congratulations president’s distinguished...
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Toastmasters International District 71 Newsletter May 2018 www.d71toastmasters.org
District 71 Newsletter May 2018
Congratulations President’s Distinguished Clubs!
The following clubs have achieved
President’s Distinguished status as at
31 May 2018. Well done!
Division A
West Cork Toastmasters
Bishopstown Toastmasters
Division B
Killarney Club
Division C
Castleknock Toastmasters Club
Dundalk Toastmasters Club
Division D
Clonmel Toastmasters
Kildare Toastmasters
Division E
York EbOrators Toastmasters Club
Shropshire Speakers
Warrington Toastmasters
A1 Speakers
Division F
Westport Club
Division G
Cambridge City Communicators
Saffron Walden Speakers
Division H
East Herts Speakers
Luton Speakers Club
Elder Gate Toastmasters
Division M
Dublin Club
Dun Laoghaire Club
Greystones Club
Lucan Club
Dublin 18 Toastmasters
Division S
Capital Communicators Club
Haymarket Toastmasters
If you club is not listed above, it’s not too late. Put on a final push and
see how well you can do! There’s still time to join this esteemed list!
Toastmasters International District 71 Newsletter May 2018 www.d71toastmasters.org
District 71 Newsletter May 2018
Congratulations to the winners of the D71 Speech Contests!
With her speech entitled “DOB’s Army”, Deirdre Linehan is the winner of the 2018 International Speech Contest. She will go on to represent District 71 Toastmasters at the World Championship of Public Speaking in August in Chicago. In second place was Anne Dooley with “Take that Chance”. Third place went to John Duncan with “Dream the Possible Dream”.
Deirdre Linehan with District Director Red Skelton
From left: Anne Dooley, 2nd place; John Duncan, 3rd place, and winner of the International Speech Contest, Deirdre Linehan
Toastmasters International District 71 Newsletter May 2018 www.d71toastmasters.org
District 71 Newsletter May 2018
The winner of the 2018 Evaluation Contest is Pat Sexton from Division B. In second place was Eric Fitzpatrick from Division C. Third place
went to Richard Foster Fletcher, from Division H. Pat Sexton from Division B (centre) with Contest Chair Helen Tait and District Director Red Skelton
Eric Fitzpatrick from Division C came second in the Evaluation Contest.
Toastmasters International District 71 Newsletter May 2018 www.d71toastmasters.org
District 71 Newsletter May 2018
Contest Chair Helen Tait with third-place winner Richard Foster Fletcher of Division H.
Entitled “Why you must neglect the housework”, the Test Speech was given by the District 71 Public Relations Manager Laura Bruce.
Contest photos by Fergal O’Callaghan
Toastmasters International District 71 Newsletter May 2018 www.d71toastmasters.org
District 71 Newsletter May 2018
News from the District Council meeting
Members of the District Council elected the following individuals to the District Leadership Team: The incoming District Director is Patricia O’Reilly.
The incoming Program Quality Director is John Cox.
Gerard Mannix was elected Club Growth Director.
Daniel Sandars was elected Public Relations Manager.
Division Director Elections:
Division A: Maura Meeney was acclaimed. Division B: Larry Lyons was acclaimed. Division C: Barry Lane was acclaimed. Division D: Shaun Durkin was acclaimed. Division E: Andy Nichols was acclaimed. Division F: Pat Croke was elected. Division G: Alex Knibbs was acclaimed. Division H: Steve Campion was elected. Division S: Avril Stringer was acclaimed. Their term will commence 1st July 2018 and run until 30 June 2019.
Motions: 1. The Realignment Committee’s recommendations for new boundaries was approved. 2. On the motion for future contests, Option 3 was approved: all 4 contests will be held at District Conference
each year. 3. Motion: From 1 July 2018, Area Directors in District 71 will be appointed by the District Director through a
nominations committee: the motion was defeated. 18 Clubs have already achieved President’s Distringuished Status. There are 22 DTMs this year, and 22 members have achieved a Triple Crown.
At the closing of the Safe Haven conference, incoming District Director Patricia O’Reilly DTM welcomed the new members of the District Leadership Team. Brenda Lannon, left, was appointed Administration Manager. Martin Foran, not pictured, was appointed Finance Manager.
Toastmasters International District 71 Newsletter May 2018 www.d71toastmasters.org
District 71 Newsletter May 2018
News from Division A – our featured Division for May
By Ted Mellamphy. Division A Director
Where has this Toastmaster
season gone!
