A DIY course was organised by the South Regional Branch of Dairy Women Ireland on Aileen Sheehan’s busy farm.

Aileen is my daughter-in-law, married to my son, Philip. Caroline Hanrahan and Aileen, both facilitators of the regional group, were on hand helping out and organising. Aileen gave her introduction and she showed the group the tools she had built up over a few years.

She made particularly mention of Frank Clarke Ltd and Dairygold co-op. Both had sponsored goody bags for the course. There was really valuable stuff in them, from measuring tapes to saws.

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There is lots of support out there for women, we must just root it out. Macra Skillnet had also sponsored the fees, making it very reasonable for us, the students.

The instructor for the morning was Declan Buggy, of The Irish School of DIY from Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny. What a wonderful initiative. Declan started up his business of a DIY school in November 2025, and it is going from strength to strength.

User-friendly experience

Twenty-four cement blocks were put out on trestle tables, four on each. We lined up behind them. I chose my companions carefully: Margaret, Paschaline and Mary, ladies of a similar age. Margaret was a gem doing the heavy lifts for me. She was so intuitive and aware of my vulnerability. Paschaline and Mary were very kind as well.

Declan is a great instructor. Each of us was given a drill. He explained everything in a very user-friendly way. I’ve probably had my own drill in the house for 35 years. Three drills later, the boys gave me a new one.

I didn’t burn them out. They disappeared to the yard and never returned. A common story, I’m sure. I was great back then, but I’d lost my confidence with it. I felt my old skills coming back to me as Declan empowered us with his gentle teaching and clarity when directing us.

Competitive fun

The noise was mighty as we leaned on drills, hammered rawl plugs, sawed timber and much more.

Declan also has follow-on courses. He organises them for groups, as well as for secondary schools and primary schools. Obviously, each course is tailored to the needs of the students attending.

At the end we were given a competitive task to make a bridge. It had to be planned. There was a list of rules to follow.

The craic was mighty as women came into their own, offering up our ideas. Quiet women showed their forceful sides. Declan updated us on time left, and he also supported us with subtle hints and help.

What was amazing was that we produced six completely different masterpieces. It illustrated the level of creativity in the shed.

Sometimes all we need is a little push in the right direction.

There were refreshments before and after. The tea and scones were lovely. You’d want to see the ladies wolfing into the lovely sandwiches from Brackens. We were hungry after our three hours of manual labour.

When I went home, I started a list of the things I could do from repairs to hanging pictures. It’s a surprising list.