New 'Women's Shed' group formed in Offaly town

A new Women’s Shed group has been set up in Tullamore and will have its first meeting in the next few weeks. 

The brainchild of Olibh Ni Dhaibhis the group will meet each Friday morning in a room provided by the Laois Offaly Education and Training Board. 

Olibh got the idea after she was diagnosed with a tumour on her pancreas, she was attending the Dochas centre, but later she felt she was taking a space which could be filled by someone more in need. 

To get the ball rolling on her new concept she enlisted the help of two friends and she posted the idea for a women’s shed group on Facebook. By the next day 500 had joined. 

'' Through Covid I felt isolated and I think a lot of women felt the same. So this is a place to drop in and have a cup of tea and a chat.’’ said Olibh.  

A committee has already been formed and are planning some of the activities that will take place. Olibh said women have been volunteering their services from arts and crafts to beauty treatments to simple DIY like ''putting up a shelf, or changing a lock,’’ said Olibh. 

‘’It won’t require a huge commitment; these will be one or two hour courses,’’ she explains.

Next Tuesday March 8 2022, is International Women’s Day and to mark the event a group of the same women will meet outside the parochial house in Tullamore and walk down the canal line to Boland’s Lock. If anyone feels like joining them just go along. 

Otherwise if you would like to join the Tullamore Women’s Shed you can contact Olibh on 087-7675018.