Hackerspace - Navan

L.Jenkins

Anyone interested in setting up a Hacker/Maker space in Navan. I know there is one in Drogheda and TOG in Dublin. I'm just thinking that, it would be interesting and a little bit fun to have one in Navan also.

I'm sure there would be artists and people with a wide variety of interests, who would like to get together and see what comes of it.

AnCatDubh

any space in particular in mind?

L.Jenkins

If you mean, what should the space do or focus on? Then I have no preference. I'm into both Art, Photography, Engineering (Robotics, Software and Mechanical) and putting skills to use in developing new and useful items for around the home and beyond.

If you mean location, then I'm unsure at the moment. I'd have to put time and effort into putting something together for the interm until something can be put into motion.

I suppose the whole idea is to create a space, where people can come and share ideas or band together and work on ideas that can be discussed and developed.

squod

Very interested.

L.Jenkins

If we get enough interest, we can start advertising a group around Navan. Even look for a premise!

L.Jenkins

December 8th (Saturday) for a meet up here in Navan and we can discuss setting up a space?

L.Jenkins

Anyone know of a good place to meet up as I'm new to Navan.

Have an idea for a space, but sadly these things cost money.

http://www.daft.ie/searchcommercial.daft?id=77072

squod

Might e-mail some TDs on Monday and ask them .

L.Jenkins

Yeah that would be a start. See if there is any unused premises around Navan. Could email the Guys in Drogheda and Dublin to see how they do things too.

jhope88

Hi there,

I've just spotted this thread. I'm one of the people involved with the Drogheda Makerspace. Great to see a similar effort in Navan. We started by creating a twitter account and a google group to start initial discussion. And soon after started meeting up every two weeks at the D Hotel for a quick chat and a pint. We then approached a few local community centres, business incubators etc. One of which (Millmount RDC) kindly provided us a room to hold a few workshops for minimal cost. This helped build the community and we have just obtained keys to two rooms there. Just let us know if you need input/help from us and the TOG guys are always helpful too. We are learning the ropes as we go along too, so it would be interesting to see how you guys go about it too. Best of luck with it,
Jon

L.Jenkins

Cool, thanks for the input. I'll get something moving in the form of a google group and twitter account tonight then and see what happens.

L.Jenkins

So I set up the Google Group and Twitter Account as suggested.

Google Groups: https://groups.google.com/d/forum/navan-labs

and Twitter: @NavanHack_Space

L.Jenkins

May suggest a hosted forum.

Dingatron

Hi Guys

I'm part of the Drogheda Hacker Space also. Any questions fire away and the best of luck with it! We're just picking stuff up as we go along and we were talking today on how far we've come in such a short while (8 months). When your up and running we should join up for an open night.

Ding

L.Jenkins

Thanks for the post and well done on the Drogheda Group. Would be more than happy to see if the Drogheda and Dublin could come from an Open night.

L.Jenkins

Anyone still interested in a meet up, can suggest another date and time for a meet up as I am unavailable this weekend. Really want to get it going.

squod

Count me in anyhow. Wonder if anyone from Drogheda would come too?

L.Jenkins

The Drogheda Hacker Space said if we drop them a mail, they'll come.

squod

Itzy wrote: »

The Drogheda Hacker Space said if we drop them a mail, they'll come.

Don't have any twitter, myspace, google plus account yokes. Would next week sometime suit?

L.Jenkins

I'm heading off this weekend to Sligo, so any day next weekend would be good.

L.Jenkins

So how about this coming Saturday for a meet up, for an hour or two?

Skrynesaver

morning -ish? say coffee around 11?

L.Jenkins

Sounds good. I need to do some last minute shopping, 11 suits.

squod

Navan Hackerspace.

Saturday 22/12, 11am. Ardboyne hotel, near the rugby club. All welcome.

Skrynesaver

Someone had to call it See ye then

L.Jenkins

Only new to Navan, so I wasn't sure what would suit. Sounds good.

Skrynesaver

Itzy wrote: »

Only new to Navan, so I wasn't sure what would suit. Sounds good.

So where are you

squod

Was great to meet Skrynesaver. Hoping to meet up again in the new Year.
Keeping this thread alive and again open invitation to anyone to meet up.



http://www.tog.ie/ is the Dublin hackerspace/makerspace website.

