The Christmas Goose

Speakeasy toastmasters had their Christmas party night on Thursday 22nd December which was a very enjoyable night. With the food and decorations it created a very warm Christmas atmosphere.

The first talk was given by Bill Martin called solstice in which he outlined why we should celebrate at this time of year and plan the rest of the new year by drawing up our own mission statement and keep it that we can look it up every now and again to refresh ourselves. We should put in mood lifters in it to make it easier to keep. We should remember that there is always a path to go forward we should become inspired instead of being frightened.

The second speech was given by Mary Moynihan in which Mary acted out the story of the Christmas goose. In this she painted out very vivid pictures of being sent by a neighbor to buy a goose for Christmas we found out that it was not dishonest for country people to pull the wool over town people’s eyes and that people will go to any length to sell an old goose to someone innocent like Mary.

The third talk was given by Liam Flynn and its objective was to uplift the spirit which it did. In this talk Liam out lined all that toastmasters has done for him. He likened it to getting on a train and going into a carriage of people and going on a journey together they have all got different backgrounds but they are all going on the same journey only in toastmasters every one helps one another .This was a story from the heart how toastmasters gave him the confidence to speak his mind with confidence.

The final speech was given by Margaret O Regan; this was a very witty speech in which she outlined her big plans to write a great speech. Margaret outlined all the hurdles that you have to jump to get that speech.

The topics for the night were given by Mary Buckley and they ranged from men cooking to getting a gift for Mrs. Clause. The meeting was then addressed by Brendan Doherty area governor area 50 he was advertising the summer conference in Wexford next May entitled Words of Wisdom conference.

Nice and Easy meets Speak Easy

Speakeasy toastmasters had a very enjoyable meeting on Thursday 8th December. There were five speeches on the night; the first was from Tony O Regan. This speech told us of the joys of a skiing holiday and the drama involved when things go wrong. It was a very descriptive speech and we could see the pictures he was painting.
The second speaker was Helen Buckley from the nice and easy club in Cope, this was another very descriptive speech on a trip to Scotland we could imagine the views and shopping to be had in Scotland. The third speaker was Patrica Colman from the nice and easy club in Cope in this we were taken on another holiday this time to Spain. In this speech we heard how Patrica her sister and niece had a wonderful time in Spain. The fourth talk was given by Cait Murray this was a motivational speech in which Cait out lined how to cope with nerves and give a good speech. By setting a goal helps with anxiety, practise informally and imagine a good ending all help to give a good speech and we should live in the moment to help with shyness.
The fifth speech was given by Mary Buckley called what lies ahead. In which Mary tried to predict what would happen next year. It would be an interesting year if it all comes true.
The meeting was then addressed by Catherine Kelly Division Governor in which she outlined how she was a shy person until she joined toastmasters and Catherine never looked back since. After our tea and coffee break we had a very lively topics session from Liam Flynn with topics from celebrity chiefs to the seven dwarfs.
The next meeting is on 22nd December At 8pm in Hi Bi which is our Christmas party night it is open to everyone so if you have a chance come along for an enjoyable night www.speakeasytoastmasters.com

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Schools Contest

Schools contest
Speakeasy toastmasters held their annual schools contest on Wednesday 30th November. Six schools took part in the competition with two contestants from each school which gave a fantastic night of informative and entertaining speeches.
The schools and contestants were
Colaiste Treasa Kanturk, Orla Kelleher, Ginger Inequality
Aimee McCarthy, War is futile
Davis College Mallow Aidan James O Flynn, Ambition mankind’s propensity to begrudge
Eilis O Callaghan Visitors the universal code of customary procedures
Patrician Academy Mallow Jack Murphy, A close shave
John Linehan, A load of books that’s not my bag
Colaiste Mhuire Buttevant, Jenny Whyte, Super models the gods of our generation
Rian Jones, Irish youth do their fair share to help end poverty and hunger in the developing world
Scoil Mhuire Kanturk, Donal Finn, Negative words and incorrect descriptions
Edel Twohig, Take care of your mental health
St Mary’s Secondary school Mallow, Hazel Hennessy, Accents
Aisling Walsh, My guide to life.
On the night Hazel Hennessy came first, Eilis O Callaghan came second and Donal Finn came third.
The best schools were 1st Davis College, 2nd Patrician Academy,
3rd St Mary’s
The night was sponsored by Mallow Credit Union.

Thinking outside the box

Speakeasy toastmasters had their meeting on 24th November; there were four speeches on the night. The first was an interpretive reading from Jean Sayer’s. Jean read Steve Jobs speech at Stanford University in 2005.Jean brought this speech to life and brought out the feelings expressed in it.
Pat Sexton gave the second speech entitled While you were sleeping. This was about the history of 9/11, and what was missed by the authorities. This was a memorable speech which was well researched and delivered.
The third talk was given by Bridget Breen. In this talk she had had to use visual aids. Bridget tried to get us to think outside the box. Bridget explained the difference between the left and the right side of our brains and put up some brain teasers on over heads for us to solve which as well as being educational it was very enjoyable.
The final speech was given by Michael Cronin entitled it is never to late .In this talk he told us the story of Mary Delany who at the age of 72 developed a new form of flower art.
The second half of the night was the topic session with Cait Murray giving out lively topics from the mystical power of tidiness to if we should have a cork passport.
Our next meeting is on 8th December in Hi Bi at 8pm
www.speakeasytoastmasters.com

Schools competition

Schools competition
Speakeasy toastmasters Mallow are holding their annual schools contest on Wednesday 30th November 2011 in the Hi Bi hotel .

There are schools from Mallow, Kanturk, Buttevant, and Boherbue taking part. There will be two contestants from each school. Speakeasy toastmasters are very thankful to Mallow Credit Union for sponsoring this contest.

It is always a great night so if you have a chance come along.
www.speakeasytoastmasters.com

All in a days walk

Speakeasy toastmasters had their meeting on 10th November. There was great variety on the night with five speeches.

The first speech was given by Marie Lyons. This was a wonderful speech in which Marie introduced herself to the club. It covered where she grew up her education and her work. Marie then told of how she traveled as part of her work and the different places she saw and how she ended up back in Mallow. There was some great humour through out the speech.

Michael Dineen gave an ice breaker in which he introduced himself to the club.
The main theme of his tack was on being an Irish paramedic. Michael outlined all the training that went into becoming a paramedic. He told us of the different standards between being an Irish paramedic and the standards in other countries. He outlined the changes that have taken place and, Michael told us how proud he was of his work.
The third speech was a poem from Jerry O Callaghan. This was a poem on the insights and thoughts of an elderly person it was very well crafted and made us think that things are not always as they seem

The next talk was by Pat Duggan. This was a dramatic talk in which he told us of a dream he had, and it was about where are they now. He named all famous and popular pop stars and wondered where are they now.

The last talk was given by Jerry Mulcahy and entitled All in a days walk. This was a demonstration talk in which he described the various scenery shrubs and plants that you would see on a walk on the mountains of Ireland.

The tea break was followed by a very lively topic session with Mary Moynihan as topic master.

The schools contest is on Wednesday 30th November.
Next meeting is on Thursday 24th November at 8 pm
www.speakeasytoastmasters.com

Bare Stairs

Congratulations to Michael Cronin and Pat Sexton for winning the Division A final of the humorous speech and table topics competition .They are now going on to represent us in the District final in Glasgow on the 12th and 13th of November.

Speakeasy toastmasters had their last meeting on Thursday 27th October. There were four speeches .First was an ice breaker or first speech from Ronan Condon in this he introduced himself to the club outlining his work and hobbies it was a very confident speech and well prepared.

Next was Bridie O Connell with a talk about adult literacy called second chance .It was surprising to hear that up to 25% of people had some problem with reading or figures. She outlined all the work that adult literacy were caring out to help.

