November 2015

Three Of Our Very Finest:- Club President John Sherlock (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.
Three Of Our Very Finest:- Club President John Sherlock
(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.
More Members and Friends pictured at the November 3rd 2015 meeting:- (Front row, from left: John Kelly, Michael Sheehan and John Sherlock; next, from left, Fanahan Colbert, Mairead Barry and Mary Whelan, former President; next row, from left, Padraig Murphy (obscured), Paula Doran (who made her Icebreaker speech that night) and Helsa Giles; back row, from left:- new member Tim Fitzgerald, Kevin Walsh, Con Fitzgerald and Eddie O'Sullivan.
More Members and Friends pictured at the November 3rd 2015 meeting:- (Front row, from left: John Kelly, Michael Sheehan and John Sherlock; next, from left, Fanahan Colbert, Mairead Barry and Mary Whelan, former President; next row, from left, Padraig Murphy (obscured), Paula Doran (who made her Icebreaker speech that night)
and Helsa Giles; back row, from left:- new member Tim Fitzgerald, Kevin Walsh, Con Fitzgerald and Eddie O’Sullivan.
Here's a chance to meet some of our members, all of whom illuminate every meeting. From left, Mairead Barry, whose contributions are always full of wit and wisdom accompanied by a great knowledge of life in the Fermoy area long ago. Seorise Neilan (centre) and his Mxican-born wife, Patricia, who has recently joined us. Seorise made a memorable speech that evening on the essence of beauty. Next and to the left is Fanahan Colbert, who also spoke then on the low esteem in our culture for the humble water carrier with reference to the classic Rudyard Kipling poem, Gunga Din. To the right, is Frank O'Driscoll: both are former Club Presidents and very dear friends to each other as they are to us all. On Fanahan's left is Mary Whelan, President for the 2014-15 season and one of the most highly regarded and well liked people in Toastmasters. Back row, to the left:- Helsa Giles of Mallow Toastmasters who always brings us beautiful cakes and other culinary creations she makes and shares so generously with us at the teabreak. Extreme left is Con Fitzgerald, who brings his own very special warmth, understanding and humour to our meetings while down at the very back is Kevin Walsh, faraway from the camera but the first person most see when they arrive in his capacity as Club Greeter. (November 3rd 2015).
Here’s a chance to meet some of our members, all of whom illuminate every meeting. From left, Mairead Barry, whose contributions are always full of wit and wisdom accompanied by a great knowledge of life in the Fermoy area long ago. Seorise Neilan (centre) and his 
Mxican-born wife, Patricia, who has recently joined us. Seorise made a memorable speech that evening on the essence of beauty. Next and to the left is Fanahan Colbert, who also spoke then on the low esteem in our culture for the humble water carrier with reference to the classic
Rudyard Kipling poem, Gunga Din. To the right, is Frank O’Driscoll: both are former Club Presidents and very dear friends to each other as they are to us all. On Fanahan’s left is Mary Whelan, President for the 2014-15 season and one of the most highly regarded and well liked people in Toastmasters. Back row, to the left:- Helsa Giles of Mallow
Toastmasters who always brings us beautiful cakes and other culinary creations she makes and shares so generously with us at the teabreak. Extreme left is Con Fitzgerald, who brings his own very special warmth, understanding and humour to our meetings while down at the very back is Kevin Walsh, faraway from the camera but the first person most see when they arrive in his capacity as Club Greeter. (November 3rd 2015).
Keeping An Eye On Time:- Area Governor Johanna Hegarty (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.
Keeping An Eye On Time:- Area Governor Johanna Hegarty
(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.
Club Greeter, Kevin Walsh, relaxes after making everyone feel welcome at the meeting of November 3rd 2015.
Club Greeter, Kevin Walsh, relaxes after making everyone feel welcome at the meeting of November 3rd 2015.
Spot the difference between this and the preceding picture? Standing at the rear of the meeting is David Walsh, who is normally unseen as he is behind the lens trying to capture the golden moment. He has stepped into the frame and is joined by Toastmaster for that evening, John Kelly. On the right of picture and just sitting behind Padraig Murphy is Tim Fitzgerald who made a very emorable Icebreaker or maiden speech that evening, which is always such a very special and cherished moment for every new member and indeed for the entire club. As this scene makes clear, we are all here together in a spirit of mutual support and the very warmest riendship.
Spot the difference between this and the following picture? Standing at the rear of the meeting is David Walsh, who is normally unseen as he is behind the lens trying to capture the golden moment. He has stepped into the frame and is joined by Toastmaster for that evening, John Kelly. On the right of picture and just sitting behind Padraig Murphy is Tim Fitzgerald who made a very emorable Icebreaker or maiden speech that evening, which is always such a very special and cherished moment for every new member and indeed for the entire club. As this scene makes clear, we are all here together in a spirit of mutual support and the very warmest riendship.
