19 Dec

Speakeasy Toastmasters Club
The meeting of the Speakeasy Toastmasters Club in the Hibernian Hotel (Chapel Lane) on Thursday night Dec 12’th was a little different from the usual format. A mulled wine reception awaited 40 members and visitors and when the meeting started just a little later than usual the attendance were nicely “warmed up”.
President, Pat Sexton opened the meeting by welcoming everybody, especially members from other Clubs. He introduced the Toastmaster, Noel O’Connor, Topics Master, Sr. Bernadette Knopec from the Fáile Club in Charleville, Timekeeper Mary Stack, Sergeants at Arms, Elaine O’Donoven and Michael Cronin. Pat paid special tribute to Sr. Bernadette on coming second in the District Topics Contest in Tralee recently.
Pat then passed control of the meeting to Toastmaster Noel O’Connor who complete with Santa Claus hat explained the format of the meeting for the evening and that we were going to start off with a topics session. Topics Master Sr. Bernadette then presided over a very lively topics session. Some of these topics were, (where members are asked to speak “off the cuff”for two minutes). “Star of Wonder, what would you wish for if that star landed on your lap?”, Pat Sexton. “Christmas Shopping”, Mary Buckley. “Will your Christmas Tree be real or artificial” Jerry Mulcahy.

Then it was time for the speeches and first to the lectern was Club PRO, Sean Corcoran with a speech entitled, “Wire, Wood and Glue”. Sean was doing a Stage 8 speech and he persuaded us that everyone, no matter what their age, is capable of playing a musical instrument. He explained why some people such as parents, prospective parents and grandparents should learn the guitar; to sing lullabies and farmers should learn guitar to increase milk yields. Sean finished his speech with a demonstration on how easy an instrument the guitar is to play and sang a verse of “The City Of New Orleans” to finish off.

Next to the lectern was Paula Kelleher from the newly formed “Glanmire Toastmasters Club” with a Stage 2 speech entitled “Keep a Cool Yule”. “I’d like you to all raise your glasses and to raise your spirits as we say to each other, “Have a Cool Yule”” began Paula as she told us the story of her first memory of Santa Claus coming to her and her brother. She went on to explain the Magic of Christmas and what it means to different people. Couples who spend their first Christmas together and hoping that the next forty or fifty will be as magical as the first “and it can be if you let the magic in”. Paula is originally from Mallow and Speakeasy members are looking forward to her next visit.

After Paula was Barry McCarthy with a Stage 1 Speech from the “Speaking to Inform” Manual, entitled, “Second Sight”. “When you are eleven, getting glasses is a very exciting thing, but the novelty soon wears off” said Barry as he went on to explain his experiences with glasses, then various contact lenses and finally Laser Surgery. He explained the history of Lazar Surgery from the earliest Russian pioneering procedures and their use of ocean going liners, which were fitted out to perform the this surgery, to the most modern procedures of today.

Then it was the turn of John Skeates from the Crusaders Club. John is Area 17 Governor, which includes, The Crusaders Club from Cork, Fermoy Toastmasters and Speakeasy. John was giving a Stage 7 Speech entitled “A Few Words at Christmas”.
Each year at Christmas time each household receives about fifty Christmas Cards, almost as much private post as people receive throughout the rest of the year. Most of the cards are just wising a happy Christmas and nothing else. “A missed opportunity for letter writing”, said John, who also pointed out that with email being so popular that people are rediscovering the skill of letter writing.

Then it was the turn of Mary Buckley who was giving a Stage 7 Speech.
Entitled, “We brought the real Santa back home”.”Does Christmas hold for you some special childhood
memories of long ago or does it still hold that wondrous magic today?” asked Mary who pointed out
that Christmas means different things to different people depending on their circumstances. Mary then went on to
tell the story of an eventful trip to the North Pole that she had, which did not start off as it should have for various reasons.
Day one of the trip was missed out on but day two fulfilled all their expectations and they even brought Santa back home with them.

