Mens Shed for Greystones

BarryAlistair

Hi Men of Greystones,

Last summer, I was reading about the launch of a boat in Arklow, An Bád Inbhear Mór, http://www.wicklowpeople.ie/news/new-boat-takes-to-the-water-2810535.html and discovered the Men's Shed community project.

I loved the idea because not only did it seem to be a fabulous way of skill transfer, and particularly skills that are resigned to the graveyard, and it also provided a community for 'all' men to hook into, and this is really important for people who are feeling isolated, need to talk to people, or just want to hang out.

Some further info on the Men's Shed movement in Ireland
http://www.menssheds.ie/

At the time I read this article, I was a little pre-occupied so couldn't do more about it. Six months later, I still am, so in an effort to make a Greystone's Men's Shed a reality, I asked Ciaran Hayden if he might help.

It is our plan to hold a 'consultation' meeting in early February, and we'd like to encourage all local men who are interested in participating to come along.

In the meantime, if you have any constructive views on a Greystones' Men's Shed, like the type of activities etc, or would like to be involved in the set-up, launch and ongoing running of it, or would like to offer your expertise, skills or knowledge, please post below.

Best
BArry

BarryAlistair

Also, if you could tell your friends, brothers, fathers, grandfathers, sons, uncles, nephews.......

And there is also a Facebook Group for the facebookers https://www.facebook.com/groups/251004271635107/

Best
BArry

dudmis

This looks very interesting. Do you have any plans already in place (eg potential projects, location etc) or will that all be decided over the coming months?

It might be worthwhile to talk to St David's school - some of the pupils (and the teachers!) might be interested in this.

BarryAlistair

Thanks for your post Dudmis. The projects will be anything the men who attend decide they want to do.

I believe Ciaran is talking to the council about a few options regarding the location of a HQ.

Thanks for suggesting we contact St Davids. It would be so cool if there were young lads wanting to come along and be the benefactors of the skills and knowledge the older guys handed down, because in part this is exactly what men's shed is about. In fact I'd say it would be a sign of a successful community project if there were men from all age groups attending.

Cheeky Chops

Why is it a good idea for our young people to join a single sex organisation? I am very uncomfortable with the idea. We are not living in the 1950's.

Why is it male only? What benefit does it have?

A call to the men ... brothers, fathers, grandfathers, sons, uncles, nephews. What century are we living in?

pixbyjohn

There is an alternative...you know :rolleyes::D
http://www.ica.ie/

Cheeky Chops

I suspect you are being cheeky Sir John of the Camera?

As if ....

FirstIn

Can I join Curves?

darter

Cheeky Chops wrote: »

Why is it a good idea for our young people to join a single sex organisation? I am very uncomfortable with the idea. We are not living in the 1950's.

Why is it male only? What benefit does it have?

A call to the men ... brothers, fathers, grandfathers, sons, uncles, nephews. What century are we living in?

I agree with your concerns. Whilst there are men of a certain generation who did not learn or were not taught to be comfortable around women, that certainly is in the past - the ancient past in many progressive countries (eg Scandinavia). Modern young Irish men in concert with their peers worldwide want gender equality, and will not be well tutored by role models who feel men should be separate from women.

Yes, let those who need a Men's Shed have their area where they can go and hide away from modern real society, but this certainly should NOT be promoted as a civic activity and should NOT receive civic funding.

Now, a "Youth Shed" where youths of both genders are tutored by their peers and elders would be an excellent facility for Greystones, and that is something that the whole community could come behind and support.

dudmis

I'm really disappointed that this initiative is getting this reaction. I dont think that the women of Greystones will be any way disadvantaged by the Men's Shed. There are plenty of initiatives that are women only - eg 'Women's NIght Out" and if women feel that they too would benefit from a "womens shed' or an 'all sex shed' (pardon the pun), well, we should start one up.

And while I'm all for inclusiveness, I also recognise that sometimes its nice to meet my girlfriends and natter about things that wouldn't necessarily interest my men friends. I'm sure the guys are the same. Hence the Shed.

darter

dudmis wrote: »

I'm really disappointed that this initiative is getting this reaction. I dont think that the women of Greystones will be any way disadvantaged by the Men's Shed. There are plenty of initiatives that are women only - eg 'Women's NIght Out" and if women feel that they too would benefit from a "womens shed' or an 'all sex shed' (pardon the pun), well, we should start one up.

And while I'm all for inclusiveness, I also recognise that sometimes its nice to meet my girlfriends and natter about things that wouldn't necessarily interest my men friends. I'm sure the guys are the same. Hence the Shed.

This response reminds me of the Swiss canton of Appenzell that refused to give women the vote until 1990 when a tiny minority of enlightened women of the canton took the canton to Switzerland's Federal Supreme Court. Up until then the staunchest supporters of the status quo were the women of Appenzell! The voters of the canton had refused women's suffrage in 1959 by 2050 votes to 105.

