm the company’s confidence and future in Boyle.
The rail station in Edgeworthstown has a similar lift etc in place.
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Boyle Yoga Shack – 2023 Timetable
Monday
6.30pm – Gentle Movement
8pm – Strong ‘n’ Satisfying
Tuesday
10am – Gentle Flow
1.10-1.50pm – Lunchtime Dip
6.30pm – Beginners
8pm – Blokes Flow
Interested? Contact Mags on 086 836 0111
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The Toon Team – Hospital Bed
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Most homes lacking internet access in Shannonside region go without by own choice.
Central Statistic Office data shows that in the midlands, 61 percent of those without internet have stated it is by choice as they do not need it.
• Lack of skill or knowledge in using the internet is the next most significant factor, with 27 percent of those in the midlands and 26 percent in the Midwest forgoing the use of the web due to this.
• Price also plays a factor for those not using the internet in the Shannonside region with around 7 percent of people in Longford and Roscommon/Leitrim unwilling to spend money on available equipment and connection prices.
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INMO calls for return of mask mandate
The INMO is calling for a return of the mask mandate, as hospital overcrowding reaches record highs.
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720,000 passengers travel through Ireland West Airport through 2022
720,000 passengers arrived and departed through Ireland West Airport Knock through 2022. This year it will offer travel services to over 20 destinations including three new routes to 20 international destinations.
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The Toon Team
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Boyle Tidy Towns
How about joining Tidy Towns as your New Years resolution. If you have an interest in any of the following please get in touch. Would you like to join any of the following groups
- gardening/planting
- Nature and biodiversity
- Have a flair for filling in entry forms
- Tidiness and litter control
Contact us by sending a text to 0863200915 or email jackievalentine944@gmail.com You can also follow us on Facebook Boyle tidy towns
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Leaving Certificate Biology grinds
Primary schools to teach foreign languages: religion time to be cut
Primary schools pupils will spend less time learning religion under the biggest changes to the curriculum in more than 20 years.
Instead, there will be more time devoted to the core curriculum with a new focus on foreign languages and wellbeing.
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Missed opportunities at Lough Key Forest Park
While it is true that people are delighted to have ‘The Park’ so close to Boyle as a day-time, go-to resort, things might have evolved differently. Back in time and at different times two families, Bleshim and Lahiff, operated a very successful restaurant and shop on the site.
Ed Sheerin, Strokestown/New Yorker hoped to raise money to build holiday lodges, but that never happened. Later a Canadian company produced a plan to build approximately 300 holiday lodges in the park. This company later became bankrupt.
Since then we have seen successful projects developed: Center Parcs near Ballymahon, Co Longford and Cabu Cabins near Killeshandra, Co Cavan. Closer to home, fast developing, beautiful Drumhierny Woodland Hideaway with its timber lodges is located a mile from Leitrim Village.
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A short history of the L.Key Forest Park resort area (as I remember it)
The King Harman family gifted the resort area to the cash-starved Boyle Development Company. The area was then gifted to the Department of Forestry and Wildlife and under John Dwane a large restaurant and mini-market were built, the car parks were developed and a boat hire business was started. People came from near and far to experience the Lough Key Experience. Green-blazered attendants directed traffic to parking areas. There were several plans for further developments, and when the Dept of Forestry was disbanded, overnight the project was gifted to Coillte.
Then, a Strokestown/New Yorker held up further development for seven years while attempting to raise money for his visions for The Park.
Somewhere during this period, local activist and later TD, Frank Feighan started the Lough Key Action Group (was that it’s title?). A large group of interested persons travelled by train with Frank. We marched from Connolly Station to the Coillte HQ hoping for action on The Park.
The above is my hazy, maybe not totally accurate account of what happened. Perhaps viewers may add to my account or correct me where I was not accurate …
PS/ I published this account after checking at the time with a now-deceased local solicitor who assured me that my version of events was substantially correct !!!
