Speech at the Opening of the Irish Men’s Sheds Association National Conference
The Helix, Dublin, 4 October 2014
Tá áthas orm a bheith anseo libh inniu mar phatrún Chumann Seideanna na bhFear agus deis a bheith agam teacht chuig bhur gComhdháil Náisiúnta. Go raibh maith agaibh as ucht na fíorchaoin fáilte a d’fhear sibh romham.
[I am delighted to be here today with you as patron of the Irish Men’s Sheds Association and to have the opportunity of coming to your National Conference. Thank you all for that very generous welcome]. I would like to particularly welcome those who have travelled from Australia for this important event.
It is a great honour to be the Patron of an organisation that provides such an important resource for so many men across Ireland. The Men’s Shed Association story is one which began, of course, on the other side of the world when a number of men’s sheds began to form in Australia approximately twenty years ago.
Like so many initiatives founded on a genuine desire to effect positive change, and a strong principle of humanity and caring for one’s fellow man, the Association’s story has travelled across continents and oceans connecting all those involved by a great instinct for solidarity in promoting the values of humanity and care.
Almost four years ago, that global story reached Irish shores and the Irish Men’s Shed Association was founded. Today sheds have been established in 19 counties across Ireland and Northern Ireland, and we are very proud to be part of a global family founded on the realisation of our need for friendship and a compansionship based on such an instinct for compassion and empathy; an instinct which must serve as the beating heart of any just and equal society.
In very many of my speeches as President I have spoken of the importance of developing a culture and society where all citizens are given the opportunity to explore and celebrate their possibilities and of how these opportunities have the potential to transform individual lives and indeed entire communities. A truly functioning community, therefore, is one which understands the importance of reaching out to all its people, offering support, advice and a way forward.
The physical isolation facing many Irish males, particularly those of an older generation living in rural Ireland, have been well documented. It is a societal challenge which has been receiving increasing attention in recent years. In fact, my predecessor former President McAleese observed, during her travels around the country, that older men were usually under-presented in the groups she encountered and addressed. As a result of this reflection and subsequent collaboration with the Gaelic Athletic Association, the GAA initiative was established to offer networks of support and friendship to rural men across Ireland. It is a successful initiative and one which very much complements and reflects many of the objectives which are central to the Men’s Shed Association.
We know, however, that there can be many obstacles for men wishing to fully participate in community life. For example, a return to significant levels of unemployment in this country in recent years has brought with it deep wells of despair and frustration, often leading to a damaging sense of futility and disengagement from society.
There can, too, be a profound reluctance amongst males to discuss problems, concerns, and negative experiences, not wishing to appear vulnerable by sharing such thoughts and feelings with friends and family. While we all want to see an Ireland where men feel comfortable to share their experiences and emotional difficulties with those close to them and be able to ask for help if they need it, we know that far too many men continue to suffer in silence. Indeed it is alarming to know that the rate of suicide is five times higher amongst Irish men than amongst Irish women.
It is clear that as a society we owe a great deal to the Men’s Shed Association, an Association which has recognised and acknowledged a fundamental and deeply human instinct amongst an often neglected cohort of our society for a space of welcome, friendship, and mutual support.
The Irish Men’s Shed Association provides such a space; a space of inclusive, supportive and participative community. Indeed the ethos behind the Association powerfully reminds us that community is not simply about citizens sharing a communal place, but about a recognition that the strength and common wealth of a true community lies with its people. And that such a community must be defined by inclusion – by the opportunity for all to participate in a way that is meaningful and significant.
By joining the Association, members are expressing a desire to not only benefit from the experience, skills and talents of others; but also to offer their own abilities, advice and knowledge for the benefit of fellow members and members of the wider community.
Indeed the foundation stone of the Association is an appreciation of just how much can be achieved when people come together to work in a spirit of co-operation, real participation and a collective will.
A short while ago I was privileged to view some of the projects undertaken by Sheds across the country, and to learn of the impressive variety of initiatives which members of the Association engage in.
Whether creating a community garden, revamping or repairing old vehicles, restoring beautiful furniture, building a boat or taking part in the many other activities undertaken by individual sheds around Ireland, members are not only benefitting their localities, while engaging in rejuvenation, re-invention and often the reconnection of citizens to the past and the heritage which binds them; they are also sharing skills and learning new ones in a spirit of collaborative partnership.
It is fascinating to see how many of the projects undertaken rely on skills and craftsmanship that are in danger of disappearing in this rapidly evolving and changing world. It is both enlightening and inspiring to be reminded of how such skills continue to contribute to society in ways that are significant and valuable. It is also uplifting to know that such skills and crafts continue to be handed on in a great spirit of community and generosity.
There can be no doubt that those involved with the Men’s Shed Association find within it an important outlet for their creativity, their talents and their expertise. Equally important however is the enjoyment, the sense of human solidarity and the many forms of support that the Association offers those who participate. I know all of those who join a Shed have their own experiences of participating in this initiative, and the reasons which motivated them to become involved are varied, but I have no doubt that a common element shared by all is the life-enhancing experience of human interaction – the joy that comes from meeting someone new, discovering common bonds, engaging in debate, or exchanging advice and encouragement.
I would like, therefore, to thank all of those who work so hard in sheds across the country, making their own important contribution to an initiative that enhances and makes meaningful the lives of so many men.
Guím comhdháil thorthúil oraibh agús táim cinnte go ndéanfaidh an phlé a éiríonn as bhur dtéama tofa – ‘ag foghlam ón Astráil’ – bhur gCumann a chothú chun go leanfaidh sibh oraibh ag fás agus ag forbairt anseo in Éirinn.
[I wish you a fruitful conference and I am fully confident that the deliberations arising from your chosen theme - “learning from down under” - will allow the Association to continue to grow and flourish here in Ireland.]
Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir.