A lifeline of support, creativity and fulfilment
Westmeath Independent Community & Sports Awards in association with Westmeath County Council
Social Inclusion Award finalist: Coosan Men's Shed
The men’s shed, located at Coosan, Athlone, is a lifeline of support, creativity and fulfilment for a group of local men who give back through the shed, to the local community and beyond.
Joe Faherty is one of the community leaders on the committee which runs Coosan Men’s Shed, which is located on the grounds beside St. Kieran’s Community Centre. The Athlone shed is about five years in evolvement, and the shed works out from 37 feet of a 40-foot container. The group is in the process of planning a larger premises close to the site of their current home.
“We get great support from St. Kieran’s Community Centre, and Mona Joyce, who offered us that bit of room there,” said Joe.
“There’s a wonderful group of people there.”
Joe said the men are constantly busy from before the opening of the men’s shed at 11am (some are there for the door opening of 9am).
They undergo exercises and have banter with their visiting instructor, and during afternoons they may get involved in cooking in the community centre, or take part in health checks.
One member works up to seven days a week sowing plants in a polytunnel located close to the shed.“It’s a wonderful place for men to go to each day, and it started for us a few years ago when some of us went see a men’s shed in Killucan, and it was great,” said Joe. “Fellows go in there and have the craic, do some work, go for a cup of tea, and it’s men supporting each other. Men’s Shed is an absolutely amazing organisation.”
However, Joe said it’s a heartbreaking situation not to have enough room to take more men who are interested in going to the shed. The Coosan Men’s Shed has also got involved with other groups such as the local branch of the Irish Wheelchair Association.
“We were asked by the IWA to get involved, and we spent a whole year in the resource centre there helping people and supporting them in making Bird Boxes and we worked with screwdrivers putting the flat packs together and then handed them to women in the IWA who decorated them beautifully,” said Joe.
The Social Inclusion Award finalists are Coosan Men's Shed, Esker House Domestic Abuse Support Services and Athlone RSC Parkrun.
The Westmeath Independent Community & Sports Awards are in association with Westmeath County Council