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Online Piano Lessons
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Christmas and New Year Greetings to Boyle Emigrants
Australia
Ciaran Conlon and family/ Paraic Sweeney & Sarah/ Conor Nangle/ Enda, Jacquie and Emer & Glenn O’Callaghan/ Seamie Gallagher/ Damien Keenehan/ Ciaran Keenehan/Clodagh Egan, Sydney/ Ger. O’Gara and clan including Joan/ Sean Casey/ Jenny Jessop (O’Dowd), Melbourne/ Dr. Timothy O’Dowd, Bewnowa Waters/ Benny Sheerin, Sydney/ Maggie Carty, Melbourne/ Sinéad (O’Donnell), Melbourne/ Brian Tiernan/ Colm McQuaid / Don Gillespie, Perth/ Joe Sweeney/ Brian and Kayleigh Goldrick/Paul Harrington, Sydney/ Carmel Egan and Declan Boylan/ Gerard Cassidy/ Jamie Nolan/ Rebecca Casey, Perth/ Leah Meredith, Perth/ Edith Scott, Perth/ Gordon Regan/ Kiki Finn/ Ashling Beirne/ Niall Brennan and Ciara Brennan/ Sheila Theresa O’Boyle (nee Farrell)/ Leanne Battles, Perth/ Karl Battles, NSWales/ Blaithin Dodd
Belgium
James Candon, Brussels
Brazil
Fr. Tony Conry
Canada
Tadgh Egan/ Sean Mullaney/ Miss Compton/ Dr.Patrick Nicholson, Toronto/ Brian McCrann
Dubai
Darren Dockery, The Gulf
England
John Harrington/ Gary Tiernan/ Nicky Emmett/ Sarah Mullaney/ Nessa Young/ Niall Greenan/ Christy and Jim Toolan, London/ Paddy Conlon & family/ Kenneth Feely/ Peter Cryan/ Killian Egan/ Ger Kelly, London/ Martin Egan/ Nikki Emmett/ Colm Rushe/ Terry Geelan/ Paddy O’ Donnell/ Gerry Connolly/ Slattery/ Ml. Hatter/ Sarah Morris/ Kevin McCrann, London/ Grainne Creighton/ Francis & Austin Tarpey, London/ Jo-Anne Dodd
France
Kenneth Beirne
Germany and Belgrade
The Gannon Family/ Michael and Maria Kelly, Munich/ Sadie Tymon lange, Berlin
Italy
Rory Nangle/ Donal Kennedy
Japan
Edward Devenney, Heather Lyons
New Zealand
Elisabeth Hemi Taute (Sweeney) husband and son Cian
Christina Marnell (nee Paul)/ Niamh Brennan/ Liz Taute (Sweeney)
Northern Ireland
John Kelly
Portugal
Mattie Scott
Scotland
Lorraine & Oran and family.
Singapore
Catriona Moran and family.
Spain
Sean Young & family/ John & Joan Gallagher and family Gavin, Declan and Anthony in various places/ Maggie Lyons/ Dearbhaáile Mac Namara
Sweden
Karl Feighan/ Roísín McNamara
South Africa
Carmel Finneran.
U.S.A.
Damien Dooley/ Frankie Flaherty/ Marcus Kennedy/ Joseph Mahon/ Brendan O’Callaghan/ Chris O’Dowd & family but England also/ Doirbhle O’Dowd, Savannah/ Austin and Paraic Biesty & family/ The Spellman famiy/ Margaret Lavin also x Forest View/ Niall Mc Crann / Pat and Peter Nicholson/ Arnold Gaffney, Boston/ Hilary , New York and Kenneth Beirne/ Sinead Flaherty/ Marty Higgins, Boston/ Sabina Daly Tanner/ Colette Higgins Hoff, Indiana/ Georgina Healy Hicks/ Martina Suffin, New York
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The Toon Team – Twitter
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Brogan’s Chemco Pharmacy
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Drumderrig House Nursing Home
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Abbey Haven Care Centre & Nursing Home
Ardcarne Garden Centre
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Tai Chi Chinese Restaurant
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Stride-Beyond Coaching
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Stewarts Oil
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Siobhan Gallagher Coaching
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Sean Carty Cars
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Marians Fashions
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Magees Fashion Shop
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The Toon Team
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The Toon Team – Charlie McGettigan
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The Toon Team – “Back At School”
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The Toon Team – Robert Troy
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Drumhierny Woodland Hideaway
Drumhierny Woodland Hideaway and surrounds are magnets for me. It is a developing magical facility between LEITRIM Village and Beirnes of Battlebridge … a true ‘getaway from it all’.
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The Toon Team – Handsome Jack
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The Toon Team – Second Gate
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Drumhierny Woodland Lodges
I spent this morning (26th July) in a gorgeous new woodland retreat just 1 mile from Leitrim Village. While there I was delighted to take some photos and meet up with staff members Michelle, Tarah (with an ‘h’) and Cathal … three welcoming well-informed professionals !! Wording from the Drumhierny Woodland website: “Discover your new sanctuary at Drumhierny Woodland Hideaway, a 100-acre estate, just waiting to be explored. This exclusive Hideaway offers 16 lodges nestled within their own private area of the woodland with 5km of tracks & trails throughout the Estate leading you to hidden fairy forts and on all sorts of adventures” https://www.drumhiernyhideaway.ie/en/ I look forward to a stay in one of the beautiful lodges and suggest you might too. Beautiful Leitrim Abú …
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The Toon Team – AIB
Center Parcs, June 2022
Center Parcs Longford Forest Holiday Resort is located a few miles from Ballymahon, Co. Longford. We thoroughly enjoyed an end-of-June family holiday there. Grandparents, Parents and Grandchildren agreed that Center Parcs Longford Forest is a magical place and well worth time spent there. We enjoyed loads of activities, restaurants and beautiful Timber-clad Lodge accommodation options tucked away amongst the trees, offering everything for a perfect short break, including Ireland’s largest water park, a Subtropical Swimming Paradise …
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Sketches – entrance to L. Key Forest Park from the N4
“Non Nationals” – a short story by John Mulligan
Sketches
Sketching, for me, is a challenging, occasional activity I have enjoyed since I was a pre-teen. Now in this Covid Lockdown era I find myself “drawn-to-drawing” with a renewed energy. “High Art” … certainly not … !!