Fermoy Toastmasters held their first meeting of the new autumn season on the evening of Tuesday, September 13th. Underpinning that simple and clear statement is a wonderful tradition of achievement and pleasure, of personal development and the lasting joy of great friendship stretching back over many years and which is so richly and delightfully renewed and enhanced every time we gather together in camaraderie and goodwill. Indeed the term camaraderie was chosen as the watchword of the meeting, written on a card and placed on the top table with the participants invited to use it in the course of their contributions, as many enjoyed doing so for it sums up the whole philosophy and meaning of our existence as a club which is part of a great worldwide organisation: to promote good fellowship and genial sentiment among all who gather around our banner in a cordial spirit of mutual generosity and with a sense of great optimism and looking forward.
We would like to express a special word of gratitude and appreciation to the staff of the Fermoy
Youth Centre who are always ever so kind, hospitable and helpful to us and who do everything to ensure our meetings are so memorably pleasant and enjoyable.
Proceedings were called to order by our President, Eilish Ui Bhriain, who inaugurated her year with the chain of office and tradition that she wears with such grace and distinction, by extending to all in her beloved and cherished Irish language that she speaks so beautifully a very warm and heartfelt cead mile failte, a full and most sincere welcome not just to that first meeting but to the entire season that stretches before us. Welcome is our constant watchword for all who come among us seeking to pursue your personal goals and ever further advancement, above all to enjoy a very rewarding and fulfilling time with some of the very nicest people you can meet anywhere.
The meeting was then chaired by the toastmaster of the meeting, John Sherlock who was our outstanding and most successful President of last year and now carried things forward in his ever relaxed and affable style. A vital part of the programme of every meeting is the topics session which was in the hands of Kevin O’Neill, our Educational Vice President and meeting organiser. A recently-joined club member, he has assumed this great responsibility with energy and vigour, infusing all of us with his bracing enthusiasm. Peggy O’Donovan as timekeeper kept a dutiful eye on the stopwatch and marked the boundaries of each contributor’s time with the light tinkling of the bell that reminds all of us we have our right to fully utilise our moment to speak and to share but that others have the same right to have their voices heard so that all may listen and advance together with interest, pleasure and inspiration.
Kevin reminded us of the nature of topics which are all about asking randomly chosen members to speak impromptu on any subject, the first respondent for two minutes with one minute add-ons thereafter. Guests are never asked to speak but are free to do so if the spirit moves them at the appropriate time. After the long summer break this proved such a stimulating and engaging process, making us all think quickly and react promptly, filling the room with an eager and engaging spontaneity that is most uplifting and mind-broadening. It brings to all of us a palpable sense of how much we can do when quite literally put on the spot. As responses and add-ons followed each other at a fast pace, the meeting was filled with a spirit of zestful originality as subjects as mixed and varied as the controversy over the Apple Corporation and their 13 billion euros, the delight of favourite hobbies, remembering the late Gene Wilder and other great comic actors of the silver screen, the virtues of buying a new car or the current strike in Dublin Bus figuring among those selected.
We had two very fine inaugural meetings of the season, beginning with Jerry Hennessy taking us on a fascinating journey through the inner workings of the silage harvester, machines that exemplify the very highest standards of technological achievement, gathering in the richness of the grasses of the earth to sustain the national cattle herd through the dark lean months of winter that lie ahead. This presentation was painstakingly well researched and some very telling facts and figures presented: that national herd represents well over a million cattle generating each year six point one million litres of milk. Now while some motorists have doubtlessly experienced the frustration of being caught behind these huge harvesters on narrow country roads, they would find it hard to believe that each one is eight times more powerful than the average car, can cut 200 tons of silage in a day and consume the equivalent of eight wheelie bins of diesel as they whine and drone across the fields of mid-summer. Illustrated with diagrams attached to our meeting programmes, Jerry spoke with poise and confidence on a subject which he thoroughly understood and infused it with his fascination of powerful machinery in all of its complexity and accomplishment that makes our modern world possible, delivered with all of his ready charm, affability and warmth.
Kevin Walsh spoke of the recent holiday that he and his brother David spent in the beautiful English cathedral city of York, to which they have long-standing family links. He painted vivid word pictures of visiting the majestic York Minster Cathedral, seeing a vast collection of old weapons in the Royal Armouries in Leeds, all now peaceful exhibits resting in glass cases. The highlight of the trip was a wonderful excursion on board a train hauled by The Flying Scotsman from York to Carlisle, the most famous locomotive in the world now magnificently restored to green-liveried elegance and grace and the attainment of exhilarating speed on the main line, while in the carriages so many strangers were brought together in the shared love of the romance of steam and where conversation and friendship soon flourished. All along the way bystanders waved and took pictures, trying ever so fleetingly to be a part of this great experience. Kevin was impressed by the kindness and help he received as a disabled traveller. He concluded that all of us as passengers in the train of life were now happily together as friends where a true sense of belonging and of home is found.
Our speakers received very fine evaluations from Fanahan Colbert and Trish Neilan, while Seoirise Neilan (husband of Trish) as General Evaluator praised this opening meeting as an occasion of laughter and learning that would send everyone away feeling happy and glad to have been there. We hope that you will come to discover this for yourself at our next gathering on this coming Tuesday, September 27th, at8.15 pm in the Fermoy Youth Centre. 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.