Meitheal is just the job

Self-help groups are taking root all over the country. Dan MacCarthy rolls up his sleeves with one in West Cork

MIDDAY on a Saturday in mid May and all roads lead to a house near the famous nature reserve at Lough Ine close to Skibbereen. From Durrus on the Sheep’s Head peninsula, from nearby Tralispean, from Leap and from Skibbereen, a varied group has come to offer a neighbourly hand to whatever the task-in-hand involves. This is a living example of the ever-growing lend-your-neighbour-a-hand activity known as a meitheal. Increasingly popular all over the country in these straitened times, volunteers can get that job done for you at no cost except for your own abilities returned as a favour. Meitheal Mara in Cork city has been an ongoing success for years in the boating world.

The meitheal group centered around Skibbereen comprises locals and internationals who have made their home there. Italian Paola Vais, a chef by trade, is joined by Nicholas from England, a horticulturist, and Eve from the US, an architect. Numbers are fewer today but the group collectively shrugs and gets on with it. Paola explains numbers can vary from three to 12 and their group primarily concentrates on gardening jobs but is willing to tackle other suggestions any member may have. The group loves going to Paola’s place as she cooks up Italian feasts and serves them around a huge old table.

Today’s task involves weeding an extended vegetable plot beside Paola’s polytunnel and planting young lettuce plants, trimming back the chard, cutting back the raspberry bushes and giving the area a general clean. Eve from the US is already well stuck into her patch helped by her four young children. Nicholas is kneeling in the middle of the vegetable patch tearing out an oversized dock leaf. Paola directs operations.

This is the first time the group has met since late last year (they take a break over the winter months) and on that occasion they built a windbreak for Nicholas and his partner Anne Marie in their place near Leap. “Wind is really the killer here more than anything else,” says Nicholas.

The concept is a bit like ‘wooofing’, where people work for their food and then get accommodation, says Paola. “They get the work done in the garden and enjoy eating the produce later in the summer. Everyone being a foodie helps,” she says.

“It’s a great way of meeting people. You build up a lot of friendships. And then it’s an opportunity to get jobs done in the garden that otherwise you would find a reason to procrastinate,” she says.

She indicates four vegetable beds that are beautifully tilled and weed-free. It took the group just an hour to do, but would have taken her the whole morning.

The group originated when one of the members placed a local newspaper ad to see if there was anyone interested in doing a meitheal. The response was pretty good, says Paola, with about a dozen people showing up and they took it from there. Everyone from the initial group is still involved, bar one, says Paola. The group is open to new members.

“Although everyone has differently-sized gardens, it’s not a commercial thing. No one’s growing food for profit, it’s all just for themselves and their families. And it’s mutually beneficial. And it’s a great social occasion. On a day like this, where else would you want be rather than outdoors?” asks Nicholas.

Nicholas says they all look forward to sitting down and enjoying the fruits of their labours later in the summer.

Next up for the meitheal group is Nicholas and Anne Marie’s place. “We have a large polytunnel so it’s a case of getting in there and getting it back under control. It’s such a great growing environment that even the weeds are thriving. We’ll do some planting as well,” he says.

Other jobs down the line include clearing a field, harvesting crops, clearing out an outhouse, and building a wall. And it always ends with dinner.

The meitheal idea is a system of exchange, socialist in principle, that underscores the idea of neighbourliness. For the moment, thankfully out of reach of the taxman. In the US such barter exchanges are considered as benefits in kind, and thus taxable.

Three years on the go in Clonakilty

Meanwhile, in nearby Clonakilty, a a differenty type of meitheal has been running for around three years. Clonakilty Favour Exchange describes itself as a labour and exchange system.

“It is open, voluntary and does not involve the making or spending of money. It is, at heart, ‘an economy of goodwill’ with its own currency — the favour,” it says on Facebook.

Members register their interests on the group’s website and offer their skills as a favours’ exchange. At this point you can call on anyone in the database list of skills to do a job, or they can call on you. A secretary keeps a close eye on members to make sure the system works efficiently.

Members of this group offer skills ranging from English and Irish grinds to homeopathy consultations, ukulele playing, legal consultations and much more.

Or simply the willing-to-do-anything member: “Hi, this is Idriz. I am from Kosovo and I like to help people,” writes one contributor.

On its ‘asks’ list, Danny is looking for accordion lessons while Christine is looking for horseriding tuition.

* www.clonfavour.com