A Weekend of Contests

In early April Toastmaster Division Contests were held throughout Ireland. On Saturday April 5th, Bobby Buckley was a contestant in the Division M Speech Final in Dublin with his speech, Conclave and Me’. In spite of a fine performance, Bobby was edged out of the awards. First prize went to Aine Ni Ghlinn of Rathfarnham, who was a recent visitor to our club.

On Sunday April 6th the Division A Finals were held in Cork . It was an afternoon of friendship, rivalry and great speaking!..Pat Sexton competed in the Speech Evaluation Contest. Anne Lawlor from Tralee gave the ‘test speech’ and five contestants from different areas offered evaluations on it. Displaying his signature incisiveness and wit, Pat Sexton won First Place. Anthony Garvey of Tralee Toastmasters won the Speech Contest. Both Pat and Anthony will now go forward to the District 71 Irish and British Finals in Solihull in early May. We wish them the best of Luck!

Our next meeting is on this Thursday,April 17th. Why not come along and see what happens at a meeting? You’ll be glad you did!

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Speakeasy Meeting on April 3rd

 On April 3rd, Paul Corcoran, our Vice President Education, stepped up as

Toastmaster for the evening. He led the meeting with his usual professionalism and

attention to detail. He reminded us all of one of the core benefits of Toastmasters :

confidence—a quality he embodies fully. It comes as no surprise that Paul has been

appointed Area 17 Director for the coming year. Well deserved, Paul.

James McConville attended our meeting as a guest and shared a very moving

original poem of his; Salt in the Wound. His haunting images of the ravages of war

and ‘the wounds that will not heal’ left a lasting impression.

Pat Sexton delivered a heartfelt speech Johnny Cannot Read recounting a

classmate’s struggle with undiagnosed dyslexia. His story was both emotional and

thought-provoking. He questioned current funding priorities in education. ‘ Instead of

introducing universal benefits for pupils’, he asked ’should we target support where

the needs are greatest?’

We were delighted to welcome two guests from Tralee Toastmasters at this meeting.

One of these, Anne Lawlor delivered an inspiring speech entitled Carpe Diem. Citing

Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society she encouraged us all to ‘Seize the Day’ This

spirit of adventure earned her a scholarship to study in Sydney for a year and as a

teacher in a special school, it inspired her to abandon the schoolroom and take the

students to delight in the wonder of playing in the snow for a day!. Ann definitely lives

by her motto and leads by example.

Bobby Buckley revisited his insightful and humorous speech, Conclave and Me, about his visit to the film ,Conclave. This very impressive presentation demonstrated

how even seasoned speakers in Toastmasters can gain from evaluations and

positive recommendations. Bobby qualified for the Division M Final in Dublin with this

very entertaining speech.

Acting as Topicsmaster, Margaret O’Regan elicited very amusing replies to some

topics she posed ‘What is the nicest thing someone ever said about you?’

In her role as Grammarian, our guest, Áine Quinn from Tralee, challenged us to

include the word ‘rejuvenate’ in our contributions and offered a delightful summary of

the evening’s most vivid and expressive language.

We will do it all again on Thursday, April 17th and guests are always welcome.

Come along, observe, enjoy: and remember, there’s never any pressure to speak.

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Top Table: Paul Corcoran as Toastmasters, Margaret O'Regan as Topics Master, Bobby Public as President

Speakers: Bobby Buckley, Anne Lawlor, Pat Sexton

Evaluators: Marie Lynes, Michael Cronin, Marie Fitzpatrick

Speak Easy 20th March 2025

 Marie Fitzpatrick led last week’s meeting with grace and style as Toastmaster. Jillian Harris, as Topics master, sparked lively contributions ranging from Marrakech to the Healy Pass and exploring how childhood crawling might influence our sense of direction!

Claire O’Connell shared her thought-provoking poem, The Starter Encore, offering a sharp focus on inequality.

Brendan Foley’s speech, Procrastination Think Again, reassured us that we are not alone in delaying tasks — 90% of people admit to it!. He provided practical strategies to avoid the stress and guilt of procrastination, reminding us that the longest journey begins with a single step.