L.Jenkins

Absolutely, would be nice to meet up.

kyote00

hi folks

I would like to help also. Have lots of arduino and rpi experience

live just outside trim

L.Jenkins

Of course, the more the merrier!

L.Jenkins

So shall we make a plan to meet up early next month? I'm tied up until the first week of February when I'll have a week off work.

niallb

Following thread!
Interesting to see what might come together.

Access

Sorry Itzy... was ment to get back to you on heading to this too but christmas was a bit of a mad time in this house!

Would be up for a meet too re hackerspace whenever suits.

L.Jenkins

Anyone want to meet up at the end of this week of following week?

L.Jenkins

Meet up at 7 in the Ard Boyne Hotel this Friday?

L.Jenkins

May set up a facebook group later if all is in agreement.

niallb

Itzy wrote: »

Meet up at 7 in the Ard Boyne Hotel this Friday?

7's a little early for me, but I'll get down as soon as I can if it goes ahead.
Looking forward to it.

L.Jenkins

Can wait until later. 8 or 9, not sure what is suitable for everyone.

niallb

I'd make it for 7:30 fairly easily, so if earlier is good for others let it stand.
Hope we get a few takers!

L.Jenkins

Hopefully.

Access

Half seven would suit me.

niallb

On my way!

niallb

OK...
Me and Access are sitting by the side door to the car park in the hall outside the bar.

niallb

Good to meet @Access last night.

Conversation mostly about Raspberry Pi's, HTPC's, networking and 3D printing.

Starting something like this off can be slow as it's difficult to get a group of people together at the same time,
but if even a couple of people can catch up at each one, it's still worth having meet ups.
A lot of useful stuff could be discussed on a forum or a facebook/google group -
what skills and equipment people have that they're willing to make available and
to demonstrate and teach being something we started to talk about last night.

@Access is involved in another project in Navan that uses the Education Center, and one possibility would be
to arrange a demonstration there which might lead to a more long term relationship around occasionally using space there.

A trip to the hackerspace in Drogheda might be a good thing to pursue with the folks there.
While numbers are small, it might be worth taking a trip to one of their group nights to see how they're doing things.
We could meet up in Navan and/or Dunshaughlin to car pool a small group over without too much bother,
and make a contribution towards the cost of their room.

My personal feeling would be to concentrate on the hacking first, and move it to a 'space' when a big enough core group has solidified.
A bit of media coverage is a very good thing to have already done before going looking for support on a space,
so looking for something specific that would encourage us to get together and do could be a good move.
Until then, we could have informal meetups in a hotel or peoples houses.

Any suggestions?
Looking forward to meeting more of you!

Dingatron

Hi Guys

I thought you may be interested in Gaelhack the first All Ireland Maker Camp in June. Not sure if you've seen it but the details are here. http://gaelhack.hackerspaces.ie/

Your welcome over at #lightboxlab anytime. Let us know if your heading up though as the space opens based on availability of members. Our membership is still quite small as we've concentrated on getting a space, admin side, website, bank stuff etc. We'll be concentrating on building membership over the coming year.

Access

Good meet with niallb the last night... no sign of others unfortunately on the night.

Hopefully our paths didn't pass by each other... it can happen though... think me need a place or corner of the bar/reception as i didn't cross paths with niallb for 15 minutes as we were sitting in two different areas!

Keep us informed of the next meet.

L.Jenkins

That would be idea. Is there a coder dojo in town? We could even head to the education centre some evening.

Access

Itzy wrote: »

That would be idea. Is there a coder dojo in town? We could even head to the education centre some evening.

Yep... the coder dojo is up and running in navan now... they have already sold out tickets each month and are running at full capacity now.

Think it might be an idea to keep the hackerspace separate to them and do our own thing. Its mainly kids under 12 at the coder and its focusing on Scratch only for now and they seem happen to stay the way they are at the moment without branching into anything else.

Any idea of a march meet on the cards Itzy?

L.Jenkins

It's with some regret that I have to leave Navan this week but I was thinking and hoping that someone could take over. You all could co-ordinate with Drogheda and Dublin to start up and expand the space.

Access

So where to next on this... any others willing to take the reins on this one?

I would go even if it didnt evolve into a full blown hackerspace, but if it turned out to resemble something close to a group of like-minded people, who could meet up maybe once a month and work on some projects together... anything from building our own arcade machines to setting up HTPCs and NAS to making Raspberry Pis do mad things and that sort of thing.