Dundalk Men's Shed, Co Louth

It may not quite hold the prestige of La Scala or Carnegie Hall, but shoppers at Dundalk Tesco Extra were treated to a sprinkle of stardust on Holy Thursday thanks to their local shed.

With the town’s much-anticipated Maytime Festival fast approaching, the renaissance men of Dundalk Shed have been deeply immersed in the arts lately. In collaboration with An Táin Arts Centre, the shedders have already been immortalised on film and, thanks to mural artist Omin, on a Dublin Street wall.

But locals got a glimpse of the men in vivid living colour as the Dundalk Men’s Shed choir wowed holiday shoppers with an eclectic recital of hits. Resplendent in their pink uniforms, the choir’s repertoire spanned the ages and the globe, from the American folk standard Shenandoah to Phil Coulter’s The Town I Loved so Well.

Gene Yore of Dundalk Men’s Shed says the choir were showered with compliments on the day: “The choir are our best ambassadors. People of all ages stopped to listen and applaud.”

Gene was especially proud to discover the high esteem in which the shed is held by the local community.

“It’s essential that the shed reaches out to the community,” he says. “The sheds have a terrific reputation. People were coming up saying we’re serving a real social need. It’s great to hear that from your neighbours and community.”

Like all great artistes, the shed choir relish an encore and were delighted when local Tesco management asked them to perform again in the near future. In the meantime, they plan to continue honing their craft under the expert guidance of choirmaster Peter Connolly, who puts the men through their paces for 90 minutes every week.

Having witnessed the local reaction to the shedders’ sweet tones, Gene Yore is more convinced than ever that the shed is a vital resource for the people of Dundalk.

“It’s all about getting the message across,” he says. “It’s about men coming together in recreation and fun and conversation.

“Every shedder is someone’s father, brother or uncle – it’s a social benefit which extends to families and the whole community.”

Kilbeggan Men's Shed, Co Westmeath

Health statistics indicate that over 850,000 people in Ireland are at high risk of developing type II diabetes. As part of the fightback, Diabetes Ireland has teamed up with the Irish Men’s Sheds Association, Westmeath Sports Partnership and Get Ireland Walking for a pilot health promotion initiative labelled Living Well, Being Well.

The initiative aims to reduce shedders’ risk of developing diabetes through a programme of physical activity and dietary advice. As part of the programme, Kilbeggan Men’s Shed hosted a walk along the scenic route of Kilbeggan’s dry canal. Almost 20 shedders took to the green and fertile path of the canal and the walk began and ended at the restored harbour masters’ building in Kilbeggan.

IMSA health and wellbeing coordinator Edel Byrne was delighted with the success of the event.

“The walk was highly inclusive and the event catered for all ages and fitness levels. The nature, scenery, company, friendly banter and the shedders’ homemade brown bread contributed to a perfect recipe.

Men are two to three times more likely than women to have undiagnosed diabetes. Initiatives like this can help our shedders keep diabetes at bay, as well as improving their general health in a comfortable and familiar setting."