Adam Byrne
Hello, my name is Adam Byrne. I’ve been coming to the Shewsy since I was about 11 or 12, and I grew up in the Everton area. Why is the Shewsy important? That’s a really hard question to answer, because every time I mention the Shewsy, or it gets mentioned by someone else, it always turns into a conversation. If you meet anyone, there’s always an “oh yeah, the Shewsy,” and a conversation starts from there.
It’s hard to put into words really. It’s more of an emotion, and sometimes you can’t turn emotions into words. Some songwriters are good at that — The Beatles and people like that — but for me, it’s difficult to explain. Obviously, it’s a building, but it’s more than just a building. It’s a place of safety, a place of memories, a place of smiles, and a place of friends. It takes me back to my childhood, and the fact that it’s still here now means a lot to me.
I like to think about the past, the present, and the future, and I think the Shewsy represents all three. It represents my past, but also the future, because you see the young people who still come here now, and the generations who will come after them. That’s really important, because there aren’t many places where you feel that kind of connection — not just to a physical building, but to an actual space that means something. It’s not just important to me either; a lot of people feel that same connection.
School wasn’t really great for me. I learned more when I went to college, but during my teenage years, around 14 or 15, it was a difficult time, like it is for most people at that age. I remember coming here and just feeling free, meeting your mates, and having a laugh. It was a happy time, and I love looking back on it now. As you get older, you tend to look back on those years more, not through rose-tinted glasses, but thinking, actually, at that age I was very hopeful.
I was hopeful for my community, for myself, and for the country as a whole, even the world. I’ve always been quite socially aware. The Shewsy wasn’t just a youth club — we had discussions. We talked about the world, about the community, and about different issues. It was a place where you were listened to, which doesn’t always happen for teenagers. When you’re that age, you think you know everything, and I definitely thought I did at 14 or 15, but having people actually listen to you really mattered.
If there was a subject you wanted to talk about, you were encouraged to think about it properly. We had something called a discussion group at the Shewsy on a Friday night. It was at the end of the week, right at the end of the club night, and there would always be an issue to talk about. I found that fascinating, and it was a really good way to end the week.
Being listened to was incredibly important, because it didn’t really happen at school. But at the Shewsy, you felt valued, and you felt that your opinion mattered.
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