The people of Boyle feel hard done by, understandably as they have seen other towns in close proximity benefit over recent years from funding not available to them.
Both Carrick-on-Shannon and Sligo, officially in the six Border counties, have been able to avail of a range of schemes. These include the International Fund for Ireland, the EU's peace and reconciliation fund, and EU programmes for Border regions.
It is also argued that the urban renewal tax scheme in Sligo attracted a certain amount of investment that might otherwise have gone to Boyle.
It is now hoped that with the rural renewal tax scheme covering the upper Shannon area, some of this imbalance may be redressed.
One project Boyle can boast about is that it is getting the first new canal to be built in the State in some 200 years. The stretch of canal, just over one kilometre in length, will link Lough Key to the town. A 50-berth harbour will be located just outside the town, making it a lot easier for those boating on the Shannon to visit attractions there such as Boyle Abbey and King House.
Ms Marianne Henry of the Shannon Navigation Team in the Department of Arts and Heritage said the canal was now "within shouting distance" of Lough Key, and it was hoped it would be open by May of next year. This was part of the continuing expansion of the waterway network.
This should have a considerable spin-off for Boyle, given the increased volume of traffic on the Shannon waterway generally. Ms Henry said that in 1998 a total of 75,000 boat passages were clocked up on the whole of the Shannon.
The opening of waterways has been found to lead to the development of other amenities, such as walking trails. There are now some 12 different walks off the Shannon-Erne waterway, linking the canal bank trails to other attractions nearby.
The new canal in Boyle will also be stocked with fish.