1st July 2017 I was handed the
reins of this Division, it's hard
to believe we have a mere 4
weeks left.
The whole year was a highlight
but some of those were standout.
My thanks to Area Directors, Assistant Area
Directors & Assistant Division Directors Sharon O’
Neill and Moira O’ Brien.
(3) Mary Walsh, (11) Phillip O' Brien, (23) Maura
Meany (incoming DivA Director) and (49) Damian
Loftus.
Mary was assisted by Mari Manning, Phillip was
assisted by Alun Rees (Contest Chair
International Speech Contest Safe Haven), Maura
Meany by Damian Lynch and Damian Loftus by
Maria Gillen (Entertainment Manager Safe
Haven, Craic) and Carol O’ Donovan.
All of the above have contributed to this
Newsletter ably assisted and abetted by Club
Presidents and committees.
Division A takes in South West Cork, in all its
beauty from Garryvoe in the South East, to
Bantry in the South West.
Last September when our 17/18 season kicked
off we had 18 clubs. Our target was to increase
the number of Clubs in the Division by at least
one club per Area. Area 11 was the first to oblige
with Lee Valley Speakers reaching charter level in
April breaking and creating new records, from
the longest pre-charter, 3 years to the 200th Club
in District 71, Congratulations to Moira O' Brien,
President and founding member, watch out for
LVS TM in years to come. This brings Area 11 to 5
clubs.
McAfee TM was born in March and is well down
the road to Charter status, which will be achieved
before end of June. Sponsoring Club is Blarney,
well done and congratulations to Mary Christine
Nolan, founding member and mover. This
Corporate Club is joining Area 3 which brings this
Area to 6 Clubs.
Another pre-charter Club which will charter
before the end of June is Republic of Work TM,
bang in the centre of Cork City, South Mall,
opposite the Imperial Hotel, a weekly Club,
Monday 6.30-8.00pm.
Visitors are always welcome to visit the club and
enjoy the Toastmaster experience.
Founding member and President is John Keating,
sponsoring Club Bishopstown, well done John
and Bishopstown members. Republic of Work is
assigned to Area 23, which brings this Area to 5
Clubs.
Par Excellence Tm (PET)m, a hybrid advanced
Club, alternate meetings in the Bank of Ireland,
St Patrick’s Street Cork and virtual, from your
own front room or wherever you do your
interneting, great challenge and great fun,
founded by Moira O’ Brien ably assisted by
Maura Meany and Phillip O’Brien. Again, the goal
is to Charter before the end of June, pedal to the
metal. This Club is assigned to Area 49, which
brings the Area to 6 Clubs.
The Steel City Conference, the final Autumn
Conference in District 71 from 3-5 November
2017 was memorable in so many ways, but to
come away with the award of Toastmaster of the
year, Sharon O’ Neill, Blarney TM, Area 3 Division
A, wow. My claim to fame, same club.
(continued)
Toastmasters International District 71 Newsletter May 2018 www.d71toastmasters.org
District 71 Newsletter May 2018
SHARON O’NEILL WITH THE TROPHY
The self-same Sharon at that stage
was ¾ of the way through her
campaign of bringing the
Conference to Cork as Director of
SAFEHAVEN 2018
Enjoy the pictures.
Relive the contests, the friendships, the new
friends made, the old friends met, the Craic, the
Gab, Improv. . .
The songs, the stories, late nights, early
mornings, the workshops, the presenters, THE
DISTRICT COUNCIL MEETING, the food, the
smiles, the miles travelled, the memories
banked, on the banks of our own lovely Lee.
The expanding enrichment that we all enjoy
because we were fortunate to discover this
organisation, Toastmasters.
Ted Mellamphy Division A Director
Ted Mellamphy with Maura Meeny. Maura was elected Division A Director at the Distict Council Meeting Saturday.
Safe Haven 2018 Conference Photos
Toastmasters International District 71 Newsletter May 2018 www.d71toastmasters.org
District 71 Newsletter May 2018
Toastmasters International District 71 Newsletter May 2018 www.d71toastmasters.org
District 71 Newsletter May 2018
Photos courtesy of Ted Mellamphy
Toastmasters International District 71 Newsletter May 2018 www.d71toastmasters.org
District 71 Newsletter May 2018
Area 3 – Area Director Mary Walsh
Midleton TM
In January, Midleton Toastmasters hosted a
workshop presented by Eric Fitzpatrick, one of
Ireland’s leading sales presenters. Eric gave a
workshop on delivering effective and powerful
presentations. He has recently published a book
"Persuade with power" with insights into to the
Do's and Don't of good presentations.
