An Evening of Learning, Laughter and First-Time Roles
A Warm Welcome for Guests
Helsa Giles with guest Susan Baughman
Speak Easy Mallow Toastmasters opened its doors to guests recently for a special Open Night, offering newcomers a chance to experience the structure, spirit and supportive atmosphere of a Toastmasters meeting. The evening proved a clear success, with strong attendance, lively participation and plenty of positive engagement throughout.
Club President Paul Corcoran opened the meeting, welcoming both members and guests and outlining the purpose of the evening — to give visitors a genuine flavour of Toastmasters and how it helps people develop confidence, communication and leadership skills.
Noel O'Connor joined by Pat Sexton and Claire O'Connell
Leadership and Team Roles
The role of Toastmaster for the evening was taken by James McConville, who guided proceedings smoothly and kept the programme on track while ensuring guests felt included and at ease.
Several members stepped into key roles, with notable first-time performances. María O’Donnell served as Topicsmaster for the first time, while Peter Patton also took on the role of Grammarian for the first time. Both performed with confidence and enthusiasm.
Other roles were filled by Rachel Liston as Timekeeper, Claire O’Connell as General Evaluator, Margaret O’Regan as Ah Counter, and Poetry Corner, which featured a thoughtful reading of “Rescued Time” by Seamus O’Rourke by Noel O'Connor.
Claire O'Connell as General Evaluator for the evening
Prepared Speeches Showcase Variety
The prepared speeches provided an engaging and varied programme.
The first speech of the evening came from Juan Marina Camarasa, who delivered “How to Make Fajitas – My Style”, a Presentation Mastery speech that combined practical instruction with personal flair. The speech was evaluated by Michael Cronin.
Next, Paul Gallagher presented “Divine Intervention”, a Level 3 Pathway speech that demonstrated strong descriptive language and storytelling. Pat Sexton provided the evaluation.
The final speech of the evening was delivered by Bobby Buckley, who spoke on “Same Old Blues Again” as part of the Motivational Strategies Level 3 Pathway. His speech was assessed by Marie Lynes.
Marie Lynes evaluating Bobby Buckley's speech
Guests Take Centre Stage
Following the speeches, members and guests enjoyed a break, giving everyone an opportunity to mingle, ask questions and learn more about Toastmasters in an informal setting.
The meeting then moved into the Table Topics session, led by María O’Donnell. Despite it being her first time in the role, she delivered a varied and imaginative set of topics and, notably, supported guests in finding their voices and participating — no small achievement on an open night.
Pat Sexton evaluating Paul Gallagher's speech
A Strong Finish and Looking Ahead
Evaluations and closing remarks brought the meeting to a close, rounding off what many described as a highly successful and welcoming open night.
Speak Easy Mallow Toastmasters will meet again on February 5th at 8pm in the Hibernian hotel, Mallow, with a theme inspired by Brigid’s Day, exploring the Irish patron saint along with related myths and stories. New guests are always welcome to attend and experience the club for themselves.