In Robert and the Tannhäuser, Bobby Buckley reflected on his youthful dreams of athletic glory, fuelled by Wagner’s Tannhäuser Overture played on an old gramophone. While his goals and music have changed over time, his will to win, even at Toastmasters, remains strong.

Paul Corcoran delivered a master class in project organisation with, Revamping My Business. His long term goal is to expand his practice. His short term focus is to optimise his website. Using a WhatsApp group and a shared Google document, he structured his process and set a clear deadline — an update speech in four weeks at Speakeasy. We look forward to hearing about his progress.

A big thank you to all who contributed, including Helsa Giles (Timer), Rachel Liston (General Evaluator) and Paul Corcoran (VPE) who always ensures smooth meetings with his agenda planning.

We meet again in the Hibernian Hotel on Thursday, April 3rd at 7.50pm.

Guests are always welcome and will not be asked to speak.

Toastmaster, Marie Fitzpatrick, President Bobby Buckley and Topicsmaster, Jillian Harris

Speakers and Poetmaster: Brendan Foley, Bobby Buckley, Claire O'Connell, and Paul Corcoran.

The Evaluators: Marie Fitzpatrick, Pat Sexton, and Margaret O'Regan.

Pat Sexton Wins Area 17 Speech Evaluation Contest

Congratulations to Pat Sexton, who emerged victorious in the Area 17 Speech Evaluation Contest in Tralee and will now go on to represent Area 17 at the Division A Finals in Cork on April 6th.

Paul Gallagher acted as our genial Toastmaster for the evening on March 6th, setting the tone by reminding us of the power of language—“the lens through which we see the world.”

Don McSweeney opened the presentations with a romantic poem from the 1500s. Many will remember Sonnet 29 from the English textbook Soundings, where Shakespeare expresses feelings of self-doubt and despair before finding solace in the love of his beloved, declaring he would not trade his fate for that of a king.

Marking the approach of International Women’s Day, Marie Lynes delivered a stirring tribute to Hanna Sheehy Skeffington, the Kanturk-born suffragette, nationalist, and social reformer. Hanna endured imprisonment, the loss of her teaching position, and the unlawful execution of her husband, Francis, yet she remained steadfast in her fight for justice and equality. Marie urged us to draw inspiration from Hanna’s unwavering belief that a more just society is always possible.

Rachel Liston’s speech, Play to Your Strengths, illustrated how this principle has shaped her career. Her early love of gardening fostered curiosity about the natural world, while her logical and analytical approach led her to the study of Science. Clarity and precision became her strengths, suiting her role in a pharmaceutical company. However, she emphasized that playing to one’s strengths does not mean limiting oneself. She takes pride in expanding her skill set, and her confidence as a speaker has flourished through Toastmasters.

Jillian Harris provided an insightful behind-the-scenes look at the organization of the 200th-anniversary celebrations of St. James’ Church in Mallow in her speech, What Goes on in the Background. A dedicated committee oversaw the year-long events, and she highlighted the importance of fostering a positive working environment where skills were shared, communication was key, and respect was paramount. There were challenges along the way, including learning to delegate and overcoming unforeseen obstacles—such as an issue with the church’s electrics during the grand Christmas Concert in December—but all the effort culminated in a resounding success.

The evening concluded with a lively Topics Session, led by Helsa Giles, featuring thought-provoking questions such as “What advice would you give Romeo before he met Juliet?” and “Is the pen mightier than the sword?”

📅 Our next meeting takes place on Thursday, March 20th, at 7:50 PM. Everyone is welcome!

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The ladies at Speakeasy stand together for International Women's Day. L to R. Claire O'Connell, Jillian Harris, Marie Lynes, Rachel Liston, Helsa Giles, Margaret O'Regan and Marie Fitzpatrick

Pat Sexton, Speakeasy, receives First Place from Ann Lawlor, Director and Derry Butler, President Tralee Toastmasters.

Paul Corcoran, General Evaluator, and Don McSweeney who presented 'poem of the day'

Evaluators: Margaret O'Reagan, Bobby Buckley, and Pat Sexton 

Speakers: Rachel Liston, Jillian Harris, and Marie Lynes

Well Done Pat and Everyone

Trevor O’Sullivan guided us through last Thursday’s Club Contest meeting with ease.