Some of the attendance in relaxed and jovial mood after the November 17th meeting. As can be seen, our room in the Fermoy Youth Centre is brightly-lit, spacious and very comfortable, as well as being accessible without the climbing of stairs. Moreover the Fermoy Youth Centre staff are most helpful to us and place a lovely spread of light refresments and heartwarming teas and coffees before us every evening. A congenial venue makes for enhanced and very pleasant gatherings.
Some of the attendance in relaxed and jovial mood after the
November 17th meeting. As can be seen, our room in the Fermoy Youth
Centre is brightly-lit, spacious and very comfortable, as well as being accessible without the climbing of stairs. Moreover the Fermoy Youth Centre staff are most helpful to us and place a lovely spread of light refresments and heartwarming teas and coffees before us every evening. A congenial venue makes for enhanced and very pleasant gatherings.
Padraig Murphy acts as Timekeeper at the meeting of November 17th 2015. It is a task that requires precision and attentiveness, a vital role that often does not receive the recognition it deserves. The sheet on the table to the left of picture contains the duration of every speech made and of the length of every phase of the meeting. This is read out when it comes to the General Evaluation before the conclusion of proceedings. The set of lights in front of Padraig govern the length of speeches. The normal time allowed is seven minutes: the green comes on at five, the amber at six and the red at seven, when the speaker should be wrapping things up at that stage. The Toastmasters' ideal is to impart as much information with an elegant economy of words within that spare timeframe. In competition, speakers who go beyond the thirty second period of grace after the coming on of the seventh minute red light, are disqualified. Of course, for some more advanced presentations the time limits are extended and appropriate adjustments are made beforehand with the Timekeeper. The bell on the table is normally used in the impromptu Topics session; it rings after the speaker has completed the allowed two minutes, and again after one minute add-ons by other contributors.
Padraig Murphy acts as Timekeeper at the meeting of November 17th 2015. It is a task that requires precision and attentiveness, a vital role that often does not receive the recognition it deserves. The sheet on the table to the left of picture contains the duration of every speech made and of the length of every phase of the meeting. This is read out when it comes to the General Evaluation before the conclusion of proceedings. The set of lights in front of Padraig govern the length of speeches. The normal time allowed is seven minutes: the green comes on at five, the amber at six and the red at seven, when the speaker should be wrapping things up at that stage. The Toastmasters’ ideal is to impart as much information with an
elegant economy of words within that spare timeframe. In competition, speakers who go beyond the thirty second period of grace after the coming on of the seventh minute red light, are disqualified. Of course, for some more advanced presentations the time limits are extended and appropriate adjustments are made beforehand with the Timekeeper. The bell on the table is normally used in the impromptu Topics session; it rings after the speaker has completed the allowed two minutes, and again after one minute add-ons by other contributors.
The Top Table for the November 17th 2015 meeting:- President, John Sherlock (centre); Toastmaster, Eilish Ui Bhriain (left); and Topicsmaster, John Kelly. Three happy and smiling faces so eloquently expressive of the happy and welcoming spirit of Fermoy Toastmasters.
The Top Table for the November 17th 2015 meeting:- President, John
Sherlock (centre); Toastmaster, Eilish Ui Bhriain (left); and Topicsmaster, John Kelly. Three happy and smiling faces so eloquently expressive of the happy and welcoming spirit of Fermoy Toastmasters.
At the meeting of November 17th, 2015, at the Fermoy Youth Centre, our Toastmaster and coordinator, Eilish Ui Bhriain, guides proceedings along with charm and grace, always including now and then a few aptly-chosen words of her beloved Irish language. In the background can be seen the Club Banner, which was issued to us by World Headquarters in 1970, a powerful symbol of ntinuity of all of our activities promoting the arts of communication and leadership and personal growth for the greater part of half a century. It is a very fine record to which so many members, both past and present, have contributed with such great generosity of spirit, and of which all can be so rightly proud.
At the meeting of November 17th, 2015, at the Fermoy Youth Centre, our Toastmaster and coordinator, Eilish Ui Bhriain, guides proceedings along with charm and grace, always including now and then a few aptly-chosen words of her beloved Irish language. In the background can be seen the Club Banner, which was issued to us by World Headquarters in 1970, a powerful symbol of ntinuity of all of our activities promoting the arts of communication and leadership and
personal growth for the greater part of half a century. It is a very fine record to which so many members, both past and present, have contributed with such great generosity of spirit, and of which all can be so rightly proud.

IF WE CAN DREAM IT, WE CAN DO IT !