News
Quarter 1 2025.
Welcome back to all our members and best wishes for a Happy New Year. This is our 10th Anniversary!
We completed the development of the Enderscope and were invited to a Research Conference of the Microscopy Society of Ireland on 15 January to share our experience in doing so. Some pictures later.
We held our AGM on 29 January and had a good discussion about how we function and how we can offer an even better service to members. Fred Price has taken on Activities Organiser, so watch this space. For example, following a visit by Cormac Devlin TD and Councillor Justin Moylan on 10th February we are invited to visit the Oireachtas for a tour of Leinster House.
With the weather getting a bit warmer we are able to get some woodwork done outside to respond to requests for Book Exchanges, Garden seats and Planters. Shortly we hope to get the greenhouses planted with tomatoes and cucumbers. Seedlings are being nurtured at the moment.
Welcome back to all our members and best wishes for a Happy New Year. This is our 10th Anniversary!
We completed the development of the Enderscope and were invited to a Research Conference of the Microscopy Society of Ireland on 15 January to share our experience in doing so. Some pictures later.
We held our AGM on 29 January and had a good discussion about how we function and how we can offer an even better service to members. Fred Price has taken on Activities Organiser, so watch this space. For example, following a visit by Cormac Devlin TD and Councillor Justin Moylan on 10th February we are invited to visit the Oireachtas for a tour of Leinster House.
With the weather getting a bit warmer we are able to get some woodwork done outside to respond to requests for Book Exchanges, Garden seats and Planters. Shortly we hope to get the greenhouses planted with tomatoes and cucumbers. Seedlings are being nurtured at the moment.
Quarter 4 2024.
We keep being asked to make Book Exchanges for various Resident's Associations, which keeps the woodworkers busy. We have also built garden planters by request of a resident in a high rise block of flats. Another Community contribution was to help paint a facility owned by St John of God's in Bray.
A new 'project' this quarter has been participating with UCD in the conversion of a 3D Printer to a Microscope to facilitate research in plastics in water! Some of our members used the kit supplied by UCD, containing instructions and parts, to build the microscope, based on the Enderscope 3D Printer. The microscope is called an Enderscope. The idea is to make these available cheaply to encourage local data collection to gather information about what plastics are occuring in water supplies. More news later.
Members enjoyed the introductory course in Using Computers, which will continue new year. We had our usual Christmas Party but before that had a special celebration for the 90th birthday of our member Roy Steele. Congratulations Roy!
Some members attended the All-Ireland 2025 Pride of Place awards in Co Cavan in November, and we had an interesting visit to Dublin Fire Brigade station on Kill Avenue.
We keep being asked to make Book Exchanges for various Resident's Associations, which keeps the woodworkers busy. We have also built garden planters by request of a resident in a high rise block of flats. Another Community contribution was to help paint a facility owned by St John of God's in Bray.
A new 'project' this quarter has been participating with UCD in the conversion of a 3D Printer to a Microscope to facilitate research in plastics in water! Some of our members used the kit supplied by UCD, containing instructions and parts, to build the microscope, based on the Enderscope 3D Printer. The microscope is called an Enderscope. The idea is to make these available cheaply to encourage local data collection to gather information about what plastics are occuring in water supplies. More news later.
Members enjoyed the introductory course in Using Computers, which will continue new year. We had our usual Christmas Party but before that had a special celebration for the 90th birthday of our member Roy Steele. Congratulations Roy!
Some members attended the All-Ireland 2025 Pride of Place awards in Co Cavan in November, and we had an interesting visit to Dublin Fire Brigade station on Kill Avenue.
Quarter 3 2024.
What a busy Quarter 2!! The garden has been producing tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries, apples, and various berries, thanks to the weekly weeding and watering by members. Lots of cups of tea/coffee have been made and members have got to know each other socially.
We continued to keep the grounds of our Landlord, DEC church tidy and have recycled our own compost to restart making more.
We have now prepared our new Laptops to be available for training members on the use of the internet, and training commenced early in September.
As a result of the Pride of Place initiative, (the fund has a north / south element), we are planning a visit to Armagh Men's Shed in the middle of the month. Armagh are making two scale models of the two Armagh Cathedrals, which we look forward to seeing, followed by an actual visit to the two Cathedrals and other sights in the City.
We have also had a very busy summer in the wood project department, - garden benches, repair of chairs/walking sticks, installation of handrails, and making woodturned pans and bowls to be ready for Christmas.
