Tinahely Men’s Shed located in Co Wicklow is our Shed of the Week, and happens to be a great example of the ethos of “through giving we receive”. Bruce Copeland, a member of the group gives us the details of their shed and the many aspects of the contributions made to their community.

Three years ago, nine men came together to form a Men’s Shed in the town of Tinahely, Co Wicklow. With the use of their own money and the kind donation of a derelict house on Kelly’s Hill by the local County Council they created a workshop for their members. Bruce told Irish Country Living: “We had a keen interest in helping our local community and thought a Men’s Shed would be a great idea as it represents an unpolitical, positive and constructive community effort.”

The activities carried out by the men mainly consist of carpentry projects and gardening. “The men all have different talents so we try to utilise these to create beneficial products for our community.” They have created many woodwork products such as benches, bird boxes and bee hives, all while helping out with local community efforts such as tidy towns and the upkeep of the local church. The group recently invested in a polytunnel and last Saturday had a fruit and veg sale of their garden produce.

Bruce feels there is a “great team spirit and camaraderie” amongst the members and they all get a rewarding feeling for their contributions. The group is composed of members from various backgrounds from retired garage workers to marketing consultants. The age profile of the group is diverse also with a very active 80-year-old member to the youngest participant at 30.

Bruce believes that “the shed has grown from strength to strength” with 20 active members currently. The shed is open 10am-1pm, Tuesday to Saturday every week, with members able to drop in and work on the various projects in the shed or tend to the gardening tasks. The shed is located on Kelly’s Hill, Tinahely, Co Wicklow, and anyone wishing to join can contact Bruce Copeland on 087 235 9205 for more information.