New Men's Shed established in South Roscommon area

The establishment of the Lough Ree Men's Shed will offer a "lifeline of support, creativity and fulfilment" for men from the South Roscommon communities of Kiltoom, Lecarrow and Cam. The Men's Shed hosted its first official meeting on Thursday, January 8, at its base in St Brigid's GAA Club following a "groundswell of support" for the initiative.

Chairperson of the group Pat Daly said two gatherings in December saw over 60 men in attendance with a Men's Shed committee of six now formed.

"We met twice before Christmas to gauge interest in the formation of a Men's Shed and on both occasions the large numbers which attended the meetings gave me reason to believe that a Men's Shed would be an asset to the community," Pat said.

Pat and the committee members are grateful to St Brigid's GAA Club for the use of their facilities and have plans in place for a number of community initiatives in due course.

"The Men's Shed is an outlet for men to come together, talk, share experiences and make a positive impact in our community.

"In time, we will apply for Government grants to support our initiatives within the community. We have received sponsorship from a number of businesses to date and this financial support will be put to positive use," Pat added.

The chairperson said the Men's Shed would allow for new friendships to be formed with those attending sharing their life experiences and skills for the "good of the community". The group will meet twice weekly, each Tuesday and Thursday, with initial plans in place to encourage member interaction.

"Following on from our two meetings in December, plans are in place to develop a community garden, take heritage walks and enjoy weekend trips away as a group.

Hopefully, we can build on our ideas for the Men's Shed and we can attract more men to the group in due course," Pat stated.