Liam Flynn gave an interpretive reading of Sean O Faolain’s short story Up the Bare Stairs. This was followed by Noel O Connor with a reading of an extract from The Year of the Hiker.

After the tea break we had a very lively topic session from Pat Sexton. The next meeting is on 10th November at 8pm in the Hi Bi.
www.speakeasytoastmasters.com

Barn Brack's and Maths

Speakeasy toastmasters had their meeting on Thursday 13th October.
Anne Buckley was toastmaster for the night. There were four speeches on the night.
The first was a demonstration from Jean Sayers on how to bake a Halloween brack. We got a history of the name and why it was called a barn brack. This was very seasonal. We got a list of the ingredients and a demonstration on how to mix them and other items to add and their significance such as the ring, pea, cloth, coin and match stick. To make it all the better Jean had a brack that she baked the night before which looked delicious and beautiful to taste when we got some during the tea break. The word has it that Michael Cronin got the ring. Jean ended with a quote “A little bit of baking is good for the soul as it is some thing that you can enjoy making that other people enjoy eating”.
The second talk was from Bill Martin. The topic he chose was neuro linguistic programming. The main theme was to think good and feel positive. He outlined some points that he had learned on a course that he was on. And some methods that can help you to feel positive and assertive it was very interesting and enjoyable.
The third speaker was David Clarke with a speech called does maths matter. If any one could make figures talk he could he made maths interesting and enjoyable. He outline that you can be more successful if you have studied maths. He out line that most courses in university and colleges require some level of maths. It was a very enthusiastic speech.
The fourth talk was from Kieran Butler in which he had to persuade the audience .The topic he chose was that an Irish woman was the best a man could get. He outlined all the traits of Irish women some of which were. Their looks, intelligence their ability to socialize and travel .This was a very colourful speech and very up lifting.
After the tea break Tim Aherne gave out the topics which very varied and enjoyable .They varied from taking the first steps in any job to how Mallow could be revitalized.
Our next meeting is on Thursday 27th October in the Hi Bi 8 pm.
Every one welcome
www.speakeasytoastmasters.com


Noel O Connor pro

Chocolate and Aran Jumpers

Speakeasy toastmasters had their humours speech contest and topics contest on Thursday 29th September. Ray Ryan was contest chair for the night. There were six contestants in the humours speech contest.

Mary Moynihan gave a very funny and entertaining speech entitled what possessed me it was about obtaining an outfit for a wedding and it being a bit snug after being altered Pat Connolly gave a speech about making toys and bartering them for sweets when he was a child and the consequences when it went wrong.

Claire O Connell gave us her views on life with out chocolate and how serious it would be and how good chocolate is for us.

Marie Fitzpatrick Gave us advice on knitting an arn jumper and the advice she got from her close knit friends, there were lots of turns and twists before the last button was sewn on.

Bridget Breen gave a talk on the difference between men’s and women’s brains. It gave us an insight into why men can be happy doing nothing, and women get frustrated if they can’t talk. Bridget won second prise for this speech.

Michael Cronin gave a speech entitled trolley folly in which he gave us the wisdom on how to do the perfect shopping how to pick bargains and get good value. Michael won first prise for this.

In the topics competition there were five contestants Michael Cronin, Liam Flynn, Mary Buckley, Pat Sexton, and Pat Duggan. The topic was what your most important value is. Pat Sexton won it with his view that the truth should not get in the way of a good story. Second was Liam Flynn with the importance of loyalty.

A very entertaining night was had by the large attendance. Our next meeting is on Thursday 13th October guests are always welcome.
www.speakeasytoastmasters.com

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A Poor Boy at Speak Easy

Speakeasy Toastmasters Mallow had a meeting on 15th September. There was a large attendance of members and guests. There were five speeches on the night.

The first was given by Anne Buckley this was an educational talk on impromptu speaking or speaking of the cuff. The theme of the talk was to listen to the topic confirm it to yourself, pause focus on your answer and end your reply. There is no silver bullet just practice. A quote from the speech “your brain stars to work when you are born and stops when you want to speak in public.

The second speech was given by Ian Kingsley and this was an icebreaker or first time speech. This was an excellent speech in which Ian introduced himself to the club, and how toastmasters will help him in giving a speech his sisters weeding. It would also help him to conquer his fear of speaking in public.

The third talk was given by Jerry Mulcahy on how to improve your skills at judging in competitions. A quote from his talk was that there is no substitute for honesty.

The fourth speech was given by Pat Sexton. This was an interpretative reading from Patrick Galvin’s book Story of A Poor Boy. Pat brought the story to life and you could imagine you were there listening to the characters.

The final speech of the night was given by Liam Flynn, and was an impromptu speech on town twinning. He outlined how rewarding it was for the towns and the people involved.
After the coffee and tea break we had a lively topic session overseen by Pat Duggan.
Our next meeting is on September 29th 8pm in HiBi. This is a humours speech contest so it would be a very enjoyable night for you to come and enjoy a night at toastmasters

A Good Yarn

Speakeasy toastmasters had their first meeting this season on Thursday 1st September. It was a very interesting and enjoyable meeting with a large crowd present. There were four talks on various topics both interesting and informative.
The first talk was given by Tony O Regan who is president for the year. The theme of his talk is that we should listen, think, and then talk. He outlined that toastmasters would help you to attain these skills.
The second talk was given by Mary Moynihan. This was a demonstration on how to give a very humours after dinner speech .The most memorable quote was that old age was all in the mind but the trick was to keep it there and not to let it travel down the body.
The third talk was given by Marie Fitzpatrick titled on how to spin a good yarn. This was a speech on the clever use of words it was very humours on how to knit an Aran jumper which had the audience in bouts of laughter.
The fourth talk was given by Ray Ryan which was a story with a moral after which you would wonder could you trust an eye witness.
After tea, coffee and a chat there were some lively topics given out by Jerry O Callaghan which varied from the rose of Tralee to the value of good neighbours.
The next meeting is on 15 Th September @8pm everyone is welcome

Speak Easy are Returning

Speak Easy Toastmasters club Mallow are returning after their summer break for a new season on Thursday 1st September.
For people who have not been at toastmasters meetings previously they can be assured they would enjoy themselves .
The night consists of four or five five minute talks on various subjects both very informative and enjoyable. Then we have a tea and coffee break for fifteen minutes followed by various topics for half an hour.
The meetings start at eight pm , finish at ten pm and are held every two weeks.
Visitors and guests are always welcome.

Dancing at the Crossroads

Speak Easy Toastmaster’s meeting on May 19th 2011 was another in which members enjoyed themselves, it was Speak Easy Toastmaster’s final meeting for 2010-2011.

Joining President Margaret O’ Regan at the top table was Bridie O’ Connell, Topics Master and Loretto Barry, Toast Master.

First to the lectern was Cait Murray with a speech entitled ‘Good Times’. Cait gave an informative speech on how to manage our time including setting goals as well as maintaining a to-do-list as part of a time journal. She stressed that it is important to check the journal after 30 days as it gives one an awareness of how one is managing their time. Cait reminded the audience that procrastination is the thief of time.

Following Cait was Angela Sheehan with a speech entitled ‘Brain Food’. Angela gave a thought provoking speech on breakthroughs in medicine and science since the 16th Century to the present day. She highlighted to the audience the power the media can have on the success of a product.

Next to the lectern was Mary Buckley with a speech entitled ‘There is hope’. Mary’s speech was enthralling and emotive. Mary recounted a story, which spanned 12 months, from her own life. She shared with the audience the lesson she learnt from the experience ‘there is always hope, there is no situation hopeless’.

