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After two long years of separation, Ireland’s Men’s Sheds are beginning to come together again. Prior to 2020, shedders eagerly ticked off their calendars as the great occasions of the Men’s Sheds season approached.
From the annual Shed Series to those much-anticipated winter trips to Killarney National Park, sheds have always been at their best when combining their strength.
After a lengthy forced hibernation, those opportunities are beginning to present themselves again. From late March, sheds across Co Carlow and neighbouring counties will be embarking on a series of “walkshops”, designed to reconnect sheds with nature and fellow shedmates in the region.
The walkshops are being supported by Co Carlow Sports Partnership, Mental Health Ireland and Get Ireland Walking. The glorious six hectares of Altamont Gardens provided the setting for the first walk, with the second walk taking place amid the ruined Gothic splendour of Duckett’s Grove, Co Carlow.
These walkshops, and similar events over the coming months have shedders once again looking eagerly to the calendar for their next inter-county get-together.
LBS Men’s Shed represents the suburban south Dublin communities of Loughlinstown, Ballybrack and Shanganagh, with the shed premises itself located in Cedar Court, Ballybrack.
Given that Men’s Sheds first arrived on these shores around 2010, the early years of the 2020s will see a cluster of 10-year anniversaries in sheds throughout the country. LBS Men’s Shed is celebrating a decade’s service to the men and communities of south Co Dublin this year.
Despite the 2019/2020 lockdowns, the shed has remained an indispensable component of its local community, even before reopening in June last year. Local food banks are among the community organisations that have benefited from the shed’s public-spirited generosity.
Now, the shed is beginning to broaden its horizons once more, with shedders familiarising – or refamiliarising – themselves with the Irish language. These efforts have been spurred by the shed’s participation in a TG4 documentary, due to be screened later this year.
Committee member Mark Lakin has words of encouraged for sheds finding their feet in the post-lockdown world: “Give the members a chance to reunite,” he says. “To be able to be together, to talk, to work, to socialise. Mental wellbeing is very important – even reopen in small steps with no pressure on members, but with hope that members will return.”
The shed’s efforts to do just that have led them in some innovative and unexpected locations. As well as helping out local food banks, the shed has been mucking in with some gardening work for a local primary school, and constructing bird and bee hotels for a climate action group in the south Dublin neighbourhood.
Mark reflects on the good fortune the shed has enjoyed through troubled times: “This is our 10th year as a shed and our sheds main focus since the start has been men’s health and wellbeing, and we are lucky that we have reopened quite a while ago and have kept most of our members.”
Remember, if you feel you can contribute to or support your local shed a full list of sheds can be found at www.menssheds.ie. Any support, words of encouragement or potential new members will be welcomed with open arms. CL
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