In April, Midleton hosted a well attended
International Speech and Evaluation contest final
for Area 3. Midleton member, Maria Hurley went
on to compete in both Area and Division level of
the Evaluation contest.
Photo: Midleton member Maria Hurley
competing in the Division A Evaluation Contest
Talking Heads
Talking Heads Toastmasters meet on a fortnightly
basis from early September until the end of May
in the comfortable surrounds of the Garryvoe
Hotel. It maintains its ethos of fun filled
meetings, followed by the third half in the
Lighthouse Bar afterwards!
This past year has been yet another very
successful one for our club. It will achieve Select
Distinguished Status in the DCP and has a healthy
membership of 27 active toastmasters. Club
members Eleanor Herlihy competed in the
Division A Humorous Speech final in October,
Sheila Mc Govern in the International Speech
contest and Margaret O’Flynn got to D 71 final of
the Evaluation contest at the recent wonderful
Safe Haven conference in Cork.
One of the highlights of our year was our Poetry
night. Founder member Bernadette Hegarty
recited a poem she wrote honouring the late
Paul G Murphy, club sponsor and mentor and
also a member of Blarney Toastmasters. The
Division A Toastmaster of the Year award is
named in his honour. The poem, titled ‘A Tribute
to Paul G’, resonated with those who were
privileged to have known him. The final verse:
This club has now been going for almost thirty
years
And, in that time, many have conquered their
public speaking fears.
But what’s maybe more important since the club
was first begun
Is that we’ve all made such a lot of friends and
with the friends had fun.
So thanks to Paul G. Murphy, the man who
refused to hear No
And insisted that he sponsor a Toastmasters club
in Garryvoe.
Toastmasters International District 71 Newsletter May 2018 www.d71toastmasters.org
District 71 Newsletter May 2018
Talking Heads Toastmasters Christmas night out
Guardian TM
Guardian Toastmasters recently turned 10 years
old and celebrated by hosting the Anglo Irish
meeting on the night before SafeHaven began.
Each past president of Guardian TM attended
and was presented with an award and the
meeting was followed by a whisky tasting.
Blarney TM
Blarney Club in Cork (President Sharon O'Neill.
Founded 1975 - meets in the shade of the
Blarney Stone - the club where everyone
deserves the Gift of the Gab.)
This year we've had Super Members, Sensational
Meetings & Superb Learnings. Blarney's been
home to (1) Division A Director Ted Mellamphy
(2) Area 3 Director Mary Walsh (3) District 71
Toastmaster of the Year, Division A Toastmaster
of the year and District 71 #SafeHaven2018
conference director Sharon O'Neill &
three/quarters of the conference team (Lisa
O'Sullivan, Eddie O'Mahony, Lukasz Madrzak,
Mary Walsh, Paul O'Mahony). Blarney is proud to
have sponsored Lee Valley Speakers (chartered
on 24th April) - & also provided President Moira
O'Brien & Vice-President for Education Beryl
Cronin.
Blarney is on track to achieve President's
Distinguished status for the third year in a row.
We've added 8 new members this year. Many are
already enrolled on Pathways and have given
their "Icebreakers".
Blarney ran two Member Induction nights
(October & January) with educational speeches
on Officer & Meeting Roles, Mentoring, Pathways
(plus presentations on speech-writing and
evaluations). Blarney "Induction Nights" are for
all Division A members & prospective members -
they'll be a feature of Blarney Toastmasters
contribution & service to the Division in future.
Toastmasters International District 71 Newsletter May 2018 www.d71toastmasters.org
District 71 Newsletter May 2018
Blarney TM - October 2017 New Members Night
District 71 Toastmaster of the Year
Division A Toastmaster of the Year
District 71 #SafeHaven2018 Conference Director
President of Blarney Toastmasters Sharon O'Neill
Cork East Toastmasters
Cork East Toastmasters club situated in the Radisson Blu, Little Island, Co. Cork had a successful calendar year - 2017/2018, increasing our membership by 8. This was achieved through members publicising the club and by officers engaging with local businesses, advising them that there was a Toastmasters club in the area and asking them to put up promotional material in areas where staff could view it. We plan to encourage membership via popular social media platforms in the coming year.