Following Mary was Anne Buckley with a speech entitled ‘Dancing at the Crossroads’. Anne relayed the fun and sociable activities happening at Laharn Crossroads on a Sunday evening from May to September, 8pm-10pm. As part of her speech Anne gave the audience a historical insight into the tradition of dancing from pre –famine to present day.
Next to the lectern was Jerry Mulcahy with an interpretative reading from a speech given by Mary McAleese entitled ‘Their Deaths rise far above the Clamour’. Jerry’s choice of speech on an historical subject was stimulating and gathered the attention of the audience.

Finally it was the turn of Liam Flynn with a fact finding report on ‘Japanese Knotweed’. Liam in his interesting report provided a description of the weed, the aggressiveness of the species as well as ways of controlling it. Liam stressed to the audience that vigilance is required at all times to ensure properties, roadways and streams are not affected by this plant.

Congratulations to all the members who achieved milestones in their Toastmaster career tonight or during the year.

The topic session for the evening was conducted by Topicsmaster Bridie O Connell. Bridie kept members on their toes with a well thought out range of topics for members to practice their speaking ‘off the cuff’ skills.

Timekeeper Noel O’ Connor reminded speakers/people contributing to topics when their allocated times were up while grammarian/ah counter Marie Fitzpatrick gave feedback at the end of the meeting on how the group performed regarding the use of ‘crutch words’ and ‘fillers’ e.g. um’s and ah’s. Marie encouraged the use of the word ‘incumbent’ which means ‘needing to be done/obligatory’ during the course of the meeting

Pat Duggan, conducted the General Evaluation Session and conducted the part of the meeting in which speakers received feedback from their assigned evaluators who were Mary Moynihan, Jean Sayers, Pat Sexton, Bridget Breen, Ray Ryan and Michael Cronin. The Sergeants at Arms for the meeting were Liam Flynn and Jerry Mulcahy.

At the end of the meeting the President Margaret O’ Regan welcomed the incoming President for 2011-2012 Toastmaster Tony O’ Regan.

Speak Easy Toastmasters Club would like to take this opportunity to thank you for reading its Articles over the last year and to wish you an enjoyable and safe Summer.

The Area Tall Tales will be held at the Hibernian Hotel, Mallow, Friday June 3rd 2011 at 7:50PM. Why not come along to hear an interesting tale.

Speak Easy Toastmasters first meeting for 2011-2012 will be held at the Hibernian Hotel, Mallow, Thursday September 1st 2011 at 7:50PM. Non-members are more than welcome to attend and will not be asked to speak. Further details about the Club are available on our website, www.speakeasytoastmasters.com or why not follow us on Facebook

‘Toastmaster Awards’

The 2010-2011 Season for Speakeasy Toastmasters is drawing to a close. At the next meeting, which is scheduled for the 19th of May 2011, 6 members of the Club will be achieving educational awards, based on the number of manual speeches delivered. This will be a big night for these members as they will all be reaching milestones in their speaking careers.

The Competent Communicator award is bestowed on Toastmasters who complete the Competent Communicator manual which consists of ten speeches. Subsequent educational awards are based on completing advanced manuals, with five speeches in each manual. The Advanced Communicator Bonze is awarded for completing two advanced manuals, the Advanced Communicator Silver is awarded for completing a further two advanced manuals and the Advanced Communicator Gold is achieved when another pair of advanced manuals is completed.

Organizational achievements are acknowledged by leadership awards. The Competent Leader award recognises members who have performed meeting duties, such as timekeeper, the Advanced Leader Bronze recognises Toastmasters who have served on the Club Committee while the Advanced Leader Gold recognises Toastmasters who have taken up leadership positions outside of their Club. Toastmasters who have achieved both the Advanced Communicator Gold and Advanced Leader Gold are eligible for the Distinguished Toastmaster Award (DTM).

Speak Easy Toastmasters will hold their next meeting at the Hibernian Hotel, Mallow, Thursday May 19th 2011 at 7:50PM. Why not come along and join us for a taste of toastmasters in what promises to be a great evening. Remember non-members are more than welcome to attend and will not be asked to speak. Further details about the Club are available on our website, www.speakeasytoastmasters.com and follow us on Facebook

‘Should I stay or should I go?’

Speak Easy Toastmaster’s meeting on May 5th 2011 was another in which members enjoyed themselves, it was Speak Easy Toastmaster’s AGM.

Our AGM night began with a regular meeting with speeches, evaluations and topics. Joining President Margaret O’ Regan at the top table was Noel O’ Connor, Topics Master and Liam Flynn who was Toast Master.

First to the lectern was Bridget Breen with a speech entitled ‘Some people cannot handle the truth’ Bridget gave an informative speech on how one can tell whether people are telling them the truth or not through body language including nose wrinkles, eye movements and mouth curls. People sometimes may be economical with the truth but their body language always tells the truth.

Following Bridget was Bill Martin with a speech entitled ‘Should I stay or should I go’. Bill gave a very philosophical and optimistic speech about emigration. At this time of recession Ireland needs people to emigrate in order to soften the blow. Emigrants will return and bring back expertise with them. He reminded the audience that Ireland needs to look to the future to sustain employment.

Finally it was the turn of Jean Sayers with a speech entitled ‘A day to remember’.
Jean gave the audience an insight into Alzheimer disease, the work the Alzheimer’s Society of Ireland does as well as urging the audience to support Alzheimer’s Tea Day events in their Neighbourhoods.

The topic session for the evening was conducted by Topicsmaster Noel O’ Connor. Noel kept members on their toes with a well thought out range of topics for members to practice their speaking ‘off the cuff’ skills.

Timekeepers Claire O Connell and Tony O’ Regan reminded speakers/people contributing to topics when their allocated times were up while grammarian/ah counter Joe Hassett gave feedback at the end of the meeting on how the group performed regarding the use of ‘crutch words’ and ‘fillers’ e.g. um’s and ah’s. Joe encouraged the use of the word ‘mores’ which means ‘customs or conventions regarded as essential to or characteristic of a community’ during the course of the meeting

Jerry Mulchay, conducted the General Evaluation Session and conducted the part of the meeting in which speakers received feedback from their assigned evaluators who were Marie Fitzpatrick, Sean Corcoran and Pat Sexton. The Sergeants at Arms for the meeting were Liam Flynn and Jerry Mulcahy.

After the tea break it was time for the AGM and after the minutes of the last AGM were read and matters arising were dealt with, each member of the committee gave a report to the meeting.

In her President’s address, Margaret O’ Regan outlined the activities of the club over the past year including the social activities of the club, successful contests and achievements of members and also what being President of Speak Easy Toastmasters meant to her personally. She thanked her team of committee members for their work during the previous year.

Then followed the election of the new officers for the next year and they are as follows: President, Tony O’ Regan; Educational Vice President, Jean Sayers; Vice President Public Relations, Noel O’ Connor; Vice President Membership, Cait Murray; Secretary, Mary Moynihan; Treasurer, Bill Martin; Sgt at Arms, Bridget Breen, Ray Ryan and Liam Flynn.

Speak Easy Toastmasters will hold their next meeting at the Hibernian Hotel, Mallow, Thursday May 19th 2011 at 7:50PM. Why not come along and join us for a taste of toastmasters in what promises to be a great evening. Remember non-members are more than welcome to attend and will not be asked to speak. Further details about the Club are available on our website, www.speakeasytoastmasters.com OR or why not follow us on Facebook

5 tips to sound more....

Should you ever find yourself in the following situations namely having to speak in public, make a presentation or just ensuring that you are heard, I set down hereunder 5 tips which may assist:

1. To Sound More Intelligent:
Speak just a bit slower to allow yourself to select your most appropriate vocabulary and to give the impression of thoughtfulness.

2. To Sound More Powerful:
Use short, simple declarative sentences. You say what you mean and you mean what you say. Cut out any useless connectors, adjectives and adverbs, especially superlatives.

