In May, we brought you the backstory of Buddy Bench Ireland, the anti-bullying campaign with which sheds throughout the country have been heavily involved. The centrepiece of the campaign is the Buddy Bench – a space where a child who needs comfort, company or support can sit to signal their need to children and staff members.

Since we last featured the programme, the phenomenon has grown in scope and ambition. Mulcair Men’s Shed, based at Murroe in Co Limerick, is the latest to get involved. The shed draws members and support from both sides of the Limerick-Tipperary border, and the project owes its genesis to a conversation between Willie O’Neill of Mulcair Men’s Shed and Marie Crimmins, principal of Newport Boys National School in Co Tipperary.

“Willie jumped on the idea of a Buddy Bench and Googled some pictures with Marie; she picked the one she liked best,” says Liam Lynch, PRO of Mulcair Men’s Shed.

Willie O’Neill and shed chair Ian Johnson put in the hard hours, and the bench was unveiled to pupils and staff of Newport Boys National School at the start of the new school year.

At the unveiling, Ian Johnson was keen to emphasis the inter-generational nature of the project; “It was a great pleasure to work on the bench, which will be a great help for the wellbeing of the younger generation.”

Principal Marie Crimmins said: “We are very grateful that the Mulcair Men’s Shed has made the bench for us. It will be here long after I’m gone.”

Buoyed by the overwhelmingly positive response to the bench, Mulcair Men’s Shed will be offering similar benches to other national schools within their catchment area. Mulcair Men’s Shed can be contacted on 085 130 2469 (Ian Johnson) or mulcairmensshed@gmail.com.

Siel Bleu in the Shed

Founded in France in 1997, the Siel Bleu exercise initiative for older people and people with chronic illnesses arrived in Ireland in 2010. Since 2015, Siel Bleu Ireland has been partnering with the Irish Men’s Sheds Association to deliver bespoke exercise and activity programmes to Men’s Sheds, appropriate to shedders’ needs and abilities.

“Before this class I did very little exercise. Work seemed to take up most of my time,” says Ronnie, a member of Swords Men’s Shed, one of the sheds that has benefited from the programme. “ Siel Bleu is a very good introduction for someone who might not have a large amount of exercise experience in the past. It’s holistic in the fact that it covers a lot of areas of exercise at a pace and level that’s really enjoyable.”

Siel Bleu Ireland hires physical trainers with a degree in a sporting/physical discipline. These trainers use their expertise to design exercise programmes that shedders will enjoy and find effective, such as boxing, which is very popular with the Swords Shed.

It’s known that men who are active reduce their risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, dementia and depression. With these goals in mind – as well as the sheer fun and camaraderie of taking part – Siel Bleu Ireland programmes are currently underway at Swords, Broomfield and Ratoath Men’s Sheds, with three more sheds due to take part in the coming weeks.

Sheds online

Facebook is a vital means of communication for Men’s Sheds in Ireland. Contrary to certain stereotypes, many shedders are computer-literate and internet-savvy, and extremely adept at spreading their message and their achievements online. The Irish Men’s Shed Association’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/irishmensshedsassociation/) collates and curates the activities of sheds around the country – well worth a like and share!