Finally it was the turn of Club President, Pat Sexton. Pat was completing his 40’Th official Toastmasters speech.
It was a speciality speech and Pat read the Oscar Wilde story, “The Happy Prince” from the book “The Happy Prince and other Stories”
First published in 1888

With the speeches complete it was back to Topics Master Sr. Bernadette for some more topics.
Some of the topics that Sr. Bernadette choose and the members to whom the topics were asked were as follows.
“Rudolph’s first Toastmasters Speech, what would he have said”, was asked of Tim Casey. “Have we lost the
true meaning of Christmas?”, Elizabeth O’Brien. “What was the best Christmas Present you ever got?” Gerry Kelleher which
also saw five more members giving “add on’s” (where people who have not been asked specifically to speak can speak for one minute)
“Many people give pets for Christmas”, Elaine O’Donovan.
These were just some of the “topics” that were given out during the lively and entertaining “topics session”

The Committee of Speakeasy Toastmasters would like to take this opportunity to wish all club members and their families, management and staff of the Hibernian Hotel and The Avondhu a happy and holy Christmas and peaceful New Year.

Speakeasy Toastmasters meetings resume again on January 9’Th at 8PM and on the programme will be Toastmaster, Elizabeth O’Brien,
Topicsmaster, Michael Donegan and speeches from, Angela Sheehan, Michael Cronin, Jeremiah Roynane, Ray Ryan, Mary Stack and N O’Brien.
For further information on the Club contact Sean on 086 6054784 or Pat 087 2364240 or visit the Club’s Website at www.clix.to/speakeasy. Email, speakeasymallow@eircom.net

12 Dec

The Speakeasy Toastmasters Club held another very successful and entertaining meeting in The Hibernian Hotel, Mallow, (Chapel Lane) on Thursday 28’th of November.
After John Dillon’s speech it was the turn of Rita Foley with a speech entitled “Bread”. Rita was making a stage 5 speech from the Communications and Leadership Programme the purpose of which was “To explore the use of voice volume, pitch, rate and quality as assets to your speaking”, “To achieve a pleasing natural voice quality when speaking”.
“I am the living bread that has come down from Heaven, anyone who eats this bread will live forever” began Rita who drew attention to the vast range of breads that adorn our supermarket shelves and are available in restaurants. Rita is one of a group of people who have Coeliac Disease for whom there is no cure or treatment. A gluten free diet is the treatment for life.
Rita’s speech was evaluated by Jerry Mulcahy.

Then it was the turn of Michael Cronin who was speaking from one of the Advanced Manuals, Speciality Speeches. The title of his speech was “The Boss” in which he read an extract from the book “The Boss”. The extract that Michael choose to read was about the first day of the sitting of the Dáil that resulted from the Feb. 82 election.
Michael’s speech was evaluated by Dermot Meaney.

The last speech of the night was by Elizabeth O’Brien and entitled “Points System” This was very informative speech dealing with the new penalty points system for motoring offences. There are 65 offences under this system. 58 carry on the spot fines and the other 7 “deadly sins” carry a mandatory court appearance. 6 of these carry 5 penalty points. The 58 offences that carry on the spot fines can be challenged in court but if one is convicted the points will increase by 2 and the others will increase by 3.
Barry Mc’Carthy evaluated Elizabeth’s speech.

After the speeches President, Pat Sexton formally welcomed new member John Murphy and presented him with his Communications and Leadership Programme Manual.

After the break the meeting was handed over to Topics Master William Healy who conducted a very entertaining Topics Session. This is the part of the meeting where members are asked to speak for 2 minutes on a subject that the Topics Master chooses. Among the topics that William choose was “don’t give a dog for Christmas”, “Organic horse meat to eat”.

The meeting was then handed over to Noel O’Connor who was General Evaluator for the meeting. Noel conducted the Evaluation Session where the different speeches were evaluated by the different evaluators and feedback given to the speakers. Noel also commented on how the various participants performed and presented ribbons for
Best Speech, John Holmes, Best Evaluation, Dermot Meaney and Best Topic went to Grant who was a Guest.

