A hub of connection at newest women’s shed
Cllr Fergal Browne, cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council gets a helping hand with his chain of office at the official opening of the Forge Hen Shed Women’s Shed in John Sweeney Park, Carlow Photos: michaelorourkephotography.ie
THE FORGE Hen Shed, founded last year, marked its official opening on Saturday 8 March –International Women’s Day–welcoming local women of all ages to celebrate community, creativity and camaraderie.
Chairperson Melissa Dowling explained that the shed’s origins can be traced back to a conversation during a training programme run by Carlow Regional Youth Services.
“I’d done some training with Carlow Regional Youth Services. They provided me with some training as part of a level five programme I was doing,” said Melissa. “And when Catherine Wall was presenting us with our certificates, she asked us what kind of need we saw for the area. I mentioned a women’s shed. That was in May last year. And by June we had started to get things together.” Once the idea took shape, Melissa began sharing news of the shed on social media and it quickly gained momentum.
“It was like a snowball effect. It just went from there,” she said. The members gather every Wednesday evening, with attendance ranging from 15 to more than 20. Their ages span from the early 20s to around 80. “We have a great variety of ages and a great variety of professions, and they’re amazing women,” added Melissa.
Emphasising that the group’s activities go far beyond traditional crafts, she explained: “It’s not about just sitting down with the knitting needles. We do so many different things. We’ve run zumba classes, taken part in Breast Cancer Ireland’s Very Pink Run, done painting, découpage, clay work and even DIY classes – learning practical skills like how to hang a picture.”
The overarching goal, said Melissa, is simply to foster a supportive network: “The aim overall is to just try to get women together to share skills, time and fun … somewhere they can forget about their troubles for an hour or so.” Reflecting on the opening-day turnout, the women’s shed chairperson said: “You can be so nervous coming up to something like this and wondering how it’s going to turn out, but it went brilliantly. We had a great turnout and hopefully we have even more ladies coming along.”
With its doors now officially open at Community House, John Sweeney Park, The Forge Hen Shed looks set to become a hub of connection, skill-sharing and mutual support for Carlow’s women – true to the spirit of International Women’s Day.
