‘Women are fed up with being told they can’t do it’: Women's DIY workshops prove popular in Cork

If you’ve ever put off hanging a mirror or putting up a shelf because you dread going into a hardware shop, or you don’t know the right hook or drillbit to use, or you’re unsure about what kind of wall you’re drilling into, then a workshop coming to Cork this summer may be just the thing you need.

The Irish School of DIY, run by Kilkenny man Declan Buggy, offers workshops for schools and adult groups on the fundamentals of DIY.

Buggy, who has a background in furniture- making and runs a renovations business, noticed that 90% of the traffic on the website came from women, and he decided to organise women-only workshops.

“I think women are kind of fed up with being told they can’t do it, and that this is a man’s job, which it really isn’t…we show them how simple a lot of it is.”

The next full day workshop in Cork, taking place in Middle Parish Community Centre this weekend, is sold out, but Buggy is already planning further events.

The workshop is described as a relaxed, women-only course designed to build confidence and practical DIY skills in a supportive environment. Attendees can expect to learn how to use tools safely and handle common home maintenance tasks with ease.

“I feel like women would be a little bit put off by the idea of men being there… It just makes it a little bit easier and stops a bit of ‘mansplaining’ going on.”

The workshop covers everything from going into a hardware shop and asking for the right equipment, to practical skills like cutting timber, hanging things on block and stud walls, changing door handles and using power tools.

“I always say to people, on TikTok and Instagram they show you steps five, six, seven and eight, but if you don’t know how to put a drill bit into a drill, you’re hardly going to know how to do these things. So it kind of bridges that gap and it just breaks it down and makes it very simple.”

In groups of three, participants learn how to build a bench from scratch, and all finished benches are then given to local community groups after the session.

“We start off with a big pile of timber... and within their groups of three, everyone starts off and they make a bench. Then the benches get donated to either the local Tidy Towns, or else a local women’s group across the road.”

The workshops are hands-on, with everyone getting the chance to put their newly-learned skills into practice. “When I say [we] change door locks, everybody is given a door... they get to take off the handle, change the lock, put on a new one, and off you go.”

To support learning, workshop sizes are small, with a maximum of 25 people per class. All tools and materials are provided.

“I bring 25 drills, I bring 25 jig saws, and so on… we load up the van, and off we go!”

All participants are asked to bring is a packed lunch, as it’s a day-long session.

As well as the practical advice during the sessions, everyone gets a hand-out to take home, covering all the key points covered in the workshop and any questions that might arise.

“The hand-out covers how to identify different things, basically everything we cover on the course, plus more… so people can go into a hardware shop with a bit of confidence.”

The previous course Buggy organised in Cork was a big hit. “Cork has been the best. We put up a video of it afterwards… I think it has like 350,000 views.”

Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. “I think people do really appreciate how hands on it is... We have been told loads of times it’s the best course they’ve ever done.”

Some people sign up to the workshop with friends, and others come alone. Buggy says some even form friendships over the course of the day.

“It’s funny, we’ve actually had a few people who came and they didn’t know each other before. I got a photo of two women who were strangers going on the course, and a few days later they were gone off for tea and coffee.”

Although the forthcoming workshop is fully booked, Buggy plans to bring another course for women to Cork in the coming months. He will also be offering sessions for kids over the summer. This builds on the work he does in schools, teaching DIY skills and the basics of electrics and plumbing. “We are actually coming to Cork three different times over the summer. We’re doing a pre-apprenticeship course for kids, and we’re doing a kids camp, showing them how to use power tools and everything.”

See @the_irish_school_of_DIY on Instagram.