Anyone in Sweden who proposed setting up a "Men's Shed" would be laughed out of the room and taken to a special place and wrapped in a jacket with buckles on the back.

When you fly from Stockholm to Greystones, you don't put your watch back an hour, you put it back 50 years!

Noffles

darter wrote: »

This response reminds me of the Swiss canton of Appenzell that refused to give women the vote until 1990 when a tiny minority of enlightened women of the canton took the canton to Switzerland's Federal Supreme Court. Up until then the staunchest supporters of the status quo were the women of Appenzell! The voters of the canton had refused women's suffrage in 1959 by 2050 votes to 105.

Anyone in Sweden who proposed setting up a "Men's Shed" would be laughed out of the room and taken to a special place and wrapped in a jacket with buckles on the back.

When you fly from Stockholm to Greystones, you don't put your watch back an hour, you put it back 50 years!

Just ignore it then, it's not doing any harm and you seem to be looking at it in the comletely wrong way.

You also must be VERY rich to have your own flight from Stockholm to Greystones... oh and your watch is wrong too.

dudmis

Interestingly enough, a quick internet search shows that an Australian researcher promoting Men's Sheds gave a talk in Sweden in 2007 re: ‘Social, local and situated: evidence and insights from Australian research into the effectiveness of older men’s learning in community contexts’, B. Golding, Paper to Second Nordic Conference on Adult Learning, 17-19 April 2007, Lingkoping University, Sweden.

Not only was he not "laughed out of the room and taken to a special place and wrapped in a jacket with buckles on the back", he was invited back for to give another talk on the topic in 2010. "‘Men learning about communication and wellbeing through community involvement: Evidence from an empirical Australian study’, B. Golding, Paper to Conference of the European Society for Research into the Education of Adults (ESREA), 23-26 Sept, Linkoping, Sweden."

Jimjay

I personally would prefer a 'community shed' if any shed is going to be built.
I don't really understand it, is it like an allotment where if you don't have your own garden you rent another one? Suppose if you don't have your own shed you would use this one?

I read the article about the sheds. Saw the men in arklow built a boat, do they now argue over who will use the boat next weekend?

Btw is there many elder men in greystones that need to learn communication and wellbeing skills through community projects? Sounds a bit patronising.

Annasopra

I'm a man who wants gender equality. I identify as a feminist and an egalitarian. I don't see any problem here at all. I would support the ELLE project for women funded by Bray Partnership and I would support this initiative.

Annasopra

Jimjay wrote: »

Btw is there many elder men in greystones that need to learn communication and wellbeing skills through community projects? Sounds a bit patronising.

Doesn't sound patronising at all to me

darter

dudmis wrote: »

Interestingly enough, a quick internet search shows that an Australian researcher promoting Men's Sheds gave a talk in Sweden in 2007 re: ‘Social, local and situated: evidence and insights from Australian research into the effectiveness of older men’s learning in community contexts’, B. Golding, Paper to Second Nordic Conference on Adult Learning, 17-19 April 2007, Lingkoping University, Sweden.

QED!

pixbyjohn

Actually this idea of people getting together and sharing in their hobbies/activities/knowledge is as old as the hills in Ireland. Many men get together for card games rotating the venue between their homes. Also I am aware of several people sharing their knowledge of woodturning in various sheds around the county. Also the various clubs are in reality sheds where people share their knowledge, the Greystones Camera Club is a prime example. Most of the above include both male and female members (maybe the card games were mainly male) .
Also music, song and dancing is and always was another activity which was carried on in the communities of Ireland mainly in houses in the past and now in various venues. I can understand how some of the posters are not happy with a men only shed group.

darter

mango salsa wrote: »

I'm a man who wants gender equality. I identify as a feminist and an egalitarian. I don't see any problem here at all. I would support the ELLE project for women funded by Bray Partnership and I would support this initiative.

On you go then mango salsa, your prerogative. I also fight actively for gender equality - you don't have the monopoly on that.

Yes, as I said I see the need for older men who were brought up in another time, but not for the modern man.

My point is that this initiative should NOT receive public funding. Simple as that.

dudmis

I may have missed it, but I don't see anything to say that this project will receive public money?

Annasopra

darter wrote: »

On you go then mango salsa, your prerogative. I also fight actively for gender equality - you don't have the monopoly on that.

Yes, as I said I see the need for older men who were brought up in another time, but not for the modern man.

My point is that this initiative should NOT receive public funding. Simple as that.

That's extremely patronising towards older men to suggest that they are backward and wouldn't support gender equality

darter

dudmis wrote: »

I may have missed it, but I don't see anything to say that this project will receive public money?

