DAMS group first social gathering in over two years

THE Dominic’s Active Men’s Social (DAMS) held a presentation evening in Aherne’s on the Old Bawn Road in Tallaght last week – marking their first indoor social outing since the pandemic began.

DAMS is a social group for retired men that’s based in Dominic’s Community Centre. They meet up on Friday mornings and have social outings, however they had to stop these activities as a result of the pandemic.

Last Wednesday, February 16, a group of 25 men from DAMS went to a presentation evening in Aherne’s, where awards were given to the men who excelled in the group’s photography and pitch and putt activities over the past two years.

Liam Hennessy, DAMS’ assistant secretary and a Mountain Park resident, told The Echo: “For a lot of the fellas, it was their first time getting together in two years and it was wonderful.

“It was our first social get-together since February 2020. Our socials are very relaxed, sometimes we’ll get up and have an aul sing-song, we even have our own band in DAMS, the Bookends.

“The group is incredibly important. There’s a number of people whose wives have passed away and they live on their own, so these socials are an extremely important part of the ethos of DAMS.”

The group had to suspend most of their activities – with the exception of photography and pitch and putt because they could be done outdoors and while socially distanced – because of the pandemic.

However, last week’s presentation evening marked a return to form for DAMS. They are now back to holding their weekly Friday morning meetings and offering activities for their members.

These activities include the DAMS choir, indoor boules, photography classes, computer classes, and a once-a-month day trip to sites which previously included Glasnevin Cemetery and Kilmainham Gaol.

“There’s a whole pile of activities in DAMS,” explained Liam. “It depends on how much you want to be involved in, but it’s all in a nice environment and offers members the opportunity to wind down.

“You can do as much or as little as you like.”

The group currently has 45 members, and they are seeking new members – the only requirement is that they’re men aged 55 and up.

“We’re getting back to normal now,” said Liam. “It’s fantastic. It’s a grand aul social outlet and we all missed it. We all missed the camaraderie of it and going to places together.

“It’s a wonderful way to get people together and give them a sense of purpose.”

Anyone who’s interested in joining DAMS can visit the group at their weekly informal Friday morning meeting at 10am in Dominic’s Community Centre.

“You can come and see what’s happening without any commitment for two weeks,” added Liam. “If you would like to talk to our DAMS secretary you can contact him on 087 275 5934.”

As for the overall impact of DAMS, Liam said: “It means a lot to a lot of people. We’re delighted to see the group being back on track now.”