Update 26th July

Boyle & District Angling Club

The Paddy Sharkey Open Pike Competition Perpetual Lough Gara Cup 2015 will be fished on Sunday 26th from 11am - 6pm. For information call Jane on 086 830 1261

Boyle Arts Festival 2015

Carole Coleman and Geraldine Kennedy drew a capacity audience for an enthralling
conversation on Geraldine's memories especially those relating the phone tapping scandal

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Oh yes, I missed a couple of important events: Brian Farrell's "Hold The Front Page" and Columbia Mills in Daly's Storehouse. Preplanned family celebrations took understandable precedence!!

De Dannan at Boyle Arts Festival

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There was a totally deserved standing ovation by a capacity audience for the De Dannan concert in the Church of Ireland on Friday night. To many, including myself, Frankie Gavin and DeDannan have held a position as top Traditional Music performers since I became a fan of theirs back in the early 1980's. In my opinion DeDannan and the Bothy Band brought about a change in the way our music is presented and appreciated, something similar to Michael Flatley's influence on Irish Dance.
Frankie Gavin reminded us the two of the current band members are from Co. Roscommon ... ace accordeon player Barry Brady and vocalist Bernie Casserly "The Flower of Frenchpark"
At intermission time, Festival Chairperson Gerry Kielty confided in me "Sean, I fear a HSE problem during the second half ... if Frankie Gavin plays any better and faster, that fiddle of his will catch fire!!!"

Carrick-on-Shannon makes Magaluf seem quiet

Journalist Claire Gorman came away shocked after a visit to her home town, Ireland's capital for stag and hen parties.
Garda Inspector Ray Mulderrig "One of our biggest problems is people urinating in people's doorways, business premises and everything else. We generally deal with that by way of fines on the spot which are paid," he explains.
Councillor Finola Armstrong-McGuire, who has a drapery shop in the town, said that the town would not survive without the industry.
Chamber President Gerry Faughnan: "That industry has kept an awful lot of businesses going here. There's a lot of stuff to do here with small businesses catering to it." Unfortunately a lot of towns were left dying on their feet when the Celtic Tiger waddled off.

Contributor Updates

Update 23rd July

Boyle Arts Festival - Opening tonight

The 26th annual Boyle Arts Festival and Visual Arts Exhibition will be officially opened at 8pm tonight in King House by Mr. Paul Young of the Cartoon Saloon. The Festival which runs until August 1st will bring an exciting mix of music, drama, comedy, stunning art exhibitions, spoken word events, film, workshops and lots more over the ten day period.

Photographs 2015: Once again I am delighted to be the official photographer for the Arts Festival Committee. I will get to as many of the events as I can and will add photos daily.
Photographs from previous years:
[2008...][2009...][2010...][2011...][2012...][2013...][2013 local][2013 more][2014...][2014 more][2014 songwriters]

Boyle Chamber of Commerce Update 22nd July

Roma Grill - staff required

The Roma Grill on the Crescent requires additional staff for evening and weekend work. Experience essential - Interested persons please drop your CV in to the shop as soon as possible.

Tidy Towns Clean Up tonight for Arts Week

Clean up tonight Wednesday 22nd meet on the Crescent at 7pm, please give an hour of your time to get the town looking good for the visitors during Arts Week, come along with your brush and spade.

Boyle GAA

Practical Coaching Tips in Abbey Park on Saturday 25th July, 9-10am. All current managers and coaches are welcome to attend. If you would like to become involved with the club in coaching or management in the future, please come along

Boyle Arts Festival Golf Competition

Boyle Arts Festival will host an open 18 hole competition at Boyle Golf Club this coming Saturday,July 25th. Format: 18 Hole Stableford and entry fee is €7.00. Booking is available on line at www.boylegolfclub.com. Prizes for 1st, 2nd, Gross, 3rd and Ladies. For visitors to Boyle special green fee rate of €10 applies during festival. Open Competitions on Thursdays and Saturday during festival week. For more information or email info@boylegolfclub.com or call 086 203 9182. Boyle Golf Club send best wishes to the Boyle Arts Festival Committee for a successful week.

Natural Options

graphic © realboyle

More Dates for your Diary

Friday, 25th July: DE DANNAN: Church of Ireland on at 8pm in (Doors 7.30pm)
Friday 24th July: GALLIPOLI 1915: Oliver Fallon will talk on the ill-fated Gallipoli campaign which cost the lives of so many, including many Irishmen, 100 years ago. 6pm in King House doors open at 5.30
Sunday 26th from 11am - 6pm: PADDY SHARKEY OPEN PIKE FISHING: Perpetual Lough Gara Cup 2015 will be fished. For information call Jane on 086 830 1261
Sunday 26th: HONDA 50 RUN: Come along and enjoy the bikes, have a chat and a cuppa with the locals. For more information contact Mary on: 085 161 8420 or Ann: 086 813 0005
Sunday 26th July 2nd August: SECRET GARDENS: Open from 11am until 5pm also 6th September, on the Boyle /Frenchpark Road, turn right at the Saddlers Inn, after approx 2.5km keep right on the bend, take 2nd lane on right and entrance just after first cottage.