3. To Sound More Polished:
Never answer a question with a blunt 'yes' or 'no.' Append a short phrase of clarification. For example, "No, I did not see it." "Yes, I know Mary."

4. To Sound More Articulate:
Make a special effort to pronounce the final sound in a word and use its energy to carry over to the following word. Pay special attention to the final 't' and 'ng.'

5. To Sound More Confident:
Carry your body up. Hold your head as if you had a crown on it. Don't let your arms and legs have side to side motion when you move. Keep your elbows and knees close to the midline of your body.

With the above in mind why not come along to the 2nd last meeting of Speak Easy Toastmasters and see for yourself how we practice the skills of prepared speaking, speaking “off the cuff”, listening, and leadership.

Speak Easy Toastmasters will hold their next meeting at the Hibernian Hotel, Mallow, Thursday May 5th 2011 (Club AGM) at 7:50PM. Non-members are more than welcome to attend and will not be asked to speak. Further details about the Club are available on our website, www.speakeasytoastmasters.com or why not follow Speak Easy Toastmasters on Facebook?

‘I should have said nothing’

Speak Easy Toastmaster’s meeting on April 20th 2011 was another in which guests and members enjoyed themselves.

Joining Immediate Past President Michael Cronin at the top table was Loretto Barry, Topics Master and Cait Murray who was Toast Master.

First to the lectern was Claire O’ Connell with a speech entitled ‘Jump Suits Fashion Supreme or Fashion Dud’. Claire’s speech was very entertaining. She informed the group of her fashion dislikes including the jump suit, culottes and skinny jeans on men. Claire gave some of the practical uses where jump suits could be used but was adamant that they should not be seen on the cat walk.

Following Claire was Pat Duggan with a speech entitled ‘Grumpy old men’. Pat decided to do his ice breaker again. His speech was very philosophical and optimistic. He reminded the audience that happiness happens without money and recommended to the audience that they should ask for support when they require it.

Pat was followed by Angela Sheehan with an educational session on giving an impromptu talk. Angela’s presentation was very informative as impromptu speaking is a valuable skill to be acquired for every day living. This skill can be developed in Toastmasters and used elsewhere. The key aspects of giving such a talk include listening; pausing; confirming; telling and most importantly knowing when to stop.

Next to the lectern was Mary Buckley with a speech entitled ‘I should have said nothing.’ Mary’s speech was entertaining and emotive. Mary recounted a true story from her childhood. The lesson she learnt from the specific incident came to light at a recent school reunion where the story was retold.

Mary was followed by Kieran Butler with a speech entitled Pieta House- Bringing Hope’. Kieran gave a very effective speech on the subject of Suicide. He informed the group of the great work Pieta House does in the area of suicide prevention and the assistance it gives people in regaining the zest for life.

Finally it was the turn of Jerry Mulcahy with an interpretative reading from the poem ‘Lines from Adonais’ by Percy Bysshe Shelley.

The topic session for the evening was conducted by Topicsmaster Loretto Barry. Loretto had a huge amount of topics which were varied and various.

Timekeeper Mary Moynihan reminded speakers/people contributing to topics when their allocated times were up while grammarian/ah counter Bridget Breen gave feedback at the end of the meeting on how the group performed regarding the use of ‘crutch words’ and ‘fillers’ e.g. um’s and ah’s.

Sean Corcoran, conducted the General Evaluation Session and conducted the part of the meeting in which speakers received feedback from their assigned evaluators who were Michael Cronin, Bill Martin, Tony O’ Regan, Bridie O’ Connell, Ray Ryan and Dave Clarke. The Sergeants at Arms for the meeting were Liam Flynn and Jerry Mulcahy.


Speak Easy Toastmasters will hold their next meeting at the Hibernian Hotel, Mallow, Thursday May 5th 2011 (Club AGM) at 7:50PM. Non-members are more than welcome to attend and will not be asked to speak. Further details about the Club are available on our website, www.speakeasytoastmasters.com or why not follow Speak Easy Toastmasters on Facebook?

‘Effective Communication’

Effective Communication is a ‘must have’ in this electronic age. Being an effective communicator takes real skill. Communication skills have to be developed, honed and added to on an on-going basis. Communication is the basis of interpersonal skills and the greater your awareness of how it all works, the more effective your communication will be. To be effective in business, you have to communicate well. To be a good manager, you have to communicate exceptionally well. Communication is individual. We are not all the same. There is never one right way to communicate. Authentic effective communication always happens when we reply on those things we know to be true about or for ourselves. Your personal style can say more for you than all the words you use can. Most people look at what is wrong with themselves and other people, rather than focusing on what already works. Remember many things have to be working well for you to have got this far already. The communication cycle works as follows and you can take responsibility for every stage:

Spoken - Heard - Understood - Agreed To - Acted On - Implemented.

In Toastmasters you will become aware of where you or others tend to fall off the cycle. So, can I give you any greater reason for joining Speakeasy Toastmasters?
As we are nearing the summer break, why not come along and see for yourself what we are about? You will be delighted you did.

Speak Easy Toastmasters will hold their next meeting at the Hibernian Hotel, Mallow, Thursday May 5th 2011 at 7:50PM. Non-members are more than welcome to attend and will not be asked to speak. Further details about the Club are available on our website, www.speakeasytoastmasters.com or why not follow Speak Easy Toastmasters on Facebook

A crowd is not company’

Speak Easy Toastmaster’s meeting on April 7th 2011 was another in which guests and members enjoyed themselves. The club was holding The Area 17 Finals of the International Speech and Evaluation Contests.

Joining President Margaret O’ Regan at the top table was Ray Ryan, Contest Chair and Johanna Hegarty who was Topicsmaster.

First to the lectern was Michael Cronin (Speak Easy Toastmasters, Mallow) with a speech entitled ‘Heroes’. Michael’s speech was thought provoking. He reminded us that there are heroes all around us, including those who care for the sick and look after the less privileged. He concluded his speech by reminding the audience that ‘we are all ordinary people but capable of doing extraordinary things’.

Following Michael was Dick Lyons (The Galtees Toastmasters, Mitchelstown) with a speech entitled ‘Free at last’. Dick recounted in a very humorous manner the impact of acquiring a family dog and what he learned from the experience. He ended his speech with a quotation from John O’ Donoghue, author of ‘Anam Cara’; ‘the forgiving heart knows the art of liberation.

Dick was followed by Colette Noonan (The Failte Toastmasters, Charleville) with a speech entitled ‘The spirit of Granuaile’. Colette recounted a documentary she heard on the radio as she traveled home from a funeral one evening. The documentary detailed how one particular Dublin rowing group was founded. This rowing group was set up by 3 women who suffered from cancer. She compared the spirit of these women together with that of the lady whose funeral she had attended to the spirit of Granuaile which is still alive and well in these women.

Finally it was the turn of Kevin Walsh (Fermoy Toastmaster’s Club) with a speech entitled ‘A crowd is not company’. During his speech Kevin spoke about loneliness, the impact that it can have on peoples’ lives and gave the audience examples of how people can overcome it through for example reading and observing nature. Kevin concluded his speech with a thought provoking statement ‘Every stranger is a friend that you have not met. If we embrace each other in harmony and closeness the world is your oyster and we will never walk alone’.

Kevin Walsh (Fermoy Toastmaster’s Club) won the speech contest and Dick Roche (The Galtees Toastmaster’s Club, Mitchelstown) was runner up.


Following the speech contest Ken Armstrong (Killarney Toastmaster’s Club), test speaker, gave a very inspirational speech entitled ‘Why are we here?’ which gave reasons as to why people join toastmasters. This speech was the speech which was used in the evaluation contest.

There were four evaluation contestants- Frances Lowry (Failte Toastmaster’s Club, Charleville); Pat Sexton (Speak Easy Toastmasters Club, Mallow); Fanahan Colbert (Fermoy Toastmaster’s Club) and Eamon Rea (The Galtees Toastmaster’s Club, Mitchelstown).

