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Kiltimagh and District Men’s Shed was established in 2016 by a group of men who came together and discussed the prospect of opening a shed in the town. With the help of Mayo County Council, the group managed to obtain an old machinery shed located in the council yard for their meetings. After two years of renovations by members of the shed and the help of some locals, the premises opened its doors to the community.
Seamus Swift, shed chair, says the shed provides a place for men in the town to meet and take part in various projects for the better of the community, and to help combat rural isolation. Seamus also believes it’s very important that not only the men feel involved socially, but also that they can have a “bit of craic and enjoy a cup of tea”.
The shed is also unique in that the age profile of its members ranges from the young working man to the retired man. The shed is also heavily involved in the community in that it hosts workshops over the summer holidays for the local schoolchildren to encourage them to appreciate nature by making bug and butterfly hotels in conjunction with the local Tidy Towns committee.
The shed is also collaborating with local retirement homes and the HSE in relation to a project for the coming autumn where active residents can visit the shed. The autumn/winter programme for the shed will see some members take to beekeeping, bike repairs as well as the design and manufacturing of different woodwork projects for the Christmas market.
Heading into their another year of being in full swing, Seamus says the group have lots planned, including trips away visiting other sheds, fishing, walking as well as hosting other men’s sheds for card games, darts tournaments or even “watching a bit of football on the telly with a cuppa and a biscuit”.
Anyone interested in joining Kiltimagh and District Men’s Shed can contact Seamus on 086 6036070, or call down to the shed. From early September, the shed will be open Monday to Friday from 10am-5pm, and new members are welcome to call down to the shed.
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