A group of 21 men from the greater Clifden area wrote their own small page in history when they came together to form the country’s newest Men’s Shed – naming it after an iconic inventor with indelible links to their area.

The Marconi Men’s Shed is named in honour of Guglielmo Giovanni Maria Marconi, 1st Marquis of Marconi – the Italian inventor, electrical engineer, physicist, and politician, known for his creation of a practical radio wave–based wireless telegraph system.

The inaugural meeting of the Marconi Men’s Shed took place last Wednesday, October 16, in the new Forum premises in the Eir Building in Clifden.

It follows the recent Community Information Event organised by FORUM Connemara CLG and the HSE Carers Department where there was huge interest in establishing a Men’s Shed in Clifden.

A total of 21 local men from Clifden and surrounding areas attended the meeting which was jointly chaired by Karen Mannion, CEO, FORUM Connemara CLG and Michelle Harrison, Manager, Carers Department, HSE Community Healthcare West.

Ms. Mannion committed to providing a suitable site for the shed, funding for the Shed through the SICAP and LEADER schemes operated by FORUM, and also the provision of support staff including Eithne O’Halloran and Joe Ribbon, SICAP Resource Officers to support the shed.

During the inaugural meeting, a Management Committee of six Officers were elected to carry out the business of the shed for the year ahead.

A name for the new men’s shed was discussed, with the Marconi Men’s Shed, Clifden the chosen name unanimously agreed upon by all members in attendance.

‘Marconi Men’s Shed’ was appropriately named after the Marconi Radio transmission site in Clifden. The Marconi station was the site of many ground-breaking transmissions, including the first transatlantic wireless message sent by Guglielmo Marconi himself in 1907.

All shedders present agreed that communication and support was central to the ethos of the new shed, and therefore the name ‘Marconi Men’s Shed’ was a fitting tribute to a communication miracle that happened in Clifden 117 years previously.

Ballyconneely’s Tom McWilliam, who was one of the original group of men who had the idea for the establishment of a men’s shed in Clifden, was appointed the newly elected Chairperson of Marconi Men’s Shed.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for the men of Clifden and surrounding areas, a positive sense of community is in abundance in North Connemara and the benefit of friendships towards protecting our wellbeing is integral, which the Marconi Men’s Shed I believe will provide,” he said.

The group also heard from Geraldine Kelly, Manager, Connemara Care CLG whose organisation has kindly offered €1,000 in seed funding for the shed, and Joe Ribbon, FORUM SICAP Resource Officer, who will oversee the retrofit of the shed.

The next meeting of Marconi Men’s Shed will be held on Wednesday, November 6, at 7pm in Forum Connemara CLG, Eir Building, Galway Road, Clifden. All men are welcome to attend and contact Eithne on (085) 179 79 59 with any queries.

Pictured: The 21 members of the Marconi Men’s Shed Clifden, at their inaugural meeting last week, with Joe Ribbon of Forum Connemara CLG (back, extreme right).