William Kelleher, a member of Cork East TM club was the winner of the 2018 Area 3 Final Contest, delivering a poignant speech on Dyslexia, doing the club proud. He subsequently went forward to the Division A Regional Finals where he also placed well. (Above) Group photo taken at the Area 3
Final Contest in April: L to R: Dr. Shirley
Gallagher, Hon. Secretary; Eric Downey,
EVP; C. Kelleher; William Kelleher, winner
Area 3 final; Mari Manning, MVP; Ann
Walsh.
Toastmasters International District 71 Newsletter May 2018 www.d71toastmasters.org
District 71 Newsletter May 2018
Area 11 – Area Director Phillip O’Brien, ACG,
ALB
Welcome to Area 11, Division A.
We started the year with four clubs and one
pre-charter and I am delighted to say that we
end the year with five chartered clubs!!!
Area 11 consists of Kinsale & District, Bantry,
West Cork Toastmasters, Bandon (my home
club) and the newly chartered Lee Valley
Speakers in Macroom.
West Cork is President’s Distinguished – the
first club in District 71 to achieve 10 DCP
points! Bandon is Distinguished and will most
likely be Select Distinguished before the end
of the year. Kinsale & District and Bantry are
struggling with membership numbers but
both have coaches appointed. Lee Valley
Speakers has chartered in late April, 2018.
It has been my pleasure to visit each and
every one of the clubs and to meet the
members. I have enjoyed the warmth and
the welcome extended to me.
Area 11 Toastmasters took part in Division-
wide club officer training and two successful
club contests where one Area 11
Toastmaster – Dave Ryan of Bandon
Toastmasters – came third in the Division A
Final of the International Speech Contest.
A major speaking and confidence building
event was held by Bandon Toastmasters
which attracted a crowd of over 150 people.
This is detailed in the Bandon Toastmasters
section.
Area 11 and Area 17 in Division B have been
able to provide Test Speakers and Chief
Judges for each other’s contests throughout
the year – thanks to Liam Flynn, Area 17
Director and Helsa Giles, incoming Area 17
Director.
I am very grateful also to the Area 11
Assistant Area Director Alun Rees, President
of West Cork Toastmasters for his help and
support during the year. Alun is the incoming
Area Director for 2018/2019 and I know the
Area will be in good hands.
Bandon Club President Imelda Westcott with
inspirational and motivational speakers Henk
van der Klok (left) and Walt Hampton.
Toastmasters International District 71 Newsletter May 2018 www.d71toastmasters.org
District 71 Newsletter May 2018
Area 11 Director Phillip O’Brien with Helsa
Giles, President of Speakeasy Toastmasters,
Mallow, Division B who was Test Speaker at
the Area 11 Contest.
Now over to the clubs!
Bandon Toastmasters #7364 – President
Imelda Westcott
Bandon Toastmasters a year in review.
When Bandon Toastmasters returned in September 2017 we had a dramatic decrease and lost some very experienced members. Early in the year we ran our annual open night which brought in a good crowd and we gained some new members from this.
However, a turning point for Bandon Toastmasters in 2018 was when the club organized a very successful event called ‘Ignite Your Potential’. The sell-out event was considered a massive success by all who attended.
The club secured two high calibre motivational speakers. Serial adventurer and TedX speaker Henk Van der Klok and former Tony Robbins business consultant and international speaker Walt Hampton. Both gave inspirational and hugely engaging talks on facing your fears, challenging yourself to do what you always wanted to do, and inspired the over 150 attendees to ‘follow your dreams and live a life that matters’. In addition, Division A Director and Blarney Toastmaster, Ted Mellamphy inspired everyone with his personal journey from redundancy at the age of 52 to starting out on his own, and building a successful business. He spoke about how his local Toastmasters club Blarney played a part in that success by helping him improve his communication and presentation skills.
The advertising from the event has benefited all Toastmasters clubs in Cork. We pulled out all the stops and managed to get excellent advertising for the event on a small budget. We printed flyers, posters, ran Facebook ads, had newspaper articles and a radio interview. We contacted all Toastmasters clubs in Cork and they all helped to make this event the success that it was. #wearetoastmasters
Later in the year we have had competitors in both the Speech and Evaluation contests at Division level. Dave Ryan took 3rd place at the Division A International Speech contest.
In addition, during the year our club President has achieved her HPL, Bandon Toastmasters is home to the Area 11 Director Phillip O’Brien and Philip has recently completed his Advanced Communicator Gold award while over 50% of our members are enrolled in Pathways with 4 members having completed their Pathways Icebreaker.
