Boyle, Co Roscommon

BOYLE, CO ROSCOMMON
Nominated by Mervyn Boles, who wrote: "This town is steeped in history and unspoilt, with friendly, independent shops. King House and Boyle Abbey have been restored and Lough Key Adventure Centre has an excellent playground for kids, a new zip-it adventure for teenagers and for the less energetic tree-top walks and bog garden trails."
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WHAT THE IRISH TIMES SAYS
A river runs through Boyle with a canal linking it to Lough Key, a wonderful amenity on the town's doorstep and the focal point of the nearby forest park and activity centre. Built at the foot of the Curlew mountains, Boyle is surrounded by the "plains of Boyle".

The surrounding scenery is pretty, rather than spectacular. It is a market town but unfortunately has been hit hard by the recession and empty units add to the somewhat shabby appearance. It is a very friendly town but there is no hotel in the town itself. It has a small town feel and there is not a huge variety of shops but there is a choice of supermarkets.

A Bus Eireann service to Dublin goes through Boyle and a number of private operators also provide a service. By car, it was on the N4, the main Dublin/Sligo road but was bypassed in 1999 and is now a few kilometres off the main road. It is on the Dublin/Sligo mainline route. Dublin’s Connolly station is two-and-a-half hours away. Everything is within walking distance (apart from Lough Key Forest Park which is off the N4).