Oughterard
Men's Shed
Oughterard Men’s Shed provides a venue for men to talk and connect with others whilst participating in group and/or individual projects. It gives opportunities for friendship and socialising in a safe environment, while at the same time providing the space, expertise and facilities for men to pursue hobbies, crafts and creativity. It also provides a space to undertake projects by benefiting the community.
The Oughterard Men’s Shed is NOT a commercial entity and does not wish to take work from local businesses. Due to this, the shed will only undertake projects that do not have a commercial value.
The Men had developed into a routine of meeting twice a week from their launch in January 2020, it is an inclusive group, open to all.
Men’s Shed
A “men’s shed” is a community based project, where men can come together to learn, share skills and make long-lasting friendships together. The men’s shed movement was first founded in the 1980’s in Australia and have expanded to other countries, incl. Ireland, the UK, America, Canada, Iceland, Estonia and many more. Ireland has become one of the leading nations for men’s sheds in the recent years. Currently, there are over 450 sheds in Ireland, with at least ten thousand men visiting every week. All sheds are independent and self-autonomous, and the range of activities carried out differ from the next. Most sheds engage in activities such as woodwork, gardening, carpentry and community work.
Why join a men's shed
There are many reasons to join a men’s sheds. If you are someone who, after retiring, still has a lot to offer, you might want to share your skills with other men or if you have found yourself in need of a friend.
There are countless reasons for joining a shed, but whatever your reason is, you can bet that there is a shed close by.
Men’s sheds are more than just woodwork or gardening. They are places where men can find meaning and purpose, where a friend is always there.
In a men’s shed we always say that our greatest tool is the kettle, because there is nothing more powerful than a cup of tea and a chat.
Oughterard Men’s Shed
It currently has Carpentry Classes running from the Shed every Tuesday and Wednesday night, but they will open alternative evenings soon as well. The members of the Carpentry Class are hoping to participate in this years St. Patrick’s Day parade, here in Oughterard. As they had started to put something together in 2020 and have held on to parts of it since then, the group is very excited about showing their work.
The foundations of the new shed are in place and by the end of April we should have the arrival of the shed itself. It will greatly assist the group in storage through the new space.
The group are hoping to hold a very much over due AGM this summer. So, keep an eye out for posters around the town and on Oughterard Men’s Shed Facebook Page.