The village of Mountshannon, Co Clare, is a small quiet community surrounded by mountains and forests, and it was in this village that the Mountshannon Men’s Shed was set up in 2014. Shed chair Donogh O’Connell shares that the shed was “set up as a support system for the community and it connects the older generation with the younger generation”.

The shed have only recently secured a long-term “peppercorn” (negligible) lease on a third of an acre at the edge of the village of Mountshannon, not far from St Caiman’s Church.

The members are currently applying for planning permission to develop the site for meeting spaces and a workshop. They hope to erect temporary structures and polytunnels so that they can “provide food for the community”. The goal is that by September they will have electricity and water in the shed. This new shed will be “based around recycling and minimal impact”.

Since the news spread about attaining a new premise, four new members have committed to joining which brings the shed membership up to a comfortable 10. The members are mostly either unemployed or retired and range in age from their early 30s up to 50.

Mountshannon Men's Shed members have constructed a chaise longue style chair out of vintage ploughs.

“With the lease in place we can now start working on long-term projects,” says Donogh.

The shed have started a project focusing on reforestation of the area with Irish native broadleaves, which – if it is a success – they hope could be rolled out across Ireland.

They hope to get local schools involved and ask them to care for the seedlings, teaching the children the value of trees and tending for a seedling.

The members have restored and transformed two old ploughs into a chaise longue for two people to relax on in the local park.

The shed meets every Thursday morning at 10am and they are always open to new members. For more information contact Donogh at 087-909 8555.

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