Disappointing report for St. Patrick's Hospital

Shannonside FM: "A HIQA report on St Patrick’s Community Hospital in Carrick-on-Shannon has found that some residents had not received a shower or bath for a month or more."

The 8 at 8: Wednesday

We’re half-way through the week, and here’s all the news you need to know this morning.

Boyle Arts Festival - Visual Arts & Workshops 2015

Come and see the rest of this wonderful life-size ceramic sculpture "Waiting For Brigid Cleary" by Emma Doyle at this year's Visual Arts Show in King House from 23rd July - 1st August

Tai Chi Court Chinese Restaurant, Bridge Street

At the Tai Chi Court Chinese Restaurant you will get great meals, and also great desserts, like this Bailey's Cheesecake and Ice Cream ...

Stone House Cafe, Bridge Street

Full marks to Minde and Laura for this beautiful display of seasonal flowers

Boyle & District Angling Club

The Paddy Sharkey Open Pike Competition Perpetual Lough Gara Cup 2015 will be fished on Sunday 26th from 11am - 6pm. For information call Jane on 086 830 1261

Special Olympics 2015

88 athletes from Ireland will depart from Dublin Airport this morning for Los Angeles to take part in 12 different events in the 2015, 9-day Special Olympics World Games due to start on Saturday.

Missing Dog

Noel Conroy is missing his little Jack Russell dog "Elvis" who is brown and white but has a distinctive black spot on his right side. If you have seen the dog or know where he is, please call Noel on +353 (86) 392 2002

Vitya Malirsh

What an afternoon!  I’ve just spent the last couple of hours talking to a very interesting man, Vitya Malirsh, and viewing the work he has finished in preparation for the Boyle Arts Festival this week. 

Vitya tells me that he was born in Dublin in 1959 and, in spite of what his name may convey, he is Irish.  His father, Victor, came over from Slovenia in 1954 to play the French Horn with the RTE Symphony Orchestra and subsequently married Vitya’s mum, May, who lived in Cabra.

Vitya didn’t “lick his talent off the stones”, rather he is preceded by five generations of his mum’s family all of whom displayed artistic and creative talents.  He inherited his passion for sign writing from his Uncle, Paddy Freeney, who lived and worked in Dublin.

Having trained as a designer with Donegal Carpets, Vitya went on to run a successful signwriting business while studying life drawing at night in the National College of Art and Design.  Shortly before taking early retirement, he decided to make his home in Boyle where he had spent many happy summers with his family as a young boy.

Since then, he has been devoting his time and ability seeking to portray images that convey the ambience and character of Ireland.  He is mindful of people who have emigrated over the decades, like his Dad, who yearn for images that visually evoke their emotions and capture the passions of their lives growing up and living in Ireland.  He uses iconic landscapes as his subjects and is steadily working his way around Ireland in search of typical reminders of home.

It was such a pleasure to meet him and to be able to share his enthusiasm for his work.  He is truly gifted and though he is working with charcoal and pencil at the moment, his walls are covered in the oils and watercolours that he has done over the years.  Turn around and there you’ll see portraits of all his dogs.  The only thing missing is a portrait of the wife but it’s doubtful she’d have the time (or, she tells me, the patience) to sit still for the hours it takes!

I’m looking forward to seeing his display in Boles of Boyle window and his entries in the open art exhibition this week.

Update 19th July

Boyle Arts Festival 2015

Read BAF 2015 Press Releases, written by Brendan McGee
 

Go on, go on, go on ...

"customised" mini Breakfast, an Craoibhín

Are you are exercising regularly and eating sensibly? It "Yes, Yes" are your answers, as they are mine, then a little diversion into the bad, very bad world of the once a week morning fry is unlikely to kill you, That's what I said to myself as I tucked in and thoroughly enjoyed my custom mini breakfast in the company of the irrepressible Gerry Emmett in An Craoibhín last Saturday!

Boyle Arts Festival 2015 - 23rd July - 1st August

Boyle Arts Festival signs being erected on Military Road

Pauline Hatter R.I.P.

Mary Pauline KINEALY (Hatter), Church Street, Boyle, died 17th July 2015. Reposing, Sunday 2-m - 6pm, at 2 Lower Marian Road, Boyle. Arriving to St. Joseph's Church, Boyle at 7pm on Sunday evening. Funeral Mass on Monday at 11am. Burial afterwards to Assylinn Cemetery, Boyle.
• The death has occurred of one of our best known and respected ladies, Pauline Hatter. We were aware that she had been unwell and prayed that she would soon be home from hospital. Sadly that was not to be. May Pauline Rest In Peace.

Summer Sales

Summer Sales are in progress, and great bargains are available at our leading Fashion Stores, including Boles of Boyle, Magees Fashions and Marians Fashion Shop

Pure Flowers at Boyle Bridge

Congratulations Chantelle and staff on your relocation and wishing you the very best - the shop looks beautiful !