Laughter is the Best Medicine!

For anyone in need of a lift or even some therapy, last week's Speakeasy Toastmasters Humorous Speech Night was a welcome dose of laughter. There were belly laughs, guffaws and applause as five Contestants clashed verbal swords to win the adjudicators' votes. There were tales of embarrassment, love and jealousy with a portion of criminology and a large helping of codology mixed in!

"Three Likely Tales - an alter boy, a mother and The Canon" was the curious tale of the irritable and pompous Canon who was partial to his "night cap" of milk laced with whiskey, the no nonsense mother and the humiliated alter boy who learned to his satisfaction that "revenge is best served cold!" Delivered with aplomb by Bobby Buckley, he suggested that any reference to characters, living or dead, was purely coincidental. 

Theresa O'Reilly pointed the finger at parents and grand - parents who devoted their affections, almost exclusively, on only sons. "The One and Only" was about the golden boy who can do no wrong and can wind their grannies around their little finger. Spoken from the exasperated sister's perspective, it showed how sisters become invisible as parents lavish all their praise and zero admonishment to their spoiled "only boy". 

Theresa O'Reilly, Michael Cronin, Clare O'Connell, Bobby Buckley & Pat Sexton. 

Some people marry for love or to avoid loneliness. Others marry for money. But, for Claire O'Connell, it is all about "location, location, location". For Claire, the key question is "Do You Like the Douglas Area?" It has everything she needs in facilities and convenience - just roll out of bed and, minutes later, she finds herself in work. So smitten by the suburban location, her main criteria for a man is a liking for Douglas and a willingness to make a down payment for a house there! But, alas, such men are so hard to find. 

Michael Cronin can't say no! This willingness to put himself forward has led to a successful career in Toastmasters. He learned to feel the fear and do it anyway ". However, he is always tasked with the duty of collecting for Charity at Flag days.His speech - "Why Me?"highlighted the many hair - raising and embarrassing situations that no God fearing Catholic should endure. It seems that those who "the Gods wish to punish, they first embarrass". 

The final speech of the night was "As Good as Goldilocks". Pat Sexton made the case that society's ills are due to the malign influence of that notorious girl and her criminal behaviour. In truth, Goldilocks wasn't good at all! 

In the second competition of the night, four members did battle in The Table Topics Contest. Claire O'Connell, Pat Sexton, Bobby Buckley and Michael Cronin were given the challenge of addressing the question - "What was the best piece of advice you ever received?" In this Contest, competitors leave the room and receive the question when it is their turn to speak. Reference was made to the wisdom of Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde and Albert Einstein as contestants spoke about their most useful pieces of advice. 

At the Meeting's conclusion, the winners were announced. In the Table Topics Contest, the Winner was Pat Sexton. In runner-up place was Michael Cronin. In the Humorous Speech Contest, the positions were reversed with Michael Cronin emerging victorious and Pat Sexton in Second Place. These contestants will now go forward to represent Speakeasy in the North Cork Area Finals in Fermoy on Tuesday, 12th November.

Michael Cronin, Theresa O'Reilly & Pat Sexton. 

In the meantime, Speakeasy Toastmasters will hold their next Meeting in The Hibernian Hotel Mallow on Thursday, 31st October at 8.00PM. Despite the date of Meeting, there is no reason to be afraid.A warm welcome will be extended to members and guests alike. There will be no tricks but plenty of treats in store. We look forward to seeing you there on Halloween Night. 

For more information on this club, please check out our website speakeasytoastmasters.com or Facebook.