It is Tuesday, November 3rd and night has descended as we go to the meeting of the Fermoy Toastmasters Club in the local riverside Youth Centre. There is always such a mystery about the river: it is unimaginably ancient and yet is ever timeless. Come in the door and a warm welcome awaits you, the room is brightly lit and comfortable, the hum of genial conversation fills the air marking the coming together of very dear friends to celebrate the arts of communication and pleasant listening, of learning by enjoyment and participating in hugely stimulating and rewarding activities.
(centre); Jerry Hennessy, Toastmaster and John Quirke (the Father Of The House as well as one of the very longest serving Toastmasters in Ireland and Britain since 1978), all pictured at the Club meeting on November 3rd 2015 in the Fermoy Youth Centre. Three nicer and better fellows you could not meet anywhere.
Soon the gavel sounds and our President, John Sherlock, called the meeting to order with an amiable greeting to all. Jerry Hennessy then assumed control of the meeting as toastmaster or chairman for the evening, who guided proceedings smoothly and briskly forward with a light but very sure touch. Our organiser and coordinator, Eilish Ui Bhriain, sadly could not be with us, but Jerry expressed the very best wishes of us all to her.
Our topics session was in the hands of a brilliant master of the art, John Quirke, who based his selection of themes on a series of remarkable wise sayings: for instance among many others, the writing on the wall is always for others, never for yourself; women have the clearer minds; there are three kinds of people: those who help you in time of trouble, those who leave you in time of trouble and those who put you in trouble in the first place – all of which drew a great range of engaging, funny and thoughtful responses that fostered a bracing and scintillating atmosphere.
(left) and Michelle O’Brien share the role of Timekeeper at the Club meeting of November 3rd 2015. To the right can be seen the system of lights that govern the duration of speeches: the green comes on at five minutes; amber at six; red at seven by which time the speaker should be wrapping things up. In competition there is just a thirty
second period of grace after the red light beyond which the speaker is automatically disqualified.
Under the careful and dedicated timekeeping of Michelle O’Brien, four set speeches constituted the centrepiece of the meeting. It is always such a joy to welcome a new member and friend to the club as we did with Paula Doran of Ballyporeen who delivered her Icebreaker or maiden speech, evoking happy childhood memories of her native Tallaght in west Dublin, then a young and growing town still within a semi-rural setting. She struck a contrast between playing around the mushrooming building sites and the lovely tranquil surroundings of Blessington Lakes that she often visited. Today Tallaght has emerged as a young vibrant city in its own right but growing up as she did when it was such a very different place, Paula finds today that her life in Ballyporeen is no culture shock. It was a lovely, heart-warming and delightful introductory speech and we thank Paula for joining us and look forward to the richness of her contribution that she will make for a long time to come.
Seoirse Neilan then delivered a very well-researched and thoughtful speech on the theme of beauty and what constitutes its elusive essence. A vast subject, but one so deftly handled with immense skill and assurance, drawing vivid word illustrations for his theme from the innocence of children’s fairy tales to the physical beauty of great movie stars of the past like Rudolf Valentino and Ingrid Bergman. But as he so rightly pointed out, such beauty is ever so transient and fleeting: the true beauty that lasts and is indeed eternal is that of the soul and which is expressed most movingly in the great works of art. On thirteen occasions he has visited Lourdes and finds such peace in the deeply spiritual ambience of the Grotto; before becoming visually impaired, Seoirse remembers seeing a painting there that corresponded most closely to St. Bernadette’s description of the Blessed Virgin that left a lasting impression in his memory. Through the appreciation of the senses, he said, we come to an awareness of the infinite. This was such a classic speech, one that gave us all a deeply-felt sense of having been elevated and inspired.
Then sitting before the audience, Michael Sheehan read a one act play, a dark but compelling comedy from the pen of Patrick Fagin telling the story of a medical doctor’s return from Brazil to marry her local Irish sweetheart, a wish that comes up against the intense hostility of her parents, especially her father who seems on the surface to epitomise farming respectability. The tension builds as the frowned upon fiancé arrives leading to a tragic climax after a sensational family secret is revealed. But all the while a strong and unerring streak of humour is woven through the story that was brought so immediately and vividly to life by Michael’s brilliant use of voice characterisations that won such well-deserved and full-hearted applause.
Fanahan Colbert then came to the lectern to take a very original look on a well covered subject: the water charges controversy, highlighting the traditionally low regard for the humble water carrier as exemplified in Rudyard Kipling’s classic poetic telling of the story of Gunga Din who was harshly treated by the British soldiers he so loyally served in India long ago even to the cost of his own life. The theme was then broadened to encompass today’s controversies and the bitter opposition of many to having to pay for a service that is so vital and which costs so much to deliver to our taps. Everyone wants water but no one appreciates it. Again Fanahan told of an Indian village festival where each family were asked to contribute a jug of milk but only water was given. It was such a very original and thoughtful contribution to one of today’s most hotly debated issues as well as being such a pleasurable and entertaining speech.
If we enjoyed milk during our very convivial tea-break, we also had honey in a delicious ginger and walnut cake brought to us most generously by Helsa Giles of Mallow. Not to mention the gladness of good cheer. We are all friends together and no speech stands alone. All receive assessment in praise and in positive recommendation from designated members as evaluators, as was so well done by Mary Whelan, Padraig Murphy, Eddie O’Sullivan and John Kelly, with a final overall impression of the meeting was given by the General Evaluator, Johanna Hegarty. Icebreaker, Paula Doran, received the blue ribbon as Best Speaker.
Inside the ending of one meeting there is a looking forward and invitation to another which will take place on Tuesdaynext, November 17th, in the Fermoy Youth Centre at 8.15 pm. 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