CLONAKILTY Men’s Shed scooped the top award at the regional Irish Men’s Shed Association’s ‘Sheddies’ award 3ceremony which was held recently at the Nemo Rangers GAA premises.
The Clonakilty Men’s Shed fought off stiff competition from ten other Cork sheds in the Sheds for Life category to be named the best participation shed in Cork.
The award was richly deserved and is a true reflection of the diverse range of activities that the Clonakilty Men’s Shed has been involved in and the inspirational leadership and creativity displayed by the shed’s officers.
The event commenced with a welcome address from Enda Ehga, ceo of Irish Men’s Shed Associations, followed by an informative presentation on the Sheds for Life programme.
Presentations were also made by the Irish Cancer Society and Age Action.
The shed commenced its 2024 cultural programme on January 25th with a gathering in An Teach Beag to mark Burns Night, a time honoured Scottish tradition to celebrate the renowned poet Robert Burns.
It was a night of haggis, neeps and tatties with an inspiring musical performance by the Fr Toughy ensemble who supported the shed members and their songs, and a rendition of selected Burn’s poetry, raised the rafters on an exceeding enjoyable night.
The evening concluded with a rendition of I am Sailing in honour of another famous son of Scotland, Rod Steward. The next cultural event will be a celebration of the national day of Wales on St David’s Day, March 1st.
It will be harmonies choirs, daffodils and leeks all round. As part of its commitment to local history, shed members will continue to open the Clonakilty Museum on Western Road each Wednesday from 10am to 12noon.
The museum is well worth a visit as it has a rich collection of items of local interest. Clonakilty Men’s Shed expressed thanks to all the individuals, business and organisations who assisted the shed with either sponsorship, or the use of equipment or premises.
Without this generous support, the shed would not have been as successful as it was in 2023. January also saw the first planning meeting of the year at which the potential activities and excursions for 2024 were discussed.
Early indications are that 2024 will be another exciting and busy year. Flogas sponsored a 60 strong group of volunteers from its charity partner, the Irish Men’s Shed Association, who travelled to Killarney last November from all over Ireland to tackle the invasive rhododendron plant at Killarney National Park.
Noel Lynch and Sean Brennan of Clonakilty Men’s Shed were among the volunteers whose efforts were ‘caught on camera’ by RTÉ’s Nationwide, which broadcast the story on Friday January 19th.
Anyone interested in joining the shed can contact Tom on 087-2924372 or Noel on 086-2316029 for further information.