Perhaps I am over-reading too much into the statement by Councillor Ciaran Hayden that he "will be talking to the local Authority":
http://www.greystonesguide.ie/mens-shed-for-greystones/

Why else does a Councillor talk to a local authority about something he really don't need to talk to a local authority about, except to get funding?

Annasopra

dudmis wrote: »

I may have missed it, but I don't see anything to say that this project will receive public money?

I don't see why it shouldn't

Pobal provides funding for two projects for women in Bray

see pages 32 and 33

https://www.pobal.ie/Funding%20Programmes/ewm/Beneficiaries/Documents/Project%20Directory%20EWM%202010-2013%20Final.pdf

darter

mango salsa wrote: »

That's extremely patronising towards older men to suggest that they are backward and wouldn't support gender equality

I suggested nothing of the sort, and I resent the insult. You are being purposely argumentative.

It is reality to state that older men were raised in a time when women's role was in the kitchen and child-rearing. The modern woman is as different from the woman of older men's generation as chalk-and-cheese. What has been slow to move has been men's attitudes. And here we have a prime example.

Tiradon

While this doesn't generally interest me, I have no objections or concerns to it being set up at all. I had a feeling when the thread was created it would only be a matter of time before an equality argument began. The fact is, there are countless women only groups (both official and unoffical) and some which do receive public money yet when/if men try and do the same, it's deemed backward and sexist.

From reading the releases, it suggests that Ciaran Hayden is contacting the local authority to discuss potential premises to locate the Group rather than looking for actual funding.

Like I said, this doesn't particularly interest me but let's not create issues and arguments for the sake of doing so.

mikedragon32

This topic was done on The Last Word on Today FM some time ago where the founder of Men's Sheds was talking with Matt Cooper.

The idea is a sound one. In this day and age there is often little time for men to learn the skills of DIY or even have somewhere to discuss things in a men-only environment such as men's health. Having a place where a group of men can take on projects, learn skills and interact is not a bad thing.

As for the posters equating this to the dark ages (or 1990 in Switzerland), I find it somewhat baffling. What is wrong with a men only initiative. Women have plenty of gender specific clubs/societies/activities from which men are excluded. Can't men just have one thing for themselves?

It's not like you have to join it! (I won't be... but can't see why the option shouldn't be there)

Mijoal

Hi, I'm new to Boards and new to Greystones, and I'd like to say what a fab idea I think it is to have a 'men's shed' here. I have a 5 yr old boy (I'm a stay at home mum) and I think its vitally important to a boy's development that he spends time with men, away from us female role models. I get plenty of opportunities to spend time with the 'girls' but my husband doesn't have the same luxury, as he's not local and travels a lot with his job, so can't commit to regular clubs in order to meet people. As for being worried that I'll somehow be transported back to the 50's for believing that men and women ARE actually different, and have the right to spend time in the company of there own sex, then so be it, but it strikes me that the women who have issues with this really need to get some girlfriends of their own and get out more. If you were comfortable with your own sex then you might not be so bothered about a bunch of men wanting to tinker in a shed building boats, or whatever other healthy pastime they to chose to have!

Cheeky Chops

I completely agree with Darter.

Mijoal wrote: »

Hi, I'm new to Boards and new to Greystones, and I'd like to say what a fab idea I think it is to have a 'men's shed' here. I have a 5 yr old boy (I'm a stay at home mum) and I think its vitally important to a boy's development that he spends time with men, away from us female role models. I get plenty of opportunities to spend time with the 'girls' but my husband doesn't have the same luxury, as he's not local and travels a lot with his job, so can't commit to regular clubs in order to meet people. As for being worried that I'll somehow be transported back to the 50's for believing that men and women ARE actually different, and have the right to spend time in the company of there own sex, then so be it, but it strikes me that the women who have issues with this really need to get some girlfriends of their own and get out more. If you were comfortable with your own sex then you might not be so bothered about a bunch of men wanting to tinker in a shed building boats, or whatever other healthy pastime they to chose to have!

That's an unnecessary and personal attack from a regular poster let alone a first time poster.

I agree a youth project would be a wonderful idea with mentoring from all the groups in our society.

I am still annoyed about comments that were made about how women and children should not be down at the harbour (or some similar nonsense) and this "call for men" has rightly got my back up and I totally oppose it.

Annasopra

Cheeky Chops wrote: »

I am still annoyed about comments that were made about how women and children should not be down at the harbour (or some similar nonsense)

what comments?

Cheeky Chops

Sorry - out of context I now realise. It was on the harbour thread - a councillor made them.

dudmis

Cheeky Chops wrote: »

I agree a youth project would be a wonderful idea with mentoring from all the groups in our society.

I agree totally - I would love this see this too.

But can't we have both? Having a Men's Shed doesn't mean that a youth project isn't possible.