Liam O’Flynn opened with a deceptively simple poem, Millstreet Hospital. This very touching piece was written by the Cullen-born ‘poet of the people’ and Oxford academic, Bernard O’Donoghue.

In his speech, Conclave and Me, Bobby Buckley shared his experience of going to this Oscar-nominated film.

In his signature self-deprecating style, Bobby described how he joined the grey brigade in the cinema for Conclave as if attending Latin morning mass. He introduced us to the theme of the film: The Pope has died, and Cardinal Lawerence, played by Ralph Fiennes, finds himself with the unenviable task of conducting the conclave. Bobby concentrated on the compelling performance delivered by Fiennes.

The Cardinal has to ‘manage’ the intricate machinations at work within the conclave while struggling with his own ‘dark night of the soul.’

He highlighted a central speech given by the Cardinal in the film, where he abandons his notes and speaks from the heart. He declares that he rejects ‘the heresy of certitude.’ It was a masterful performance, and Bobby wondered if it would affect the eventual election result. He admitted that he was genuinely taken aback by the unpredictable ending. It was a very eloquent, humorous speech that aroused our interest without spoiling any of the tension and suspense in the film.

Pat Sexton wrestled with some timeless mysteries in his speech, The Threads of Life. The tragic and untimely passing of young, vibrant individuals has mystified mankind for aeons. In Greek mythology, the three sisters, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos, were depicted as spinning and cutting the threads of individual human destinies.

Pat referred to two individuals that he knew who passed away last year. Ellen at 100 and Joe at 19 would appear to be very different, but they both shared a zest for life. They both lived life to the full but also accepted that they could not alter its end. The Greeks believed that the happiest people were those who discovered the spirit of ‘entheos’ within. So, Pat concluded that we must accept that we cannot change our Fate, but we can choose to live life to the fullest with enthusiasm and passion.

Margaret O’Regan presented the test speech for contestants to evaluate. The subject of her talk was Maria Fitzherbert. Margaret presented Maria’s story in her usual relaxed, humorous style.

Born in July 1756, Maria Anne Smythe, a Catholic, was married at eighteen to a wealthy widower, Edward Weld. Unfortunately, by the age of twenty-five, she had been widowed twice. Luckily, her second husband, Thomas Fitzherbert, left her a house in Mayfair and an annual income of £1,000.

Though she had no shortage of suitors, Maria was reluctant to get involved in another relationship. However, in 1784, she met George, the Prince of Wales, and he was infatuated with her. She became his longtime companion, and they were secretly married in 1785. However, as heir to the throne, he was not permitted to marry a Catholic. His marriage to Maria was disregarded, and he married the much more suitable and wealthier Caroline of Brunswick.

In time, Caroline too was abandoned for another. But the future King George IV did leave ‘all his worldly property to my wife Maria, the wife of my heart and soul’ in his will. Her letters to him were discovered under his pillow, and he requested to wear an eye miniature of her around his neck when he was dying.

Margaret embellished this story with many interesting and amusing details. ‘Does this prove that love endures in spite of all?’ she asked the audience.

At the end of a very entertaining evening, Pat Sexton was awarded first place in both the Club Speech and Evaluation Contests. He will represent Speakeasy Toastmasters in the Area Final of these contests in Tralee on Sunday, March 2nd.

Our next meeting of Speakeasy Toastmasters will be on Thursday, March 6th, in the Hibernian Hotel. Everyone is welcome.

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Margaret O'Regan, Test Speaker, and Contest Chair Trevor O'Sullivan.

Bobby Buckley receiving the Second Place award from Trevor O'Sullivan at the Speakeasy Toastmasters Club Speech Contest.

Pat Sexton receiving the First Place award from Trevor O'Sullivan at the Speakeasy Club Speech Contest.

Life Stories

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

Evaluators: Paul Gallagher, Pat Sexton, Marie Lynes, Michael Cronin

Toastmaster Jillian Harris, President Bobby Buckley and Topicsmaster Liam Flynn.

January Sails

 Acting as Toastmaster for the evening, Helsa Giles guided us through last Thursday’s meeting with her usual ease and grace.