Pat Sexton (Speak Easy Toastmaster’s Club, Mallow) won the evaluation contest and Eamon Ray (The Galtees Toastmaster’s Club, Mitchelstown) was runner up.

Kevin Walsh (Fermoy Toastmaster’s Club) and Pat Sexton(Speak Easy Toastmaster’s Club, Mallow) will represent Area 17 in the Divisional Finals of the International Speech and Evaluation Contests, which will be held in the Hibernian Hotel on Sunday the 17th of April 2011 at 2.30pm.

The topic session for the evening was conducted by Topicsmaster Johanna Hegarty. Johanna had a huge amount of topics which were varied and various.

Timekeepers Michael Sheehan and Ann Lyons reminded speakers/people contributing to topics when their allocated times were up. The Sergeants at Arms for the meeting were Jerry Mulcahy and Liam Flynn.

Speak Easy Toastmasters will hold their next meeting at the Hibernian Hotel, Mallow, Wednesday April 20th 2011 at 7:50PM. Non-members are more than welcome to attend and will not be asked to speak. Further details about the Club are available on our website, www.speakeasytoastmasters.com or follow us on Facebook

The Power of Habits

Don’t get trapped in a routine. The secret of success is to practice what you are not good at. Get uncomfortable. A sport’s man, when asked to identify the secret of his success, replied ’I practiced what I was not good at’.
All successful people both in and out of Toastmasters have had to overcome obstacles in life. What determines their ability to transcend those obstacles and fears is a great willingness to stretch their comfort zones. In a Toastmaster’s Club your comfort zone is measured by the speeches you give and the assignments you take on. Successful Toastmasters have one thing in common – they form the habit of thorough preparation and active listening. People who clock watch and day dream do not get far.
Your habits reflect your personality. They influence how you dress; walk; sit; smile and laugh. As part of your internal makeup most habits are formed early in life. By adulthood those habits are much easier to follow than change. If you want to be more successful both in and out of Toastmasters, you must make an effort to reject stagnation, and form habits of self improvement. To evaluate your personal habits – ask yourself
• Do successful happy people seem to enjoy my company?
• Do others seek my advice?
• Do I continue to grow through careful reading and exposure to stimulating ideas?
• Do I surround myself with positive uplifting influences including people?
• Do I usually feel good about myself?
• Do I look for new ways to improve my speaking, writing, and listening skills?
The ability to invest time wisely is a habit acquired through deliberate choice. Success requires passion and is governed by the laws of habit. To develop habits, one must have an objective. It is never the strength of a goal that will make you do anything in life. It is the strength of the purpose behind it. If your goal in life is to make money to put bread on the table, then that is all you will do. This standard requires you to cross the finish line only because it exists. In order to achieve a far greater level of success, you must have passion to go the distance.
Remember: “Never be content with what you are, if you want to be what you are not”.

Speak Easy Toastmasters will hold their next meeting (The Area Finals International Speech and Evaluation Contests) at the Hibernian Hotel, Mallow, April 7th 2011 at 7:50PM. Non-members are more than welcome to attend and will not be asked to speak. Further details about the Club are available on our website, www.speakeasytoastmasters.com or why not follow Speak Easy Toastmasters on Facebook

Hero's

Speak Easy Toastmasters-‘Heros’

Speak Easy Toastmaster’s meeting on March 24th 2011 was another in which guests and members enjoyed themselves. The club was holding its Club International Speech and Evaluation Contest.

Joining President Margaret O’ Regan at the top table was Ray Ryan, Contest Chair and Anne Buckley who was Topicsmaster.

First to the lectern was Lorretto Barry with a speech entitled ‘Expressions’.
Lorretto gave a very interesting speech regarding the origins of every day expressions including ‘nitty gritty’; ‘face the music’; ‘feathering your cap’; ‘chalk and cheese’ and ‘look a gift horse in the mouth’. She concluded her speech by reminding the audience of another every day expression- the ‘ball is in your court’.

Following Lorretto was Pat Sexton with a speech entitled ‘Time of our lives’.
Pat informed the audience that there is no past, no future, there is the gift of time called the present. All our lives consist of now moments. He concluded his speech by advising the audience to endeavor to spend time well and to enjoy it whole heartily because now is the time of our lives.

Pat was followed by Marie Fitzpatrick with a speech entitled ‘The Black Hole’.
Maire’s speech provided the audience with information and statistics regarding the huge amounts of money spent in the health service in Ireland. She referred to the benefits that will arise from the introduction of the smoking ban a few years ago.

Marie was followed by Liam Flynn with a speech entitled ‘Does the Dragon live here?’ Liam’s speech provided the audience with examples of where the poor portrayal of the ‘Mother-in-Law’ has originated from. Mother-in- Laws have been portrayed like wolves and sharks. In fairy tales the Mother –in-Law has been portrayed as the dark person. Liam counteracted this poor perception of Mother-in-Laws’ by speaking highly of his own Mother-in-Law.

Finally it was the turn of Michael Cronin with a speech entitled ‘Hero’s’. Michael’s speech was thought provoking. He gave us examples of who his hero’s are. He reminded us that there are heros all around us, including those who care for the sick and look after the less privileged. He concluded his speech by reminding the audience that ‘we are all ordinary people but capable of doing extraordinary things’.

Michael Cronin won the speech contest and Pat Sexton was runner up.

Following the speech contest Anne Roche, guest speaker, gave a very humorous entertaining speech entitled ‘Party Animal’ which was about a dinner party she hosted. This speech was the speech which was used in the evaluation contest.

Pat Sexton won the evaluation contest and Margaret O’ Regan was runner up.

Michael Cronin and Pat Sexton will represent Speak Easy Toastmasters in the Area finals International Speech and Evaluation Contest, which will be held in the Hibernian Hotel on the 7th of April 2011 at 7.50pm.

The topic session for the evening was conducted by Topicsmaster Anne Buckley. Anne had a huge amount of topics which were varied and various.

Timekeepers Bridget Breen and Joe Hassett reminded speakers/people contributing to topics when their allocated times were up. The Sergeants at Arms for the meeting were Jerry Mulcahy and Liam Flynn.

Speak Easy Toastmasters will hold their next meeting (The Area Finals International Speech and Evaluation Contests) at the Hibernian Hotel, Mallow, April 7th 2011 at 7:50PM. Non-members are more than welcome to attend and will not be asked to speak. Further details about the Club are available on our website, www.speakeasytoastmasters.com or why not become follow us on Facebook

Contests Coming

One of the highlights of the toastmaster year is the international speech and evaluation competition night. To compete in the international speech competition, one deliverers a five to seven minute speech.

The winner at club level then progresses onto the area stage, which locally is area 17, including the clubs in Fermoy, Mitchelstown and Charleville. The Area winner then competes at the Division Final. Speak Easy Toastmasters is part of Division A, which includes all clubs in Cork, Kerry and Limerick County.

The Division Winner then progresses onto the District Final, competing against speakers from other divisions, across the UK and Ireland. The district winner then competes at the Toastmasters world convention.

In the evaluation competition, a guest speaker from another club delivers a speech. The competitors in the evaluation competition are led away to another room to prepare their evaluations. The competitors are then brought back one by one to deliver their evaluations. The evaluation competition progresses to district level.

You can see this in action when Speakeasy Toastmasters will hold its club evaluation and international speech competition, on March 24th at the Hibernian Hotel, Mallow, commencing at 7.50pm. Non-members are more than welcome to attend and will not be asked to speak. Further details about the Club are available on our website, www.speakeasytoastmasters.com or why not become a Speak Easy Toastmaster Facebook.

