Tallow Men’s Shed is a haven of positivity and social engagement
Michael Delaney (left) and John Corcoran (right) from Tallow Men's Shed. Pic: Summer Venn-Keane
One of the things that is immediately apparent when you enter Tallow Men’s Shed is the welcoming atmosphere that emanates from it.
The project began when a couple of local men got together in 2019 with the idea of establishing a Men’s Shed. However, Covid-19, the following year, put a stop to the proceedings.
One of those men was Michael Delaney, who is from Tallow, and is the organisation’s current Treasurer. He, along with Chairman, John Corcoran, were the first to meet with Waterford News & Star when we visited the Men’s Shed to see what goes on there.
“We started then, after that in 2022 into ’23 and it kind of snowballed from there then,” said Michael. There is great banter between the members too with some being from County Waterford and others, like John, being living in Co Cork – which is just a couple of minutes away.
From humble beginnings the project now has close to 30 members and they enjoy a range of different activities including woodwork and gardening and they also go on educational and social trips. The age demographic of the members is also interesting, as Michael pointed out: “We have all ages here, from 30 to 80.”
While the physical activities are obviously beneficial both men emphasized the important of the social aspect of the project for members.
“It’s hugely important and the best thing about the Shed here is the tea and the chat,” said Michael.
“It is yes,” added John.
“When we started we would sitting around here, about 10 of us and we would be saying ‘what are we going to do?’,” said John.
The Shed began first in a relatively small location before the members got access to the a bigger space – part of which used to be a handball alley.
“This is a huge place,” John, while Michael pointed out the building is the Parish Hall and belongs to the parish.
“There are snooker tables upstairs too,” said John, while Michael added: “We used to take charge of them as well but then they decided to take charge of them themselves and they’ve their own snooker club.
“The social aspect is very important,” said John.
“I think since Covid came it isolated a lot of people and many of them didn’t want to come any more and meet others, so I think with the Shed it’s been instrumental in helping men to come out, in particular, who maybe felt at a loose end having maybe retired or whatever,” he added.
“It meant they were able to come out and be part of something, and I think for me personally, the Men’s Shed is something that isn’t promoted enough,” said John.
“It needs to be promoted more, I think. Men are used to working, planning and providing etc. and then they come to a point in their lives where ‘it’s all over now, so now what will I do’, and that’s where the Shed comes in. “The closure of rural pubs has also been a great loss because people in rural areas stopped getting together and meeting up,."
“The whole of rural society changed and I suppose they made laws in the city and tried to fit it into a rural life, and that doesn’t happen," said John, pointing out that rural life and city life are two very different things.
“We need to build up our communities again, and the Men’s Shed is definitely a way of building up the community and community spirit. We’ve always had that here in Ireland but so many things have happened since Covid that whole thing has been challenged," said John.
A very significant aspect to joining the Men’s Shed is that a person doesn’t have to have a particular skill, and that’s something both Michael and John emphasised.
“You don’t have to be anything,” said John. “Just come as you are; there’s nothing expected of you. There’s that time to talk and to listen and that’s something that is so important.” Michael and John also said the Men’s Shed helps people with their emotions through the social interaction of being involved.
“We seem to think it’s not manly to talk about things but the reality is we need to get in touch with our feelings and that’s where we need to get to,” said John. “We’re only all humans at the end of the day.”
One of the activities the members participate in is gardening and when we visited some of the men were in the polytunnel as part of a Social Therapeutic Horticulture Course with tutor, Bernadette Kervick. Speaking about the course Bernadette said: “Any gardening system that we do is all natural. There are no sprays and everything is about biodiversity to help the bees, the birds and the butterflies and to do as natural a gardening practice and system as we can.”
“Anything I teach the gentleman is a natural approach and we do companion planning which is a planting method that will incorporate flowers, vegetables and herbs that will all marry together and work together so that you bring in the natural predators and then you suppress and balance out the ones that don’t want,” said Bernadette.
One of the men doing the course when we visited was Constantine, who is from Ukraine. He expressed great delight in being involved: "I am so grateful for this community and for this particular course provider for allowing me to engage in such valuable experiences. I really appreciate it."
Another member, William Browne, said he joined the Men’s Shed about a year ago and finds it, and doing the course, very beneficial: "It’s really great. It’s a great place to come down and meet the lads and there’s no hassle with anyone and they’ll help you out if you need it. I am delighted to be here."
There was lots of activity in the woodwork shed too when we visited and some of the items the members made were on show including planters.
Paddy Joe Sheehan, who worked in Waterford Joinery for over 40 years, is one of the men closely involved with the woodwork activities, and outlining what goes on in the workshop he said: “There are two of us basically, who are qualified to use the machines, and in general what goes on here is we will mark the material for the lads and we will let them cut the pieces but we will make sure that their hands are away from the machines. We do things for the likes of Tidy Towns and we make benches and bird boxes and things like that."
He also said there is a lot of interaction with other Men’s Shed initiatives, including those in Dungarvan and a new group that started recently in Youghal.
“We got a lot of stuff from our buddies down below in the city and we were very grateful for that,” said Paddy Joe.
“We help each other out and if we have things to help others we will and they do likewise. Everybody helps each other out and that’s what's good about it. It keeps us going and that’s what it’s all about.”
