On Thursday last, Jillian Harris presented a varied programme that included two very welcome guests from the Rathfarnham Toastmasters Club in Dublin.
Our president, Bobby Buckley, opened the presentations with a nostalgic poem that he composed himself. He was inspired by the Mallow Scribes Anthology. His closing lines were:
"I reminisce with this anthology’s verses
While my old town has passed away in RIP.ie and hearses."
In his engaging speech, My Front Pages, Don McSweeney introduced us to some of the "friends" that have influenced him on his life’s journey. These companions are the books, mostly signed by the authors, that chart his development and interests.
Gay Byrne’s signed autobiography would be of interest to many who grew up in the heyday of The Late Late Show and The Gay Byrne Show on the radio. Monty Don’s signed gardening book marks the beginning of a growing passion that Don has for nurturing plants and vegetables. He is the appreciative owner of a first-edition signed copy of Michael Smith’s Unsung Hero, which celebrates the feats of Tom Crean, the hardy survivor of three Antarctic expeditions.
Ailis O’Sullivan, one of our guests from the Rathfarnham club in Dublin, delivered a very entertaining speech, What’s in a Name?. She confessed that she was one of a myriad of families that share her surname, O’Sullivan, from South Kerry. She reminded us of the common practice of identifying different families by referencing the Christian names of fathers, grandfathers, etc., or by referring to a specific occupation associated with a family, e.g., the Coopers.
She empathised with a fellow O’Sullivan namesake, the Caherciveen-born reporter Donie, who experienced great difficulty explaining that no, he was not automatically related to every American O’Sullivan who originally hailed from Kerry! Underlying her humorous presentation, Ailis delivered a thoughtful message. She stressed how a name can identify who you are, who your kin are, and where you came from. It is a privilege that has been denied to many in the past, who were assigned numbers. Many of our own Irish emigrants lost their correct names going through Ellis Island.
We were delighted to welcome the celebrated bilingual journalist, poet, and children’s writer, Áine Ní Ghlinn, to our meeting. She gave a wonderful demonstration of her storytelling skills in her speech, Things Aren’t Always What They Seem. She took us into the world of an excited five-year-old awaiting the arrival of what she believed was a dignitary.
We shared the child’s feeling of anticipation and then her ensuing one of deflation. The child’s expectations were built on her perception of a "posh" name and a "grand" place of birth. As adults, we too can make rash judgments based on names, colour, and creed. Áine reminded us that often:
"Níl mar a shíltear, bítear."
Trevor O’Sullivan’s speech title was I Love It When a Plan Comes Together. He outlined his vision of becoming a sought-after leadership coach in an earlier speech. In this one, he gave an account of the circuitous route he took to achieve his goal.
He described his efforts to use digital marketing and joining Business Network International. Finally, he contacted a former colleague who knew his skills, and ultimately, Trevor was offered a very satisfying position. His enthusiasm was infectious when he declared, "Now I have the vision and the plan!"
Our next meeting is a contest one. This will be a very entertaining evening, so why not come and observe on Thursday, the 20th of February at 7.45 pm?
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| Speakers, Trevor O'Sullivan, Áine Ní Ghlinn, Don McSweeney and Ailis O'Sullivan |
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| Evaluators: Paul Gallagher, Pat Sexton, Marie Lynes, Michael Cronin |
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| Toastmaster Jillian Harris, President Bobby Buckley and Topicsmaster Liam Flynn. |
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