Episode Three
Kilbeggan Men’s Shed, Co. Westmeath
One big idea that is changing lives across Ireland is Irish Men’s Sheds. A ‘men’s shed’ is a social space where men come together to learn, share skills and make new friends. Having originated in Australia, the concept arrived here in 2009, thanks to a social entrepreneur called John Evoy.
At Kilbeggan Men’s Shed — one of over 450 sheds in Ireland — the members have some fun planned for apple season. Having gathered a trailer load of apples from local orchards, the men use their industrial-scale apple juicer to make freshly pressed apple juice.
With this work underway, Sean Gallagher, a regular at the shed, is dropped off by his wife Mary. Sean has been diagnosed with dementia and his family hugely appreciate the benefits of these weekly visits for both Sean — and themselves. While the shed’s positive influence on the lives of the men is obvious, Men’s Sheds also deliver a significant social impact on families and communities across Ireland. Despite his advancing dementia, Sean still plays the bouzouki in a lively trad session with other shed members; Mick on guitar, Christy (aged 88) on the accordion and Frank on the fiddle — ’There’s a lot of people on the fiddle in the country, at least I’m doing it legally!’
The Shona Project
The Big Idea behind The Shona Project is to empower, educate and inspire today’s teenage girls to become tomorrow’s strong and resilient young women. In Bray, founder Tammy Darcy and eight teenage ambassadors from The Shona Project are gathering for a team-building meet up. This meeting is happening ahead of their annual gathering, which will bring together over 800 teenage girls in Waterford. Tammy and the ambassadors take a stroll up Bray’s head and stop to discuss some of the many challenges faced by teenage girls; anxiety, depression, eating disorders, bullying and the dismissal of their concerns as being ‘teenage girl problems’.
AsIAm
Adam Harris’s big idea is to make Ireland a more autism-friendly country. Adam grew up with Asperger’s Syndrome and while he was still in a teenager founded AsIAm, now a leading Autism Charity and Advocacy Organisation. With their annual conference approaching, AsIAm’s team of youth ambassadors are meeting to discuss their roles in this year’s event, which will see them presenting based on their personal experiences of living and learning with autism. One member of the group, Ben Rowsome, recounts how a 17-year-old Adam Harris came into his school to talk about autism. The result of that talk was so positive, that Ben now thinks of his experience of living with autism as being divided into a time before Adam’s talk and after his talk. Ben is now studying Physics and Astrophysics at Trinity College Dublin.
Ballybay Men’s Shed, Co. Monaghan
Barry Sheridan now heads up the Irish Men’s Sheds Association. At home in Co. Meath, Barry is preparing to get on the road to attend the launch of a refurbished Men’s Shed in Ballybay, Co. Monaghan. At the event, Barry reminds the crowd that Men’s Sheds are being recognised at the highest levels internationally, having recently been acknowledged by the United Nations for making an important contribution to the health and wellbeing of men all over Ireland. Barry also tells the gathering that they probably each have a neighbour that would benefit from being involved. With 10,000 men a week visiting a shed in Ireland, this big idea is definitely changing Ireland for the better by combating social isolation, contributing to mental and physical wellbeing and facilitating men to share their skills and form lasting friendships.
Changing Ireland: My Big Idea is produced for RTÉ One, in association with Social Entrepreneurs Ireland and with the kind support of Permanent TSB, The One Foundation and DCC plc.