‘Say Cheese’

Speak Easy Toastmasters-‘Say Cheese’

Speak Easy Toastmaster’s meeting on March 10th 2011 was another in which guests and members enjoyed themselves.

Joining President Margaret O’ Regan at the top table was Bridget Breen, Toastmaster who chaired the meeting and Sean Corcoran who was Topicsmaster.

First to the lectern was Marie Fitzpatrick with a speech entitled ‘Sew Sew’.
Marie gave a very interesting demonstration speech on how to use a sewing machine. She looked to the audience for a member to participate in order to show how simple a sewing machine is to use.

Following Marie was Claire O’ Connell with a speech entitled ‘Life without chocolate’. She pointed out the health benefits of chocolate in our lives particularly dark chocolate. Claire concluded her speech by giving comparisons of what life would be like without chocolate eg a cat without a house; Laurel with out Hardy.

Claire was followed by Cait Murray with a speech entitled ‘All abroad’. Cait gave a very interesting speech on why people should take the train. Trains should be used inorder to reduce the carbon footprint, assist in maintaining a link with our heritage as well as for the pleasure involved (including drama, mystery and romance)

Finally it was the turn of Mary Moynihan with a humourous speech entitled ‘Say Cheese’. Mary recounted a family event where numbers were restricted at the event thus making photographs an important element for the wider family circle.
Unfortunately the photographer did not live up to expectations on this occasion.
Mary advised the audience not to be fooled by a tripod.

The topic session for the evening was conducted by Topicsmaster Sean Corcoran. Sean had a huge amount of topics which were varied and various.
Timekeeper Bridie O’ Connell reminded speakers/people contributing to topics when their allocated times were up while grammarian/ah counter Bill Martin gave feedback at the end of the meeting on how the group performed regarding the use of ‘crutch words’ and ‘fillers’ e.g. um’s and ah’s. He encouraged the use of the word ‘innate’ which means ‘inherent’.

Jean Sayers, conducted the General Evaluation Session and conducted the part of the meeting in which speakers received feedback from their assigned evaluators who were Angela Sheehan, Anne Buckley, Joe Hassett and Pat Duggan. The Sergeants at Arms for the meeting were Jerry Mulcahy and Tony O’ Regan.

Speak Easy Toastmasters will hold their next meeting ( The Club International speech and evaluation contests) at the Hibernian Hotel, Mallow, March 24th 2011 at 7:50PM. Non-members are more than welcome to attend and will not be asked to speak. Further details about the Club are available on our website, www.speakeasytoastmasters.com or why not become a Speak Easy Toastmaster Facebook follower.

‘Tir gan teanga, tir gan annam’

Irish is one of the oldest and most historic written languages in the world. The earliest evidence of this is preserved in OGHAM inscriptions dating from the 4th Century. Much has changed since then and it can now be found in more than 4,500 books, on the television, on the radio, in the newspapers, magazines, and on the internet.

A question the Irish nation has been asking itself since the creation of the State is –Is the Irish Language in decline and is there any point in trying to revive it? Since Douglas Hyde founded the Gaelic League in 1893, there has been a constant battle to revive the Irish Language and Culture throughout the Country. Down through the years this revival has not been helped by large scale emigration and by the attitude taken by many Irish people who felt using the English language was the only way forward.

Despite the relative lack of Irish speakers in the country supporters of the language point out that the interest among the general public has never been greater. The language has seen a resurgence over the last few years with the advent of TG4, recognition on an EU level and the adventures of Des ‘King of the Gaeilge’ Bishop to mention but a few.

It has never been easier to improve ones Irish-even if one does not happen to be a stand up comedian who can relocate to the Gaeltacht for a year and make a successful TV show- in the name of the fada. What one can do is make a few simple and subtle changes in ones lifestyle.

Firstly, everyone knows a few words, so why not substitute ‘siopa’ for shop, ‘bainne’ for milk and everything else one remembers from school days. As they say in Irish, ‘bionn blas ar an mbeagan’ –a little tastes well.

Secondly one can take a step to increase one’s vocabulary. On the daytime commute why not tune in to Radio na Gaeltachta. The news bulletins may sound depressing but at least one can take comfort in the fact that ones Irish has improved- even if the economic climate has not. With a wide and varied output TG4 has had a positive impact on promoting the language especially amongst teenagers. Since it first went on air in 1996 it has gained a reputation for innovative programming in film, arts, drama, documentaries and sports has something for everyone from soaps to exceptional documentaries.

Thirdly there are also a number of options if one wants to brush up on ones written word. Weekly news is offered in the newspaper FOINSE. In addition a number of websites host interviews and feature pieces in our native tongue.

Fourthly if one wants to achieve full fluency, one can take the plunge and join an Irish language class. Conradh na Gaelige run classes for beginners, intermediate and advance levels all around the country. The organisation also arranges social evenings and events.

Young enthusiastic presenters like Daithi O Se, Sile Seoige and Hector O hEochagain along with programmes like Ros na Run have shown that Irish can be relevant in the Celtic Tiger.

As well as being a celebration of the Irish Language, Seachtain na Gaeilge which ends on the 17th of March is a reminder that we can all add to our cupla focal. Remember the words famously spoken from the man from Moneygall ‘yes we can’ and lets reply with a resounding Sea is feidir linn for 2011.

Speak Easy Toastmasters will hold their next meeting at the Hibernian Hotel, Mallow, March 10th 2011 at 7:50PM. Non-members are more than welcome to attend and will not be asked to speak. Further details about the Club are available on our website, www.speakeasytoastmasters.com or why not become a Speak Easy Toastmaster Facebook.

A Cut Above The Rest

Speak Easy Toastmaster’s meeting on February 10th 2011 was another in which guests and members enjoyed themselves.

Joining President Margaret O’ Regan at the top table was Joe Hassett, Toastmaster who chaired the meeting and Dave Clarke who was Topicsmaster.

First to the lectern was Angela Sheehan with a speech entitled ‘Select your topic’.
Angela was very enlightening on how to find topics from speeches. Ideas can come from personal experiences ie family events, professional encounters or interests. Ideas for speeches can also come from books and newspapers.

Following Angela was Jean Sayers who did a monodrama entitled ‘ A love song of J Alfred Prufrock’ by T S Eliot.

Jean was followed by Liam Flynn with a speech entitled ‘A cut above the rest’. Liam demonstrated to the audience how to prune roses. He advised on the types of tools and gloves to use when pruning. He concluded by informing the men in the audience to buy a rose bush this Valentine’s Day rather than a bunch of roses for their loved ones as they will have roses for the year.

Finally it was the turn of Jerry O’ Callaghan with his Folk Tale entitled ‘Three Wishes’. Jerry recounted a folk tale with a morale to the audience. Although the folk tale related to a time long ago the morale is as relevant today as it was back then- ‘be very careful what you wish for because you just might get it’.

The topic session for the evening was conducted by Topicsmaster Dave Clarke. Dave had a huge amount of topics which were varied and various.

Timekeeper Michael Cronin reminded speakers/people contributing to topics when their allocated times were up while grammarian/ah counter Mary Buckley gave feedback at the end of the meeting on how the group performed regarding the use of ‘crutch words’ and ‘fillers’ e.g. um’s and ah’s. She encouraged the use of the word ‘propensity’ which means a natural propensity, disposition or inclination throughout the meeting.

Marie Fitzpatrick, conducted the General Evaluation Session and conducted the part of the meeting in which speakers received feedback from their assigned evaluators who were Sean Corcoran, Bridget Breen and Anne Buckley. Angela Sheehan’s presentation was not evaluated. The Sergeant at Arms for the meeting was Liam Flynn.

Speakeasy Toastmasters is hosting a night of Humour on February 24th 2011 at 7.50pm to give its members, as well as everyone who wishes to attend, a much needed tonic having being totally saturated with talk of recession and all that goes with it. The night will consist of ten humorous speeches from renowned toastmasters both from the Speakeasy Club as well as members from Toastmaster Clubs from much further a field.

