Allihies, home to a thriving Men’s Shed, is the furthest village by road from Dublin, situated on the most westerly tip of the Beara Peninsula in Co Cork.

Though rural isolation is a major issue in this part of Ireland, since the Allihies Men’s Shed opened in 2014, community has been at the centre of the shed’s ethos.

“West Cork Development Partnership came on board with our project from its very inception and provided a Rural Social Scheme worker for 19.5 hours a week at Allihies Men’s Shed, whose support we are eternally grateful for,” says chair David Dudley.

With 30 members ranging in age from 18 to late 70s, it’s mostly farmers who are involved with the shed.

“I’m the caretaker of the hall where the shed had its first meeting and I went along to that to open the place up. I ended up walking out as treasurer,” Mark Southgate, one of the members, explains.

On the backroad of the village, a piece of disused wasteland became the premises where the Allihies Men’s Shed’s state-of-the-art facility now stands. With its spacious workshop, social room, kitchen, office and toilet, all of which are wheelchair accessible, along with 11 allotment plots rented to members of the community, lots of work went into making the premises what it is today.

“By the summer of 2015, the gardens were in full bloom with so much colour, life and energy. Smiling faces were passing through the gates each day and vegetables were a hot topic over a pint in the local,” David enthuses.

Within the shed, lots of different activities take place each night of the week, with computer courses, the rebuilding of a tractor, a choir night, a woodworking evening and old storytelling at lunchtime on Friday.

“People can choose what they would like to attend,” Mark explains.

Allihies Men’s Shed has done really well recently, awarded best community gardens by Cork Environmental Forum on 8 December 2016.

The shed always has its doors open to new members. Contact Mark Southgate on 083-103 2324 or visit www.facebook.com/allihies.mensshed.