In summary, Bandon Toastmasters has developed from some early struggles in September to adding on extra meetings in
Toastmasters International District 71 Newsletter May 2018 www.d71toastmasters.org
District 71 Newsletter May 2018
June to cater for the many new members we’ve gained during the year. We are looking forward to starting strong in September as Bandon Toastmasters will be heading into its 30th year since chartering in 1989.
Bandon Toastmasters, May 2018.
Club President Imelda Westcott presenting member Phillip O’Brien with a certificate for completing his Advanced Communicator Gold Award.
Club president Imelda Westcott with Bandon’s longest term member Colette O’Donovan on completing her Competent Communicator in April 2018. Colette gave her icebreaker speech in 2011. Fantastic achievement for Colette.
***
Kinsale & District Toastmasters #1223085 – President Joey O’Leary
The cosmopolitan harbour town of Kinsale has provided a safe haven for travellers for centuries. It is now renowned as a quality tourist destination, welcoming visitors from around the world and it is frequently referred to as the gourmet capital of Ireland.
Similarly, Kinsale & District Toastmasters has
been providing a safe environment for
people who wish to improve their
communication skills, for over 9 years.
Although we are a small club in terms of
Toastmasters International District 71 Newsletter May 2018 www.d71toastmasters.org
District 71 Newsletter May 2018
numbers of members, we are well known for
the quality of our meetings and we regularly
welcome visitors from other clubs in Cork
and further afield. Our meetings are always
entertaining and educational reflecting the
fact that we believe wholeheartedly in the
wisdom of Ralph Smedley’s assertion, that
“We learn best in moments of enjoyment”.
We are looking forward to celebrating the
10th anniversary of our club charter next
year. Throughout those years we have
helped people from all walks of life to
prepare for special events in their lives such
as: wedding speeches, business
presentations and gaining confidence in
speaking English as a second or third
language. We enjoy interacting with other
organisations in the Kinsale area, visiting
Kinsale Men’s Shed and Active Retirement
groups, to provide entertainment evenings
for their members, in addition to raising
awareness of Toastmasters. Of course we
also take great pleasure in participating in
Toastmasters speech contests.
Kinsale & District Toastmasters meet on the
1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month, in
Saint Multose Hall, which has ample parking
and is easily accessible to everyone. Our
Christmas meetings are always special, such
as back to front or secret Santa. We are
currently planning our end of season
meeting in June, to be held at an interesting
and unusual venue.
Some of the members of Kinsale & District Toastmasters, May 2018
Kinsale & District participants in the Area 11 International Speech and Evaluation Contest –
Left to right: Joey O’Leary, Gavin Falk, Willie Grainger and Naomi Cullen.
***
West Cork Toastmasters #5303564 – President Alun Rees
Situated right on the Wild Atlantic Way, with members from all across the region, West Cork Toastmasters invites anyone who is passing through to experience our welcome. We meet weekly on Saturday mornings at the Celtic Ross Hotel in Rosscarbery and have been joined by several Toastmasters over the
Toastmasters International District 71 Newsletter May 2018 www.d71toastmasters.org
District 71 Newsletter May 2018
past few months who found themselves staying in the hotel and fancied a taste of West Cork speaking. Although we aren’t around during peak summer, do feel free to get in touch and we’ll see if we can arrange for a member to come and say “Failte". In our second full year as a chartered club we have again achieved President’s Distinguished status and were proud to have been the first club in District 71 to do so. We enjoyed success at the Area Speech Contests and have made contributions at Division and District events. Our President, Alun Rees will be the Area 11 Director for 2018/2019. Alun was also the Contest Chair at both Division A and District 71 International Speech Contests. West Cork Toastmasters hosted the Area 11 International Speech and Evaluation contest which was a great success with almost forty members from the Area present. Our photograph shows several of our new members who all made their icebreakers on the same day and received their new members’ certificates in a special ceremony. With an emphasis on fun, welcome and mutual encouragement and support our club appears to be going from strength to strength.
West Cork Toastmasters members.
West Cork Toastmasters present at the Area 11 Final hosted by the club.
***
Toastmasters International District 71 Newsletter May 2018 www.d71toastmasters.org
District 71 Newsletter May 2018
Bantry Toastmasters #772301 – President Ciaran O’Driscoll
Bantry Toastmasters were welcomed to host a meeting by Durrus Men’s Shed, near Bantry. It was a regular meeting with table topics which the Men’s Shed members participated in. There were 2 good speeches, a reading followed by a tea break. The men's choir ended the night with a few songs to thank the Toastmasters for showing them the meeting format and methods.