Non members are welcome to attend. Further details about the Club are available on our website, www.speakeasytoastmasters.com or why not become a Speak Easy Toastmaster Facebook.

“A Feast of Humour” on Feb 24

On Thursday 24th of February, Speakeasy Toastmasters in Mallow is hosting a night of Humour to give its members, as well as everyone who wishes to attend, a much needed tonic having being totally saturated with talk of recession and all that goes with it. The night will consist of ten humorous speeches from renowned toastmasters both from the Speakeasy Club as well as members from Toastmaster Clubs from much further a field.

It is worth noting in this time of doom and gloom that much research has been done on the effects of humour and laughter on our health. The benefits are enormous and include boosting our immune system, reducing stress and hastening the healing process. By now, almost everyone is familiar with the link between our body and mind that has been proven.
Humour is infectious. The sound of roaring laughter is far more contagious than any cough, sniffle, or sneeze. When laughter is shared, it binds people together as well as being the best medicine.
Use the acronym L.A.U.G.H.T.E.R. to remind yourself of some of its benefits: 'L' stands for LIVE life to the fullest. When we share humor, we are living in the moment and spreading.
'A' stands for an AWARENESS and APPRECIATION for the incongruities of life. The inconsistencies and ironies you face offer unlimited opportunities to laugh at them.
‘U' stands for USE your brain to drain pain with laughter. USE humor to discover delight, joy, and peace of mind.
‘G’ stands for GOOD HUMOUR at all times.
'H' stands for HEALTH. Laughter detaches us from our problems and releases negative emotions; it is the best medicine.
'T' stands for TRANSFORM. Laughter transforms our thoughts, which in turn transforms our feelings for the better.
'E' stands for EXUBERANCE, which is the zest that laughter brings to our lives and
'R' stands for the RESILIENCE we acquire by learning to deal with hardship and pain, for humour is the strongest weapon against adversity.
By the 24th of February you will need some light relief before you face the ballot box the following day. Make your way to the Hibernian Hotel in Mallow for what promises to be one terrific night of laughter.

Remember Laughter is the best medicine, so you can become your own best medicine by joining Speakeasy Toastmasters for a “Feast of Humour” at the Hibernian Hotel, Mallow, February 24th at 7:50pm.

For more information log onto: www.speakeasytoastmasters.com.

“A Feast of Humour”

Speakeasy Toastmasters invite you to

“A Feast of Humour”

An evening of hilariously funny speeches displaying toastmasters’ skills at their best.

Speakers:
The Master of them all … Noel O'Beara
The pretender to Noel’s throne … Gerry French
From Mullingar, the one and only … Brian McLoughlin
From Cork, and famous for her performance at this year’s district final … Ellen O’Mahony
The man, who can’t sing, can’t dance (but that doesn’t stop him)… Michael Buckley
Winner of this year’s Speakeasy Schools contest with his observations of the Irish… Radek Zuk

From the Speakeasy stable,
Multi award winner… Michael Cronin
“We’ll give her a push”…Michael Walsh
Memory man himself … Jerry O’Callaghan and
IT expert extraordinaire …Sean Corcoran

Date: Thursday 24th February 2011
Time: 7.50pm
Venue: The Hibernian Hotel, Mallow

Open to everyone.
Admission €5

There are 336 hours in a fortnight, why not reserve just 2 to enjoy yourself?

For further information visit our website
www.speakeasytoastmasters.com

-‘The need for Speech Training in the age of Communication’

One needs Public Speaking skills to live productively in the age of Communication. Unless one has speaking talents necessary to engage in Committee discussions, presentations to clients, one may be in trouble in one’s job. One’s speechmaking skills also affect one’s ability to change peoples’ minds at meetings, student councils, political conventions etc. or in pressure groups that lobby the Government.

One will become a fully developed, thinking, and forceful human being to the degree that one has learned and practiced speech making skills and oral communication skills. Ultimately one speaks not only to serve others, but also to achieve one’s own goals on the job and in the public forum. Speeches are one form of the general activity called communication.
Some speeches are read to the audience - watch the next press conference on T.V. Other speeches are given in an impromptu manner. After dinner speeches tend to be light.
All speeches, despite differences in formality are –
o Continuous oral messages
o Delivered by a communicator (speaker)
o Through various channels (electronic etc)
o To others (the listeners) who can feed back reactive messages.

The primary purpose of joining Toastmasters is to gain confidence, to learn to communicate effectively. Just think what a relief it would be to be able to meet people on an equal footing, make your point diplomatically but firmly, and leave knowing you have not been ‘brow beaten’. This is a good feeling, which will allow you then, to perform to your optimum.

While it is not easy to participate at the beginning – with time and perseverance it will become second nature to you to stand up and give your opinion voluntarily. By doing this you will slowly notice the change in yourself. You will feel more confident, more decisive, and happier in yourself. Toastmasters’ gives you that opportunity to obtain speech training.


Speak Easy Toastmasters will hold their next meeting at the Hibernian Hotel, Mallow, February 10th 2011 at 7:50PM. Non-members are more than welcome to attend and will not be asked to speak. Further details about the Club are available on our website, www.speakeasytoastmasters.com or on Speak Easy Facebook www.facebook.com/pages/Speak-Easy-Toastmasters167687469936952

‘What possessed me?!’

Speak Easy Toastmasters-‘What possessed me?!’

Speak Easy Toastmasters meeting on January 27th 2011 was another in which guests and members enjoyed themselves. There was a great atmosphere during the course of the meeting.

Joining President Margaret O’ Regan at the top table was Pat Duggan, Toastmaster who chaired the meeting and Bill Martin who was Topicsmaster.

First to the lectern was Mary Moynihan with a speech entitled ‘What possessed me?’ Mary entertained the group with her humorous speech about a family wedding. She recounted her efforts about trying to find the right dress and shoes before the wedding as well as the funny events that happened on the night as a result of her carrying out some further alterations to her dress after the meal.

Following Mary was Liam Flynn with a speech entitled ‘Single Transferable Vote and all of that.’ Liam clearly explained to the group how the system worked. The group learnt that Ireland and Malta are the only two countries where this system is in operation.

Liam was followed by Claire O’ Connell with a speech entitled ‘Our digital world is killing us’. Claire opened her speech by informing the group that the Digital World is all around us. She referenced a number of digital objects and the negative impacts they can potentially have on our lives including the television which can lead low attention span as well as impacting on friendships; computer games which can be addictive as well as mobile phones which can affect our creative abilities. Her speech was very thought provoking.

Next to the lectern was Noel O Connor with a speech entitled ‘Is our green image important?’ Noel informed the group of the importance of promoting our green image which is used to sell Irish products. He stressed the need to encourage and support small food businesses which are doing well at the moment.

Finally it was the turn of Angela Sheehan with a speech entitled ‘A taste for success’. Angela was promoting the taking up of ‘a Diploma in Specialty Food Production’. She encouraged people in the group who have a love of good food to do the course and set up their own business. The course is good for networking.

The topic session for the evening was conducted by Topicsmaster Bill Martin. Bill’s topics were very varied and included ‘Describe your perfect evening’ to ‘Farmers Market’s- overpriced or undervalued’.

Timekeeper Jerry Mulcahy reminded speakers/people contributing to topics when their allocated times were up while grammarian/ah counter Cait Murray gave feedback at the end of the meeting on how the group performed regarding the use of ‘crutch words’ and ‘fillers’ e.g. um’s and ah’s. She encouraged the use of the word ‘adept’ which means thoroughly proficient or a skilled performer throughout the meeting.

