Women's sheds across the country believe a national umbrella organisation will put them on an equal footing when it comes to funding and support.
This weekend, women from sheds across Ireland will gather in Tullamore in Co Offaly, to mark International Women's Day and highlight the role the sheds - spaces where women come together to share skills and nurture creativity and personal growth - play in so many communities.
Currently women's sheds do not operate under a single national representative body, making it more difficult for them to avail of supports.
Men’s sheds have a representative body - the Irish Men’s Sheds Association - and so can apply for Government funding.
Minister for Rural and Community Development Dara Calleary has said that he is committed to providing any support he can for the development of a national governing body for women's sheds.
Meetings between representatives of women’s sheds and officials from his department, along with colleagues from the Department of Health, have taken place.
The Department said a facilitator is working with women's sheds representatives, providing advice on governance structures, and a final report is expected in the next number of weeks.
For Tullamore Women's Shed, and many other groups across Ireland, a national representative body would provide long-awaited recognition and support.
"The men's sheds are supported by the Government all the time and we hardly get anything," said Catherine Loughman, a member of Tullamore Women's Shed.
"The county council give us some money and we get some from the credit union but it's small," she added.
"With an umbrella organisation, we will be more visible and it will be great for our self-image," she said.
Ms Loughman said the women's shed in Tullamore has made a huge difference in her life.
"I think it's the most wonderful thing that's happened to me in years. I haven't been well. Three years ago, I was diagnosed with an illness and the support I got was incredible," she said.
"Women have a name for being bitchy and fighting and so on, but that's not the case here," she said.
There are now more 120 other women's sheds across the country, providing community and support.
"I started in October three years ago, my husband passed away in July that year, and I was encouraged to come down," said Claire Clifford.
"So, I came down and started making friends and going out, I even started learning the bodhrán. It has helped me so much," she said.
Rosaleen Spollen is a relatively new recruit, only joining last year.
"I started because I was doing yoga and there was a mindfulness class on," she explained.
"Then I started learning the bodhrán and it just kept going from there. I love it here, it's great fun," she said.
"There are different age groups too and we can teach each other.
"I've never knitted before and one of the women here is teaching me that," she said.
The Women's Shed movement has accelerated in recent years, with some people putting that down to the social isolation and disconnection following the Covid pandemic.
Many women craved company again.
"I love coming down here on a Friday and I hate when I miss it," said Maud Condra.
"You come in here, have a coffee, a scone and you have a laugh," she said.
"I feel I've made life-long friends here. I love coming and I love the company," she added.
Women’s sheds have faced challenges.
Some have found it hard to find a permanent home, and funding has always been an issue.
Despite the challenges, sheds like the one in Tullamore continue to grow, providing a space where women of all ages and backgrounds can meet.
"We have a good laugh, there's a good crowd of women here," said Veronica Alexander.
"When I started first, I wasn't really thinking about mental health or socialising but when you get to know the girls, you realise, now if I have a problem I can something here, it makes your problems a bit lighter."
Noelle Spollen joined last year when she started to learn how to play the bodhrán in the shed.
"I was apprehensive about coming first but the ladies are all lovely," she said.
"You meet so many new people. I'm at a stage of my life where I don't meet many people, so it's so lovely to be involved in this."
This weekend a conference will take place in Tullamore to highlight the role women's sheds play in communities across Ireland, which is also being billed as the launch of Women's Sheds Of Ireland.
Founder of the Tullamore Women's Shed Olive Davis says there are around 400 women attending the event.
"Eventually, hopefully with the funding we get, we will someday have money for premises for all these groups," she said.
"People will see these are valuable community groups for women all over Ireland.
"There's no point having these groups in libraries or centres where you've to pack up every week.
"Having a governing body will put women's sheds on the map," she added.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
'A really important issue'
Minister of State at the Department of Health with special responsibility for Public Health and Well Being Jennifer Murnane O'Connor will address Sunday's event.
Speaking this week, she said that she has been working with Minister Calleary to get a structure together, so that the women's sheds can apply for funding.
"It’s a really important issue. We have to make sure that we look after our women's sheds, they do an excellent job," she said.
"They play a huge role in the community, it's everybody mixing together, it's that sense of community and we need to make sure we get this structure in place for them," she added.