Bantry toastmasters held an open meeting on May 9th. Club coach Joey O’Leary and Division Director Ted Mellamphy were in attendance. Guests were treated to some great topics, 2 speeches, one from an experienced Ursula Kingston and a second speech from newcomer Dolf D'londt. Past member Hazel Vickery returned for the night and in any other business gave a succinct and resounding testimony of how Toastmasters has really helped her in many aspects of life.
Bantry Toastmasters Michael Leahy and Finn O’Mahony.
***
Lee Valley Speakers #4858276 – President Moira O’Brien After nearly three years of gestation Lee Valley speakers finally chartered on April 24th 2018. The club was the brainchild of President Moira O’Brien when she moved from Cork City to the countryside outside Macroom in 2015 and found that the former club there had folded some years before. Wanting to have a local club, she cajoled and persuaded a few friends from Blarney Toastmasters, her then home club and the sponsoring club, together with two of the original club members, to restart, holding the first meeting in September 2015 with just 7 people attending. The second year started with losing three of the original members so restarting was delayed until November, with the intention of holding a make or break open meeting. Thankfully this was successful and from then onwards attendance at meetings never fell below seven and two more open meetings later we had build membership up to 15. A last push in early 2018 produced the necessary final 5 members and the club now boasts 22 members with average turnout at meetings of 14-15. As a newly chartered club we have not had the opportunity to gain DCP points, but the atmosphere in the club is so good that we are attracting members from other clubs to attend regularly – such that we are moving to a larger meeting room from our next meeting. We are confident of producing positive educational achievements in Pathways in the coming year.
Toastmasters International District 71 Newsletter May 2018 www.d71toastmasters.org
District 71 Newsletter May 2018
Toastmaster of the night Claire O’Leary
congratulating one of our newest members,
Joanna Canny, on her Icebreaker, our first in
Pathways.
Our first post-charter meeting.
Area 49 – Area Director Damian Loftus
The area consists of both Corporate and
Community clubs. The Corporates are EMC
and VMWare, while the community clubs are
Bishopstown and Powdermills with an
advanced hybrid pre-charter club Par
Excellence Toastmasters beginning to gain
some serious support and targets to charter
by the end of June.
DellEMC Ireland Toastmasters Forum
Dell EMC Toastmasters members John
McCarthy, Niamh Tobin and Laura Ryan
travelled to Dell Limerick and took part in a
Toastmasters Demo meeting held for the
newly formed Dell Limerick Toastmasters
Club, the meeting was well attended with 42
new Dell Limerick members in attendance.
The meeting was well received and has
created momentum for the newly formed
Dell Limerick club.
The Dell EMC club holds meetings at 2
different sites one its main campus in Ovens
and at its CityGate Office in Mahon. Recently
the club has held a joint video meeting
between the two sites which was well
received.
Since the turn of the year we have attracted
14 new members with 3 Pathways
Icebreakers having taken place thus far. The
future looks good.
------------------------------------
Toastmasters International District 71 Newsletter May 2018 www.d71toastmasters.org
District 71 Newsletter May 2018
Powdermills Toastmaster, Ballincollig
Powdermills Toastmasters is a warm
welcoming friendly community club where
members needs are the priority and which
also has an enviable record in the
Distinguished Club Programme where it has
been a Presidents Distinguished Club for the
past 12 years in a row. For eight years in a
row it achieved 10 out of 10 D.C.P. goals.
Serving all members is a club priority and this
years VPE Des Meade, eagerly supported by
the President Aisling O'Leary, thought that it
would be right to facilitate the Irish speakers
in the club by running one meeting entirely
in the Irish language for St Patricks Day. Club
members worked to set up this unique
meeting with help from members of other
clubs. One Toastmaster, Eoin Ó Broin, came
all the way from Dublin to enjoy the meeting
and do an evaluation. There was a large
attendance of Toastmasters and guests at
the meeting and it was a great success. So
much so we plan on making it an annual
event.
The club and club members actively
participate in Toastmaster activities and
contests in the Area, Division and District.
Michael Barrett won the division humorous
contest and ably represented us at the
district contest last Autumn.
Bishopstown Toastmasters, Wilton
What a great year for Bishopstown
Toastmasters here in Area 49, Division A.
