Report by: KEVIN WALSH
Club President Eilish Ui Bhriain extended very cordial greetings and a most pleasant welcome to all the members and friends of Fermoy Toastmasters on the penultimate regular meeting of our current season on the evening of Tuesday, April 25th, drawing a tellingly immediate contrast between the bright if rather chill conditions outside and the atmosphere of warmth and close togetherness that pervaded the meeting room inside. The role of President is vital in seeing a relaxed and happy keynote from the very outset and Eilish always succeeds in doing this with class and distinction by always finding just the right words combined with a most delightful friendly smile to launch this and every meeting on a bright and successful course for a memorable entertaining and enjoyable couple of hours.
Jerry Hennessy at short notice stepped into the role of Toastmaster or chairman of the meeting which he guided with his gentle affability and uniquely personable style, setting everyone at their ease and introducing the various speakers and participants as the proceedings unfolded. Our Topicsmaster and longest serving club member and Toastmaster in the country with an unbroken record of membership stretching back to the late 1970s, John Quirke, turned in a brilliant performance as he set before us a whole succession of varied, engaging, witty and well-selected topics that really got the meeting humming and bubbling over with creative energy and active enjoyment. Topics are all about spontaneity and the immediate response, evoking something fresh, bracing and of the moment, getting people thinking, interacting, contributing and above all having fun. If the essence of our craft is getting everyone involved, John’s remarkable wizardry evoked a response from everyone in the room without exception, so that every voice was heard creating a beautiful and life-enhancing pastiche of thought, immediacy and the pure joy of the spoken word that comes straight from the heart and the genial well-springs of the spirit.
Before the tea-break, we had the pleasure of a trio of excellent and very different speeches. Nina Keating rose to give her Stage Two speech with the aim of organising a clear speech outline to make meaning clear and readily understood. With summer in the offing, Nina reminded us of the dangers of overexposure to the rays of the sun which has led to a surge in the rates of often fatal melanoma, touching many families with the loss of loved ones. However she went on to broaden her presentation by considering the impact of sunscreen products which has resulted in depleted levels of Vitamin D which can give rise to serious health risks including ironically a heightened likelihood of serious cancers. Having sketched the challenge, Nina then offered a simple, direct and commonsense solution in the form of a modest exposure to sunlight for it is the best source of Vitamin D together with the use of a variety of supplements, with product samples displayed on the lectern. As evaluator Michael Sheehan later said, this was a very topical and informative speech that marks a significant on Nina’s journey into the world of Toastmasters where she is already making so much better and brighter for us all.
Our next speech marked another significant milestone for Padraig Murphy, now attaining his Stage Ten Competent Communicator Award from World Headquarters, his assignment focusing on motivation of the audience. He evoked a childhood surrounded by a great hurling tradition of and of his early experience as a team captain which left him feeling with a desire to have done more on the playing field. But no experience in life is ever wasted if you can take something positive from it and in this regard years later Padraig came to Toastmasters looking for a new avenue to personal growth and enhanced achievement. Working through the stages of the manual and enjoying the mutually supportive and friendly environment of the club, he feels so rightly happy now for all that he has attained, bringing a new richness to his work, family life and hobbies. Padraig told of taking part in a motivational workshop and being asked by the presenter to come up and speak which he did with confidence and effectiveness, while also citing his enjoyment of the role as Best Man at a number of weddings and most poignantly of having delivered a heartfelt funeral oration to the cherished memory of his dear Mother. The talents he has cultivated here have served him well in embracing all aspects of life. Padraig concluded by saying he wished he could be that captain again. But today he is so much more than that, a shining star of our inspiration, a brilliant Toastmaster and a very good friend to all of us, receiving a warm evaluation from Frank O’Driscoll who complimented him on a very fine speech that was so full of enthusiasm and a celebration of just how far the desire to improve can take any of us.
Our EVP and Meetings Organiser, Kevin O’Neill also brought great enthusiasm and gusto to his presentation on his keen love of dancing in which he takes ongoing regular lessons. He traced the origins and history of jive in the United States in the early 20th century, its popularity carried by the arrival of millions of American soldiers in Europe during the Second World War, remaining one of the most loved dance forms today. Actions speak louder than words and with the ever lovely and charming Mary Whelan as partner and appropriate musical accompaniment, we were treated to a wonderful display of graceful movement and lightness of turn that brought joy and pleasure to all as we clapped and cheered them both along. Kevin spoke of the benefits of taking part in dance lessons: reduced stress, the need to retain all the movements boosts memory, elevating mood and making for a happier life. Just like membership of Toastmasters in fact. Evaluator Fanahan Colbert praised Kevin for the inspiration he gave by sharing his love of this wonderful art.
General Evaluator Tim Fitzgerald thanked everyone for a hugely enjoyable meeting and of the fulfilment he has obtained from Toastmasters’ membership, very generously citing club greeter Kevin Walsh for the warmth of the welcome that he constantly extends to everyone and which Tim said kept him coming to our meetings where he has proved himself an outstanding member and is admired and cherished by all of us for his geniality and kindness. Warm welcome, generosity of spirit, the pleasure of great speaking and listening, the joy of friends happy and having fun together: these all serve to make our meetings so special and so happy. Our next gathering which will also include our AGM will take place on Tuesday evening next, May 9th, at 8.15 pm in the Fermoy Youth Centre, to which we so very gladly look forward. For further information, please contact Eilish Ui Bhriain at 087 1235203 or Kevin Walsh at 058 60100 or log on to our mobile-friendly website toastmastersfermoy.com or find us on Twitter @ FermoyT.