Men's Sheds: sheds get the X-factor treatment

Sheds up and down Ireland entered into a virtual X-Factor-style competition with the Irish Men’s Sheds Association’s (IMSA) Shed Factor series. Running from 22 April to 1 May, over 20 shedders took part in the competition, with videos being sent into IMSA to be entered into a draw to win one of three €100 One4All vouchers.

Showing the true musical talent that the men’s sheds have to offer, Shed Factor featured an assortment of individual performances, from yodelling in Mayfield, Ramsgrange’s Native American-style flute performance and some old-time favourites, everything was on the display.

But unfortunately, there could only be three winners. The three winners of the €100 One4All vouchers, in no particular order, were:

Tom Conachy submitted an instrumental cover of Benedictus by Karl Jenkins on the keyboard. Tom notes that he has been playing the piano since the age of five and can usually be found in nursing homes in the Dundalk area performing.

“I started playing the piano at five years of age. I’ve played in groups, I’ve played solos, a dance orchestra and now I’m playing for the lads in the shed and one of the nursing homes in Dundalk.”

Based in Carrigaline, another winner was Derry McCarthy from the Carrigaline Men’s Shed, who like Jimmy Cotter and Tom Conachy, also bagged a €100 One4All voucher for his shed. Derry performed Send Me the Pillow You Dream On, originally recorded by Hank Locklin back in 1949. A member of the Carriagline Men’s Shed Choir, Derry says himself and other shedders often perform in local nursing homes in Carrigaline, but he hasn’t been able to do so in the last while due to cocooning himself.

One of the more unique submissions was from Jimmy Cotter, who gave people a taste of what yodelling is really all about.

Coming from the Mayfield Men’s Shed, Jimmy sang She Taught Me to Yodel, a song by Frank Ifield. A self-proclaimed ‘fierce fan’ of yodelling legend Slim Whitman, Jimmy says he taught himself to yodel and previously performed with the Regent Showband. “Yodelling just came naturally to me, and She Taught Me to Yodel is one of my favourite songs”.

Shed Factor was the first instalment of a planned series of online competitions by the Irish Men’s Sheds Association. Next up, an online art competition, whereby artwork will be judged by resident Donegal man, Ardara shedder and artist Colm Sweeney.

The competition launched on 11 May 2020 and will run for the week, with artwork being shared across the Irish Men’s Sheds Association’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts.

Read more

A shed with a difference

Member of the Week: TP O'Gorman

My Country Living: 'I had it carbon dated and it dates back to 4233BC'