Since this Toastmaster calendar year began
on 1st July the club and its members have
achieved the following significant awards in
the first term alone:
Competent Communication x 4
Advanced Communication Bronze x 2
Advanced Communication Silver x 3
Advanced Leader Bronze x1
Also, we have achieved for the second time
in our club’s history The Smedley Award in
September 2017, for 5 or more new, dual or
reinstated members. This was thanks to a
huge team effort with our committee and
fellow members.
Toastmasters International District 71 Newsletter May 2018 www.d71toastmasters.org
District 71 Newsletter May 2018
Not only that we had two fantastic 2nd place
achievements by members of our club in our
Division A final before Christmas with the
Table Topics and Humorous Speech contests.
To wrap it all up we also proudly achieved a
President’s Distinguished status for the
2016/2017 Toastmaster year for our eighth
year in a row!!!
Apple-Cork Toastmasters
Toastmasters Apple is a corporate club which has both veteran and new Toastmasters in regular attendance. Our club holds weekly “Toastmasters on Speed” meetings of 30 minutes where folks can take a break from the daily grind and give or hear a speech and participate in Table Topics. We also hold celebratory Toastmasters meetings at some of Cork’s finest pubs for festive occasions.
As a corporate club we work within the constraints of business hours with the dynamism of a fast-paced environment oftentimes dictating meeting attendance. We also strive to engage with the wider Toastmasters circle and have conducted joint meetings with neighboring clubs over the years. Additionally, some members regularly visit with other clubs and bring back feedback and ideas to incorporate into our club. Finally, we are constantly engaging with other departments, Apple’s social clubs and via word of mouth to bring more people into the fold and introduce people to the world of Toastmasters.
Par Excellence Toastmasters
In the middle of 2017 Moira O’Brien (Lee
Valley Speakers and Blarney Toastmasters)
started her High Performance Leadership
Project with the intention of forming a new
advanced club in Cork. The project started to
take wings in December 2017 with a
prospective start date of early March, but
this was put back to April and the inaugural
meeting took place at 6pm on April 9th in The
Workbench, Bank of Ireland, St Patrick’s
Street, Cork.
Following Moira’s attendance at some online
clubs, it was decided to make Par Excellence
a hybrid club allowing online attendance. The
Toastmasters International District 71 Newsletter May 2018 www.d71toastmasters.org
District 71 Newsletter May 2018
first meeting was thus well attended with
eighteen attending in person and six from
the internet, five of those being from
overseas. The meeting was a great success.
The second and fourth meetings (the third
having been cancelled due to it being on a
bank holiday) were online meetings and
though attendance was small, the meetings
were exceptional.
All in all, the club has made a very positive
start and with fifteen members committed
(including two from overseas) and a further
fourteen Toastmasters in the visitors list, we
are hopeful of chartering before the end of
June.
President Moira O’Brien in her online
presence
VMware Toastmasters
VMware Toastmasters achieved a milestone in its development in August 2017 when Ciara Conlon became the first VMTM member to deliver a tenth speech from the Competent Communicator manual. By October two more members had achieved CC10. The new year brought an outreach programme where VMTM made connections with other corporate clubs in the IT industry in Cork. In February 2018 DELL EMC Toastmasters and VMTM held a joint meeting at DELL which drew large attendance from both clubs. In March, VMTM held a demonstration meeting for our colleagues in McAfee, which was hugely enjoyable.
Toastmasters International District 71 Newsletter May 2018 www.d71toastmasters.org
District 71 Newsletter May 2018
Did you know. . . ? . . . Ireland was never formed into an Area until
1972, when D71 was constituted.
It is no coincidence that the exception was granted
just a few months after the setting up of the ASC and
the commitment of the Irish clubs to TI. What had
been impossible in 1958 and 1965, was now feasible
seven years later. Seventeen months after the letter
to Rory Stokes of the Dublin club advising him that,
“the Board of Directors of Toastmasters
International granted exception to the standard
membership criteria for the three Irish clubs that
traditionally had open membership”, the delegates
voted at the International Convention in Houston,
Texas, in August 1973, to change the constitution of
TI and permit women to join officially for the first
time. Today, over half the members worldwide are
women.
At the British meeting in London, in May, 1972, an
Irish Area was recognised for the first time – it hadn’t
been so recognised under the TCBI structure – with
Rory Stokes as Area Governor.
