Men’s Sheds showcase tour 2019

After 10 long months, the 2019 Irish Men’s Sheds Association (IMSA) showcase tour has finally ground to an exhausted halt. The tour kicked off in Dublin in early February, hopping across counties and borders for the remainder of the year before finally coming to rest in Castlebar, Co Mayo. In total, 23 showcase events have taken place, with an average attendance well in excess of 100.

Venues have ranged from opulent hotel ballrooms to humble community centres, with the Northern Ireland event at Stormont perhaps enjoying the grandest setting.

It’s just been fantastic to get out to the sheds and see the huge range and diversity of what they’re doing

The IMSA national volunteer coordinator was the driving force behind the epic trek, ably supported by Paul Newman.

“It’s just been fantastic to get out to the sheds and see the huge range and diversity of what they’re doing. No two showcases have been the same, and yet I’ve felt the same energy and seen the same creativity at all of them.

“It’s just been the most brilliant experience for the men, and for our partner organisations who were blown away by some of the projects and craftsmanship they’ve seen.”

The IMSA would like to thank all those sheds and men who attended and shared their inspirational stories, as well as the dozens of partner organisations, health bodies and local authorities who made the tour such a resounding success.

Portmarnock and District Men’s Shed, Co Dublin

Connections between Portmarnock and the southern African kingdom of Lesotho are, one suspects, few and far between. Nonetheless, Portmarnock and District Men’s Shed recently embarked on an international, trans-continental endeavour which will carry its products all the way to Lesotho.

Tongue drums ready for shipment.

The items, a set of tongue or slit drums, are travelling to Lesotho as part of an Action Ireland consignment. Tongue drums are a traditional instrument used throughout Africa.

Despite the name, tongue drums are a percussion instrument played with a mallet (the “tongue” referring to the shapes cut into the hollow drum, which give it its distinctive sound).

In the past, tongue drums were widely used to communicate across vast distances – although none perhaps as vast as the 14,000km which separate Portmarnock from Lesotho.

Rostrevor Men’s Shed, Co Down

Never idle, always innovating, the men of Rostrevor have gained a reputation as one of Ireland’s most forward-thinking sheds. As Christmas approaches with the speed of a runaway reindeer, Rostrevor Men’s Shed has been transformed into a veritable festive workshop.

The shed’s polytunnel, out of action in the winter, has been pressed into service as a paint room, where lovingly crafted snowmen, trees and reindeer are being brought vividly to life.

The shed’s ukulele orchestra continues to expand

Shed members Alastair and Seamus – evidently the agri scientists of the bunch – have been hard at work realigning the raised beds in the shed’s garden to ensure this year’s crop achieves maximum exposure to sunlight.

Meanwhile, the shed’s ukulele orchestra continues to expand, as Rostrevor Men’s Shed carries the standard of the movement to ever-greater heights.

Carrigtwohill Men’s Shed, Co Cork

Now that we are in December and it’s acceptable to get excited for Christmas, the efforts of Carrigtwohill Men’s Shed deserve to be acknowledged.

The shed has recently poured its efforts into creating a herd of beautiful white reindeer, to bring a touch of festive magic to their community in the run-up to Christmas.

The herd of reindeer brought to life by Carrigtwohill Men's Shed.

The shed, which recently installed a lathe in its workshop, has also been hard at work crafting trophies for local junior GAA teams, as part of its ongoing commitment to its local community.

That commitment has also included up-cycling an old gym horse into a set of tables and benches for the local community college – a marriage of ingenuity and generosity.

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Men's Sheds: the festive shed spirit