Life and times of Castlebar Men's Shed

By Stuart Tynan

IT has been a strange few months for the Castlebar Men's Shed.

Like many other community groups, they have been effectively halted since mid-March due to Covid-19. But the progress and success to date of the shed is evidence of the commitment of its officers and members, their skills, dedication and of a happy work place.

Now based in the former hospital workshop space at the back of GMIT, it is able to accommodate extra membership (there are now almost 40 members in total with ten joining at the start of the year) and go further to develop a wider range of social, educational and work activities.

But no matter where they are based, there is one particular detail that holds key.

“The one thing about the shed is, which would be my ethos, is the upper room where our kitchen is. Inside it is the kettle and the two litres of milk. That for me is the most important thing is this building.

“That men can come there, put on the kettle and have their chat. That for me is the important thing. The physical and mental welfare of men. We have members come in and do jobs with their specific skills but you can also come in, go on the computer or just have a chat and a bit of banter,” said current chairman of the Castlebar Men's Shed, Michael Keane.

Before being forced to close, the shed was open Monday to Friday (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and they are hoping to be back open before the end of this month as soon as the workshop is up to date with the new health and safety standards as a result of Covid. Members have continued to communicate through Skype as well as holding a weekly quiz on Fridays online.

But with the pandemic ongoing, many of its current members continue to cocoon and there is an understandable level of fear about coming back into the workshop. But the feeling of togetherness that comes from the shed has come to the fore even more so as a result.

“Some of the members are in their 80s or 90s. The lonliness is the toughest thing. The shed for some members is almost their second home and they are wary of coming out. But we got around to seeing a lot of the members We would go to their house and tell them we're outside the gate and we'd have a chat with them,” said Keane.

Early beginnings

In a short space of time, from early 2012, Michael McTigue, a private therapist, enquired about support groups for men, found out about the Men's Shed development, where men with unoccupied free time and unused skills, could meet and be of use and benefit, to one another and to their local community.

With the support of Le Chéile Family Resource Centre, Ann Conway of the Family Centre and Laurance Gaughan of the health board, a public meeting was called in April 2012, at Le Chéile, which resulted in a large turn out of men interested and a follow up of 120 plus potential membership.

The Castlebar Men's Shed was formed and Michael McTigue became the group's first chairman. Officers and committee were elected and regular meetings were held at Le Chéile.

“We still have a very good relationship with Le Chéile and they still come here often. They have been very good to us,” said long-time Men's Shed member Sean Horkan.

The shed won support from Castlebar Town Council, the Health Board and the Family Centre and was able to cater for computer courses, community gardening, chess, field trips, health and safety courses, a chat forum and the regular cuppa for its members.

Local activities have also been supported by the shed which include the cemetery clean-up, Chirstmas choir, Western Care Christmas tree sale, mobile phone collection, the car boot sale and members stewarding at community events.

Further meetings and planning at Le Chéile led to renting and acquiring workshop space at Moneen Enterprise Centre where hands on workshop activities were then undertaken.

The following year, a regional gathering of Connaught Men's Shed clubs was hosted at An Sportlann, Elverys MacHale Park, Castlebar, where talks, lectures and inter-club skills competitions were held.

This gathering was in preparation for the club's largest challenge: hosting and running the national Men's Shed annual conference in GMIT.

The main hall held the exhibition of work projects from Irish Men's Sheds, the college theatre/lecture hall held the conference talks and lectures and the Harlequin Hotel (now the Ellison Hotel) hosted the visitors and closing banquet.

The attendance at the Castlebar national conference of officers and personnel of the International Men's Shed Association and the large number of Irish Men's Shed clubs present was a testament to the high regard held nationally and internationally of the early progress of the Castlebar unit.

The national conference in Castlebar was honoured by the attendance of former Taoiseach Enda Kenny to perform the opening ceremony, a great tribute to the Castlebar club, as was the appointment of the then chairman of the Castlebar Men's Shed, Michael McTigue, as director of Men's Shed National Association.

Going forward

The members have been kept busy in recent weeks with the kitchen repainted and the bathroom retiled. It's onwards and upwards for the group and they hope to attract even more members in future. They have big plans for the workshop and surrounding buildings, but as far as Sean is concerned, there is no challenge too big for them.

“To me, the Men's Shed can do anything. It's a cross section of skilled people from administration to people who can work with their hands,” said Sean.

“I think the big opportunity is the courtyard here (in GMIT) for the Men's and (Castlebar) Women's Shed. A big social section with computer rooms, social rooms. The buildings are here. It's how to occupy them and use them and I think that's what the Men's Shed can deliver here.”

They have only scratched the surface of the power and skills of the current Castlebar officers and members, and under the drive and skill of their current chairman, joint secretaries Joe Fenton and Joe O'Grady and their team, the sky is the limit for this group of men.