Portlaoise Men’s Shed, Co. Laois

We won’t be going to the Chelsea Flower Show, but we do get great pleasure from the tastes we produce in the garden.”

Joe Murphy’s pride is evident as he talks about Portlaoise Men’s Shed quarter-acre garden.

“It adds another dimension to the shed,” he says of the fertile and bountiful patch located in the grounds of an equestrian centre.

The garden has been in operation for three-and-a-half years, planted in soil nourished by the passing river Triogue. Paul Dawson, a horticulturalist with the Laois Partnership, provided the initial inspiration and expertise, but the hard work of tending the garden has been done by the men themselves – none of whom consider themselves especially green-fingered.

“We felt raised beds were the easiest option,” says Joe. “We didn’t want to kill ourselves, but equally we wanted to see some results.”

Like the garden, Joe feels the shedders’ enthusiasm is cyclical, waxing in the spring and waning in the harsh winter months. Nonetheless, the hard work of weeding the garden towards the latter end of the year is always carried out.

For Joe, the friendships cultivated in the garden are as important as the fruit and vegetables coaxed from its soil.

“I was very interested in the concept of community allotments that they have in Britain,” Joe recounts. “I felt it would be better if we could tend the garden and decide what to grow by consensus, rather than everyone working away on their own personal allotments. I was keen that we come together and build a community.”

With several shedders suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and a range of other health conditions, the garden offers a therapeutic dose of fresh air, away from the noisy, dusty environment of the workshop.

Not every horticultural experiment attempted by the shedders has borne fruit, but with a clutch of youthful apple trees and five varieties of potato to enjoy, the garden has been deemed a huge success.

“The tastes are just so much more vivid than what you’d find in the supermarket,” Joe reflects. “Everyone notices the difference – it’s not like the stuff you bring home in a plastic bag.”

Claremorris Men’s Shed, Co Mayo

With members hailing from as far afield as Syria, Claremorris boasts one of the most diverse men’s sheds in the country.

“We’re all blow-ins,” laughs shedder Roger Dangerfield, in the unmistakable accent of the English midlands. “There’s a lad from Huddersfield, a couple from Dublin, and we used to have a guy from Zimbabwe”.

Perhaps appropriately for a shed that draws members from all corners of the world, Claremorris’s most recent project was the restoration of a model lighthouse.

“We were asked to supply a model lighthouse by a local eatery, the Lighthouse Diner in the square,” says Roger, who credits shedder Damien McHugh with the bulk of the work.

“None of us are experts – everyone’s a complete and utter amateur.”

Amateurs or not, the operation was carried out with military precision. Diagrams and plans were sourced on the internet, and the lighthouse lovingly carved from plywood, with angles bevelled at 30 degrees, perspex windows inserted and battery-controlled lights installed for extra authenticity.

Unfortunately, the Atlantic winds proved too strong for this particular lighthouse, which toppled and shattered under a wild gust. Fortunately, the shedders were on-hand to restore it to its full brilliance, and it’s now once again positioned to welcome diners at the café’s entrance.

Visitors to Claremorris will notice the shed’s fingerprints all over town, most notably at the town’s upcoming Scarecrow Festival, details of which (and it really has to be seen to be believed) can be found at facebook.com/claremorrisscarecrowfestival/ CL