Laois PPN highlights benefits of local men’s sheds
Laois PPN visited men's shed group in Mountmellick,during Men's Health Week: Dan Bergin, Laois PPN Co-Ordinator, with Mountmellick Men's Shed members - Liam Stapleton, Shay Keenan, Denis Whelan, Tom Gorry, Ron Lalor, Turlough O'Brien, Seamus Hall , Paul Lalor and Joe Turner, with a selection of their work . Photograph by Michael Scully.
LAOIS Public Participation Network (PPN) highlighted the importance of men’s shed groups during Men’s Health Week (15-21 June) by visiting groups in each of the three Laois municipal districts: Abbeyleix, Mountmellick, and Portarlington.
The aim of Laois PPN’s visit was to highlight the role men’s sheds play in supporting men’s health and community connection across the county.
The visits took place during Men’s Health Week, which is coordinated by Laois County Council and featured a week-long calendar of events aimed at promoting positive physical and mental health for men across the county.
Each men’s shed aims to provide a welcoming, informal environment where members can meet, share skills, and support one another through woodworking, gardening, repair projects, or conversation.
The visits also highlighted a range of benefits provided by men’s sheds, including reduced social isolation and loneliness, robust mental health support through informal peer connection, practical skill-sharing and activity, a non-judgmental space for open conversation, and strengthened community ties at local level.
This year’s Men’s Health Week was centred on the theme ‘one step at a time’, which prioritised progress over perfection.
In a statement, Laois PPN thanked Laois County Council for its support and commitment to Men’s Health Week. They also acknowledged the ongoing dedication of volunteers and members who continue to keep these men’s sheds active.
Laois PPN co-ordinator, Dan Bergin, said: "Men's sheds are a vital part of community life in Laois. They provide a welcoming space where men can connect, talk, and take part in meaningful activity at their own pace.
“The Men’s Health Week theme, ‘one step at a time,’ really reflects what these groups are about; small, steady steps that make a real difference to wellbeing over time.”