Just last week (early September) we were very saddened to learn of the passing of our esteemed former Chairman Mick McWilliams who made an enormous contribution to the development of the Shed. A number of members were able to attend a Celebration for his life.
What a busy Quarter 2!! The garden has been producing tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries, apples, and various berries, thanks to the weekly weeding and watering by members. Lots of cups of tea/coffee have been made and members have got to know each other socially.
We continued to keep the grounds of our Landlord, DEC church tidy and have recycled our own compost to restart making more.
We have now prepared our new Laptops to be available for training members on the use of the internet, and training commenced early in September.
As a result of the Pride of Place initiative, (the fund has a north / south element), we are planning a visit to Armagh Men's Shed in the middle of the month. Armagh are making two scale models of the two Armagh Cathedrals, which we look forward to seeing, followed by an actual visit to the two Cathedrals and other sights in the City.
We have also had a very busy summer in the wood project department, - garden benches, repair of chairs/walking sticks, installation of handrails, and making woodturned pans and bowls to be ready for Christmas.
Just last week (early September) we were very saddened to learn of the passing of our esteemed former Chairman Mick McWilliams who made an enormous contribution to the development of the Shed. A number of members were able to attend a Celebration for his life.
Quarter 2 2024.
Our First Aid Training was delivered by Ronan Greany of Dalkey First Responders in an exciting way that made members very enthusiastic to participate.
The Eagle, (see Quarter 1 and earlier) has now been restored and returned to its original owner, appropriately enough residing at Eaglewood!
We were encouraged to be asked to apply for the Pride of Place Awards fo 2024 and look forward to preparing a submission if our application is successful.
An interesting new project for us is the request to make Book Exchanges for a number of Residents Committees in the Borough. Our Project Manager Peter Richardson is working on a suitable design and materials to cope with irish weather.
We are also very proud of the beautiful Memorial Table for the Bridges Family, now placed at the Bowling Club.
Orders are still forthcoming for garden benches so we are being kept very busy.
We have welcomed quite a few new members are are working on planning some new activities for them. Members enjoyed a barbecue as part of the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Co Council Festival of Inclusion in May. The Art Group learned some new skills on a screen printing course led by Siobhan Cox, sponsored by DLRCoCo.
Our First Aid Training was delivered by Ronan Greany of Dalkey First Responders in an exciting way that made members very enthusiastic to participate.
The Eagle, (see Quarter 1 and earlier) has now been restored and returned to its original owner, appropriately enough residing at Eaglewood!
We were encouraged to be asked to apply for the Pride of Place Awards fo 2024 and look forward to preparing a submission if our application is successful.
An interesting new project for us is the request to make Book Exchanges for a number of Residents Committees in the Borough. Our Project Manager Peter Richardson is working on a suitable design and materials to cope with irish weather.
We are also very proud of the beautiful Memorial Table for the Bridges Family, now placed at the Bowling Club.
Orders are still forthcoming for garden benches so we are being kept very busy.
We have welcomed quite a few new members are are working on planning some new activities for them. Members enjoyed a barbecue as part of the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Co Council Festival of Inclusion in May. The Art Group learned some new skills on a screen printing course led by Siobhan Cox, sponsored by DLRCoCo.
Quarter 1 2024.
We are following up on a decision of the Committee to install a Swifts Nesting Box, including a lure sound box to help attract the swifts. It may take another season to actually get some residents of this declining bird species.
At our AGM on 7 February, members accepted the Annual Accounts and approved the budget for the coming year. The new Committee was also elected.
We are arranging some First Aid Training, to be delivered by Dalkey First Responders, so that we are prepared to use our Defibrillator if ever needed. It was interesting for members to see the inside of one of the old ambulances, brought back memories for a membe who used to work in Temple Street Children's Hospital.
Our ongoing projects include
We are following up on a decision of the Committee to install a Swifts Nesting Box, including a lure sound box to help attract the swifts. It may take another season to actually get some residents of this declining bird species.
At our AGM on 7 February, members accepted the Annual Accounts and approved the budget for the coming year. The new Committee was also elected.
We are arranging some First Aid Training, to be delivered by Dalkey First Responders, so that we are prepared to use our Defibrillator if ever needed. It was interesting for members to see the inside of one of the old ambulances, brought back memories for a membe who used to work in Temple Street Children's Hospital.
Our ongoing projects include
- Completion of the repair of the Eagle. Being brushed up for cleaning and oiling the feathers, before being released back to its owner!
- Continued repairs on garden benches and a request for a memorial table for a family to be located at the Bowling Club
