Share your memories made in these rooms.
Pieced together from memories and recollections, In These Rooms will tell a story about the former Royal Hotel in Boyle, past and present.
We are looking for your stories, folklore, photos, film or memorabilia from any era of the Royal, to draw together a portrait of this rural, local hotel. Next year, we are holding an exhibition, In These Rooms, which sets out to capture something of what the 230-year-old Royal means to those who knew it.
Upstairs function room, 2021
The Royal
For many years, a buzzing, highly regarded hotel, ‘The Royal’ has been closed since 2012.
The Royal is similar to many other local hotels across Ireland. Unlike modern, purpose-built hotels, rural hotels come in all shapes and sizes. They were not only run for guests, but were a place for locals to gather too. The Royal epitomised a social space. A place that held many significant life events, christenings, marriages, celebrations and funerals. When it closed, Boyle lost more than a place for outsiders to stay.
Downstairs bar, 2021
The Exhibition
Now, the Royal is embarking on a new era, reopening as a community space next year in 2022.
We are inviting contributions to an archive of the stories, memories, photos, film or memorabilia, as part of an exhibition to mark the Royal’s reopening.
We want to hear from you. You know what The Royal was, and still is. From the regulars in the bar looking out at the bus stop to those who worked to keep the place running. We want to hear from those who dined in the restaurant or celebrated special events and occasions in the Royal. We want to know if you stayed in the Royal as a first-time visitor to Boyle, or if you were a frequent guest who knew the place well.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to date and shared this request.
Photographs and footage
Helps us paint a picture of what the Royal used to look like, how it changed over the years. We are looking for any old photographs, digital images or home movie footage of the Royal.
Memories and Stories
Help us draw together a history of the Royal. Stories could be of a special family gathering or a memorable night out with friends, it could be a holiday or a formal function or event.
Objects and Memorabilia
Can you share what objects you most associate with the Royal? A big sliver teapot, the telephone under the stairs, or the disco lights from nights out dancing in the Royal.
