There used to be a TV insurance ad with the slogan: ‘You’ll be glad you called’. But with Fermoy Toastmasters it very definitely a case of You’ll Be Glad You Came!
We were indeed all so very glad to have been a part of the bright, warm and welcoming gathering of Fermoy Toastmasters on Tuesday, January 31st at the Fermoy Youth Centre, our second of 2017, which was so memorably pleasant and entertaining. Friends coming together to celebrate the joy of life sharing our resources of talent, enthusiasm and creative energy that makes every meeting such a beautiful and rewarding experience. Club President Eilish Ui Bhriain extended cordial greetings and good wishes to all and then passed control of the meeting to the toastmaster or chairperson Mary Whelan who spoke most eloquently on the air of spring that we see around us now in the natural world and which finds its expression in our meeting room where we assemble in freshness and excitement.
Every meeting is a new beginning. For one of our new members Tim Fitzgerald it marked his impressive debut in the role of Topicsmaster, the setter of themes and ideas that invite the members to speak briefly off the cuff having received no prior notification. It is extraordinary how quickly it takes on a life and energy of its own as contributions become readily free flowing and assured. Tim did a fantastic job and presented us with a wonderful range of subjects that challenged us to think swiftly and to speak with ready fluency in that lovely generosity of spirit that compels everyone to share the richness of their thoughts and experience with others setting up a mutually stimulating and uplifting interchange of insights and viewpoints with humour, engagement and zest.
John Quirke responded thoughtfully to Ireland’s prospects in the Rugby Six Nations Championship by saying that one way to certainly lose a match is by thinking of the next one (and we know what happened since in Murrayfield). Time and again, he said, the national team’s confidence fails them in front of the winning posts, something that happens to so many people in every walk of life. The matching of confidence with effort alone makes dreams become reality and turns aspirations into achievements. Here we received a shining gem of wisdom and insight. Then too views were sought on optimism and pessimism, on whether the glass is half full or half empty. Or to what favourite pastime of your teenage years would you return if that were possible. This drew from our Meeting Organiser Kevin O’Neil the wish to rediscover the pure undiluted joy of the snooker table about which he has spoken previously. In reality his love of that absorbing sport carries on and has been transmuted into an enthusiasm he brings to all areas of life not least the brilliant and outstanding work he does preparing outstandingly successful meeting programmes time and again throughout our current season.
The scene was now set for three delightful speeches. Our President Eilish Ui Bhriain with winning charm and gentleness took on the challenge of giving an entertaining speech that she illustrated so effectively by bringing to us what she finds most entertaining in her love of creative writing and good reading, cultivating an interest in politics and especially following the fortunes of the Kerry-based Healy-Rae brothers, the storytelling of Cormac McConnell, all representing golden threads of pleasure and enjoyment that each in its turn we hope she will explore at greater length in future assignments as adroitly advised by her evaluator John Quirke.
It is always a very special treat whenever Michelle O’Brien comes to the lectern and once again we were delighted by her very well-crafted talk conveying ideas in clear and meaningful words. With grace and subtlety she expanded on the theme of support networks in the workplace and in all spheres of our lives that give us encouragement and strength whether through friends and mentors or professional associates and family members all helping us to bring forward ideas and to pursue enhanced development. Every individual interacts with, assists and learns from each other bringing out the best in all so that together the lives of everyone are made far better and more rewarding. There is no better place to do this than in Toastmasters. As Michelle’s evaluator Jerry Hennessy said in his summation later if bullying leaves people drained, lending a helping hand and a kind word brings fulfilment and mutual strength to all, not least to the one who reaches out in friendship and goodwill.
Finally, we had an Advanced Storytelling presentation from Johanna Hegarty who depicted the era of the traditional matchmaker in rural Ireland many years ago as exemplified by the coming together of the Walsh and Lynch families in the person of her Aunt Margaret. If misunderstanding is the essence of comic opera in the world of music, so too in this amusing tale of the spoken word a young woman comes for the first time to the home of the man she hopes to marry and is dismayed to find an elderly gentleman desperately trying to catch a frisky horse and a wayward gander. But soon all was clarified when she was introduced to a fine handsome young fellow whom she would marry in due course and together they would enjoy a long and happy life together, related by Johanna with her eager style, warm enthusiasm and winning smile.
We are all engaged in the stuff of life that makes us truly human and Johanna was warmly complimented for sharing all of this with us by her evaluator Fanahan Colbert who also underlined the importance of the telling pause in the course of every speech, to halt briefly in one’s delivery to let the full impact of what has been said to register on the listeners and then resuming with an even greater effect. Every evaluation is built on praise, encouragement and suggestion of ever further improvement. The club is a huge source of wisdom and experience and it is there to be utilised and harnessed to the very fullest and best.
General Evaluator David Walsh praised Timekeeper Clare Guy for her precision and care operating the system of lights and the bell which regulates the use of time to maximum effect. He spoke glowingly of yet another great meeting so well attended and full of genial atmosphere with another instalment in the great tradition of having fun. And we look forward to writing another chapter in that story of fun and this time with a hint of romance and love in the air as we meet again Tuesday evening next, February 14th, St. Valentine’s Night, at 8.15 pm in the Fermoy Youth Centre. You’ll Be Glad You Came!
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.