The next meeting of the Speakeasy Toastmasters Club will be tonight 12’th December and the participants on the programme will be Toastmaster, Noel O’Connor, Topicsmaster, Sr, Bernadette Knopec (Fáilte Toastmasters), Timekeeper, Mary Stack.
Sgt. At Arms, Elaine O’Donovan and Kay O’Keeffe. Speeches will be by Mary Buckley, Barrry McCarthy, Sean Corcoran, Marie Fitzpatrick, Joan Lenihan and Pat Sexton. Evaluators are Tim Ahern, Dermot Meaney, Kieran Buckley and Michael McMahon.
For further information on the Club contact Sean on 086 6054784 or Pat 087 2364240 or visit the Club’s Website at www.clix.to/speakeasy. Email, speakeasymallow@eircom.net

5 Dec

The Speakeasy Toastmasters Club held another very successful and entertaining meeting in The Hibernian Hotel, Mallow, (Chapel Lane) on Thursday 28’th of November. In his opening remarks, Pat Sexton complemented the members on such a large turnout despite the weather and noted that in its 10-year history the Club never had to cancel a meeting. He introduced Toastmaster Angela Sheehan and Topics Master William Healy. Angela then took over the meeting introducing the other Club Members who were performing duties on the night and explaining their functions. William Healy as Topics Master. Ray Ryan as Timekeeper, Noel O’Connor as General Evaluator. Elaine O’Donovan and Kay O’Keeffe as Sergeant at Arms.

First to the lectern was John Holmes who was making his “Icebreaker” speech. This is the first speech from the Communications and Leadership Programme. The objectives of an “Icebreaker” speech is “To begin speaking before and audience”, “To help one understand what areas require particular emphasis in your speaking development” and “To introduce yourself to your fellow Club members”. John’s speech was entitled “My Life” and he told us of his early years, falling off the clothes dryer when he was 3 and breaking his nose, going to primary school in Bweeing where he can recall vividly his first day. His struggle with asthma and eventually being finding our what caused it by having a simple skin test. He was allergic to the dust mite. So he was for years “sleeping with the enemy” John told us how he one day was persuaded to go to the races one Sunday where he met Elaine, his fiancé, who introduced him to Speakeasy Toastmasters.
John’s speech was evaluated by Mary Buckley

Next to the Lectern was John Dillon with a Stage 4 Speech entitled “3 Lessons in 15 Minutes”. The objectives of a Stage 4 speech are “To learn the value of gestures and body movements as part of a speech”, “To explore the different ways of using body language “and ”To develop a sense of timing and natural, smooth body movement”,
John told us the story of an incident that happened to him in pharmacy in O’Connell St. in Dublin, near Nelsons Pillar. One day a customer came in and asked to see a very expensive camera that was on display in the window. John demonstrated the camera, the customer said he would buy it but would pay for it by check. When the owner of the Pharmacy unexpectedly arrived back the “customer” put away his checkbook and quickly left.
Pat Duggan evaluated John’s speech.
The next meeting of the Speakeasy Toastmasters Club will be on 12’th December and the participants on the programme will be Toastmaster, Noel O’Connor, Topicsmaster, Sr, Bernadette Knopec (Fáilte Toastmasters), Timekeeper, Mary Stack.
Sgt. At Arms, Elaine O’Donovan and Kay O’Keeffe. Speeches will be by Mary Buckley, Barrry McCarthy, Sean Corcoran, Marie Fitzpatrick, Joan Lenihan and Pat Sexton. Evaluators are Tim Ahern, Dermot Meaney, Kieran Buckley and Michael McMahon.
For further information on the Club contact Sean on 086 6054784 or Pat 087 2364240 or visit the Club’s Website at www.clix.to/speakeasy. Email, speakeasymallow@eircom.net