Bridget Breen, conducted the General Evaluation Session and conducted the part of the meeting in which speakers received feedback from their assigned evaluators who were Bridie O’ Connell, Michael Cronin, Marie Fitzpatrick, Joe Hassett and Margaret O’ Regan. The Sergeants at Arms for the meeting were Liam Flynn and Jerry Mulcahy.

Speak Easy Toastmasters will hold their next meeting at the Hibernian Hotel, Mallow, February 10th 2011 at 7:50PM. Non-members are more than welcome to attend and will not be asked to speak. Further details about the Club are available on our website, www.speakeasytoastmasters.com or on Speak Easy Facebook www.facebook.com/pages/Speak-Easy-Toastmasters167687469936952

‘An open invitation’

Speak Easy Toastmasters is one of approx. 11.000 clubs affiliated to Toastmasters International which is a voluntary organization dedicated to training its members in the art of public speaking, speaking off the cuff, listening and leadership skills.
Each meeting of a toastmasters club is a unique learning experience. We learn by doing and by observation.

Doing is taking part in a toastmasters meeting program, be it as a speaker, evaluator, toastmaster etc and by observing what the more experienced members do and say and of course how they do and say it.

Learning is a personal journey, whether it is learning by being involved with toastmasters or learning to drive or use a computer. There are many different theories and ideas on how people learn but they can be put into four main areas.

1. How the brain works- The brain has different parts and each part has a function. Our brain is wired to learn new things and when we learn, our brain changes in some way. This is how memory and learning develop and this sets the pace for lifelong learning. In fact, our brain changes with use, throughout our lifetime. As we se the brain, we strengthen certain patterns of connection, making each connection easier to create next time.

2. Learning styles – Each of us has a different way of learning, some of us may learn by seeing and some of us by doing.

3. Social learning – The world in which we live in can play a big part in what we learn, how we learn and also what we know and think about lots of different things.

4. Multiple Intelligence – This explains why some people are better than others at learning some things. For example, one person may be good at playing sport, while others may be good with numbers.

Learning the skills of toastmasters comes under the same headings and it becomes obvious when the toastmaster is a member of a club for a length of time. One person may find that they have skills of leadership which they develop by becoming involved with toastmasters committees.
Another may find that they have a skill in humorous speeches while another may find that they have evaluation or speaking off the cuff skills.

Whatever way a person learns, in toastmasters the one most important factor in which we all strive to accomplish, is that we enjoy our two hours a fortnight in the company of like minded members in Speak Easy Toastmasters.

If you are interested, why not come along to our next meeting at the Hibernian Hotel, Mallow, January 27th 2011 at 7:50PM. Non-members are more than welcome to attend and will not be asked to speak. Further details about the Club are available on our website, www.speakeasytoastmasters.com or on Speak Easy Facebook www.facebook.com/pages/Speak-Easy-Toastmasters167687469936952

Packing Woe's

Speak Easy Toastmasters meeting on January 13th 2011 was another in which guests and members enjoyed themselves. There was a great atmosphere created by the Toastmasters during our first meeting pack.

Joining President Margaret O’ Regan at the top table was Pat Sexton, Toastmaster who chaired the meeting and Michael Walsh who was Topicsmaster.

First to the lectern was Anne Buckley with a speech entitled ‘Packing Woes’.
Anne told the group about some of her past experiences on holidays. She has learnt over the years that packing a case is a strategic exercise for maximizing space and minimizing wrinkles. She concluded by informing the group that it is not what you put in your suitcase it is what you leave behind that tests your metal

Following Anne was Loretto Barry who interpreted ‘The Gettysburg Address’. Loretto interpreted Abraham Lincoln’s address with great dramatic effect totally captivating the audience with her performance. Loretto informed the group that despite the fact that the original address was brief, lasting only 3.5 minutes, its message has endured the test of time and is still quoted. It still is a wonderful example of speech writing.

Loretto was followed by Marie Fitzpatrick with a speech entitled ‘The Black Hole’. Maire’s speech provided the audience with information and statistics regarding the huge amounts of money spent in the health service in Ireland. She referred to the benefits that will arise from the introduction of the smoking ban in a few years ago.

Finally it was the turn of Ray Ryan with his presentation entitled ‘The Galtee Evaluation Workshop Report’. Ray presented a report on a High Performance Leadership Program which he had recently completed. The program was devised by Toast Master International to allow one exercise one’s leadership skills in a project. The audience found presentation very informative.

The topic session for the evening was conducted by Topicsmaster Michael Walsh. Michael’s topics caused great amusement.

Timekeeper Dave Clarke reminded speakers/people contributing to topics when their allocated times were up while grammarian/ah counter Bridie O’ Connell gave feedback at the end of the meeting on how the group performed regarding the use of ‘crutch words’ and ‘fillers’ e.g. um’s and ah’s. She encouraged the use of the word ‘propensity’ which means a natural propensity, disposition or inclination throughout the meeting.

Liam Flynn, conducted the General Evaluation Session and conducted the part of the meeting in which speakers received feedback from their assigned evaluators who were Mary Moynihan, Cait Murray, Jean Sayers and Tony O’ Regan. The Sergeants at Arms for the meeting were Liam Flynn and Jerry Mulcahy.

Speak Easy Toastmasters will hold their next meeting at the Hibernian Hotel, Mallow, January 27th 2011 at 7:50PM. Non-members are more than welcome to attend and will not be asked to speak. Further details about the Club are available on our website, www.speakeasytoastmasters.com or on Speak Easy Facebook www.facebook.com/pages/Speak-Easy-Toastmasters167687469936952

‘Have you made a New Years Resolution for 2011?’

Happy New Year from Speak Easy Toastmasters and we hope you had a great Christmas.

Oh, and by the way, have you made your new years resolution yet?
It is said that 90% of New Year resolutions will be discarded by the end of January and some of the reasons are, setting yourself too high a goal, not having a specific plan, keeping your resolution to yourself, not having the will power and so on.

So what about making a resolution that you really can keep, one whose goals are readily reachable and in which you will have a specific plan.

One with whom you do not have to keep to yourself and as for will power, all you need, is to want to, and you won’t believe the will power that you will achieve.

No one, but no one, will disagree that communication or lack of it is a serious issue in today’s world and it seems that face to face communication, in some situations, is a dying art.

So what about in 2011 learning the art of communication? Communication is a two way process, talking and listening, meeting and interacting with people as well as enjoying yourself and having fun while you are at it.

Ok, I hear you asking, “what’s in it for me?, why should I?”
How about this then? Personal Impact for a start.

You see, personal impact includes key elements of Communication; Presentation; Assertiveness and Influencing techniques. All these components enable you to make the impact you want. We all can improve our ability to influence others. You all cringe at that interview that went badly wrong or that appraisal you wish to forget.

Here is an opportunity to ensure that you will not repeat these experiences. In order to know making an impact works, there are a few areas you have to consider, and study.
 Knowing how and why things go wrong
 Improving your ability to influence others
 Understanding rules and conventions and boundaries
 Speaking your mind without offending
 Finding out how others see you

An awareness of all of these will increase confidence and raise self esteem. Come along to the next meeting, of Speak Easy Toastmasters, as a guest and see for yourself how we put these skills into practice. We do it in stages and in an encouraging way and you will be most welcome and don’t worry, guests are never asked to speak at a Toastmasters meeting and you can come as a guest as often as you like.

Speak Easy Toastmasters meet just once a fortnight, on Thursday nights, for two hours, 8-10pm in The Hibernian Hotel, Mallow and our first meeting of 2011 is on Thursday, January 13th.

Now, two hours every two weeks to learn the art of communication, meet new friends from all walks of life and all ages, and to really enjoy yourself is a must for 2011, don’t you agree?
After all, “you’re worth it”

So put Thursday, January 13th at 8pm, in your brand new 2011 diaries and alternate Thursdays from then on until the end of May.