March, a time when the last snows melt from the budding branches and thoughts turn to the great consolations of the European spring: renewal, rejuvenation and Eurovision.

These elements all collided in the unlikely location of Ashbourne, Co Meath, last week, as a community initiative brought five local sheds together – with a sprinkling of Eurovision stardust to add to the occasion.

As part of the Irish Men’s Sheds Association’s partnership with Topline DIY, RTÉ 2FM’s Nicky Byrne Show with Jenny Greene descended upon the Co Meath town for an outside broadcast.

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Nicky and Jenny were responding to an on-air call-out from Irish rugby legend (and Topline ambassador) Donncha O’Callaghan. The challenge: to identify a community space in need of a little TLC, and bring it back to life with the help of a crack team of Men’s Sheds members.

The space eventually identified was Ashbourne Youth Café, a community project which has attempted to get off the ground for some years. With its committee now hoping to finally open the doors in April, the support of 2FM, Topline and Men’s Sheds was hugely welcome. Tools and equipment were provided by the local Topline outlet, Murtagh’s of Ashbourne.

Members – drawn from the Ashbourne, Dunboyne, Drogheda, Ratoath and An Tobar sheds – divided into two separate teams under the (moral) guidance of DJs Nicky and Jenny. Each team set to work painting large-scale, Topline-designed murals, constructing breakfast bars and benches from wooden pallets, and turning a drab, dormant space into a vibrant and colourful haven for the young people of Ashbourne.

Celebrity reinforcements arrived throughout the day. As well as Nicky Byrne and Jenny Greene, Rory O’Connor – aka Facebook sensation Rory’s Stories – dropped by to lend a hand. Ashbourne resident and two-time Eurovision winner Johnny Logan also offered his support, taking the inevitable chorus of Hold Me Now in good humour.

After four hours of hard graft, punctuated by the occasional pause for tea and sandwiches, the space was completely transformed. Future patrons who strain their ears may just hear the sound of the Men’s Sheds’ saws … and, perhaps, a faint echo of What’s Another Year? CL

Shed notes

Monaghan/Belfast Exchange Visit

Co Monaghan Men’s Sheds recently undertook a field trip to Belfast, as part of a structured multicultural training programme delivered via Monaghan Integrated Development’s Peace IV project.

In all, 28 men from sheds in Monaghan town, Clones, Ballybay and Carrickmacross visited the East Belfast Men’s Shed to forge links with a different cultural group and to jointly explore culture and identity.

The shed is primarily a social space, with facilities for pool, table tennis, darts and bowls. There is also a bicycle repair shop and a small library and computer area, as well as a health and wellbeing section.

The trip took in the Ulster Transport Museum, an opportunity to examine the impact of the border on transport, culture and identity in Co Monaghan. The Transport Museum houses the largest railway collection in Ireland.

The Great Southern Railways locomotive Maedb, one of the most powerful steam locomotives ever to ride an Irish rail, proved a particular attraction.

A return visit is planned for the near future. The “peace walls”, which divide nationalist and unionist communities, acted as a touchstone for a wide-ranging discussion on identity and perceptions, which will be further explored in forthcoming training sessions.

The project is supported by the European Union’s PEACE IV Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body. Brenda Beattie, PEACE IV project worker with MID, said: “We are pleased to support the Men’s Sheds as part of the TEAM project and we’re looking forward to providing other peace-building training, field trips and opportunities for networking together in the year ahead.”