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