Claire O’Connell began the presentations by sharing a very apt poem with us that was penned by her father. In January Sails, he expresses his impatience with this “landlocked” month in graphic nautical terms. He advises us to “anchor” our heart by the fireside and “check the sails against the bitter winds that blow.” His relief at January’s eventual departure is palpable in the line, “Now the year begins at last.”

In his speech, The Hit I Want, Brendan Foley extolled the virtues of natural dopamine hits. This feel-good hormone and chemical messenger have numerous benefits for our health and sense of well-being when generated by our own activities. He advocated “cold water plunging” as a major source of this natural hormone. However, he assured the less courageous among us that all types of exercise, listening to pleasant music, reading, writing, and social activities like Toastmasters can also provide us with this positive chemical. He was very persuasive in his argument that these natural sources were far preferable to the instant but fleeting hits to be had from alcohol, drugs, or social media.

In a very evocative speech, No Smoke Without Fire, Paul Gallagher presented a thoughtful reflection on our Irish identity and the place of the fireside at its heart:
“Níl aon tinteán mar do thinteán féin.”
He evoked memories of people cooking and gathering around the fire. Here was the focal point of the family and often the community. The embers of the fire of a departing emigrant family were sometimes placed in the neighbours’ hearths as a symbol of hope for returning someday.

In contrast, today, Paul observed that people live in separate rooms with evenly controlled temperatures and social media for company. Has the soul of our homes been lost in our modern, heated, chimneyless abodes? he mused.

Twisting to a Different Consciousness was the intriguing title of Bobby Buckley’s speech. Originally from Mallow, Bobby has lived much of his life in Dublin. In this speech, he took us on a walk along one of his favourite routes near Rathfarnham. He shared little vignettes of history with us along the way. He took us to the Arch where a traveller was wrongfully executed for a murder that the local landlord, who accused him, committed himself.

He described the thunderous waterfalls along our route and the cross at the base of one of them. As we walked by the River Dodder, he conjured up a shocking image of all the bodies being swept along by it in Famine times. He explained that this accounted for the location of a morgue and a pub in this spot. The pub, The Dropping Well, is still in business.

By a strange stroke of serendipity, Bobby discovered that his great-grandfather worked in this area as a junior gardener and won the hand of the daughter of a local landowner. Bobby found a record of their marriage in the register at Classon’s Bridge. We thoroughly enjoyed our journey with him, and he concluded by challenging each of us to take the audience on our own personal tour.

What an interesting evening we had, and that was before we got to the Topics Session!

President: Bobby Buckley, Toastmaster: Helsa Giles, and Topicsmaster: Pat Sexton.

Evaluators: Marie Lynes, Rachel Liston, and Claire O'Connell; Speakers: Bobby Buckley and Paul Gallagher.

A New Year’s Resolution

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Lao Tzu

It’s that time of year again when we reflect on our lives and make resolutions.

Usually, we think in terms of “losing” something, like a bad habit, but perhaps we should consider “finding” something—like a new interest or skill.

The ability to communicate with clarity and confidence is an invaluable life skill and can transform your life. It can help you speak more effectively at work or in social situations. It can even prepare you to give that wedding or special occasion speech.

Toastmasters offers people the opportunity to develop these skills in a friendly and helpful environment.

The founder of Toastmasters, Ralph C. Smedley, believed that “We learn best in moments of enjoyment,” and we certainly abide by that motto at Speakeasy Toastmasters.

A Toastmasters meeting consists of:

• A session of prepared short speeches and evaluations by members.
• A session of impromptu speaking on various topics. These topics can be trivial or informative but are always entertaining.

A Toastmasters meeting isn’t just about speaking—it also helps develop listening skills. Guests will never be called on to speak unless they volunteer.

And, of course, the tea break is a vital part of each meeting! It’s a great opportunity to ask questions and chat.

So why not make it your New Year’s resolution to come along to a Speakeasy Toastmasters meeting and be entertained? Guests are always welcome.

Our first meeting of 2025 will be held on Thursday, January 23rd, and meetings will continue on alternate Thursdays in the Hibernian Hotel, Mallow.

For more details, visit: linktr.ee/speakeasymallow