Killarney Men’s Shed is a staple for men of all ages in Co Kerry. It was set up in 2012 by former chair Tom Douglas and others from the local area, with the support of South Kerry Development Partnership. “Like everybody else, we thought the sheds were a great concept for retired men who could still look after themselves,” Tom said.

The shed is located in a former box factory in Deer Park in Killarney. The men built the whole interior of the factory for the shed. It has a workshop, café, gardening grounds and activity rooms. A café is attached to the shed and has a lot of space for activities such as artwork, bingo and parties. The grounds around it have well maintained lawns and a polytunnel, where the men grow fruit and vegetables.

Woodworking and gardening are the main activities in the shed, but the men also do some repairs of household furniture for members of the local community. The men plan day trips on the community bus and have “always got something on the go”, according to Tom. Members in Killarney come from all walks of life and are aged between 20 and 80.

The members are also heavily involved in the local community in Killarney. They do traffic control at car parks for events and often help out with charity events in the area.

They recently had some big gatherings with other Men’s Sheds from around the country.

The men are currently trying to get a social room installed in the shed to give the members a place to read, write and do whatever activities they like.

Membership of the shed is €10 a year, but Tom said the men “drink more than that in tea every year anyways”.

The shed is located on the Lewis road in Killarney and is open from 9.30am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.

Anyone interested in joining the shed can contact current Chair George Kelly on 087 248 9501.