Gaylord Giles, in a letter to Bill Moloney, expressed
his gratitude, “for the splendid effort you have given
to the formation of the Irish Area”. Gaylord laid the
foundations of the new D71. He had the knowledge
and experience from his previous toastmasters
service in the U.S. and the diplomatic skills to bring
the British and Irish clubs together. At the first D71
Conference in London in May, 1973, he and his wife
Nora were made a presentation, as well as a framed
statement of appreciation for a man “who during his
stay in the United Kingdom devoted his time and
energy towards the betterment of Toastmasters
International in Great Britain”. And very richly
deserved it was. In honour of his tremendous
contribution to the new district, the Gaylord Giles
Trophy was thereafter presented annually to the
Toastmaster of the Year. Like a lot of such trophies,
its whereabouts now is unknown.
And so D71 took its first hesitant steps. There was
very little growth in the ’70s. Although the Blarney,
Clonakilty, Waterford, Dun Laoire and Ennis clubs
were chartered in Ireland, overall the number of
clubs in the district declined to slightly more than 20.
In this decade, therefore, the number of clubs,
despite the addition of new clubs, had more or less
halved. The number of clubs in Ireland doubled, in
England halved, and the three Scottish clubs
disappeared completely.
Contributed by Ted Corcoran, DTM, Past International
President of Toastmasters “Did you know. . . ?” is a
regular feature of the District 71
newsletter Ted has documented the
development of Toastmasters in Ireland
and Britain in A Comprehensive
History of Toastmasters in Great
Britain and Ireland: 1935–2014. (click
link to open)
To read more of Ted’s history of
Toastmasters, visit
http://d71Toastmasters.org/history/
You need to keep your
bank informed!
Your bank will require an update of changes to your club
committee and constitution.
If you are changing Treasurer it important that more
than one person has authority to operate the bank
account. There have been instances this year when
Treasurers have left their club and the club has been
unable to operate the bank account.
Most clubs will use online banking. The downside of
this is that it is not usually possible for 2 people to
authorise payments. To ensure good control
Treasurers should ensure that they only make
transactions authorised by the club committee and
that the second operator of the account monitors
activity on the account.
If you are thinking of changing banks I have always
found Santander to be very helpful. They have a
dedicated “Treasurers account”. If you are going to
change, always open the new account before closing
the old one – the account opening process can be
lengthy.
Les Hodgson, District 71 Finance Manager
A tale of a Travelling Toastie
Toastmasters International District 71 Newsletter May 2018 www.d71toastmasters.org
District 71 Newsletter May 2018
Three years ago, I joined Manchester Orators, the
local Toastmasters club. Born and bred in Spain, I
had never given a speech in English. So I found
myself in front of my first all-English audience.
Two years ago, I stumbled across the Division 71
Travelling Toasties programme. The penny dropped:
visiting others clubs was not only allowed but
encouraged. Said and done. In no time, I found
myself in front of my first audience of people, who
had never seen or heard me before.
So much I enjoy the experience that on Christmas,
while I was in Madrid, I decided to visit the local
clubs: 4 in one week. Needless to say, this
Toastmaster dose only kept my curiosity satisfied
for few months. The next extreme public speaking
binge came in London few months later. In a 48-
hour-period I managed to attend and participate in
another 4 clubs. Task only possible by the fact few
some clubs start their meetings at 7am. So, I was
myself in front of my first morning audience. That is
a commitment (those matinal meetings I mean).
On holidays in Europe, I would always manage to
find a local club, either in Berlin, Budapest or
Florence, to my partner’s despair. Despite not being
a Toastmaster, she has done pretty well visiting a
few clubs abroad.
However, the most exotic yet was still to come. In
November last year I quit my job to go backpacking
around South America: From Costa Rica to
Argentina. Believe it or not, in that region of the
world there are Toastmasters clubs too! That is how
I found myself in front of my first American
audience.
From all the clubs I recalled, I have always met warm
and welcoming Toastmasters willing to share their
personal stories. Those visits are not only a
preparation for my first next audience but a learning
process on how people, like you and me, run their
clubs, organize their meetings and take care of
members and visitors. That is the essence of
Toastmasters: a continuous learning process.
Knowing my whereabouts, many people ask me for
the best club I have ever visited and I honestly
cannot answer since all clubs are different and
helped me in my development in one way or
another.
Julian Cereceda is VP of PR at Salford Speakers. He also
tries to run, not very successfully to be honest, the
youtube channel skintmillennia.com where you can see
some of his visits to other clubs.
Julian F Cereceda, has been member of
Toastmasters for 3 years. He has attended
meetings in 23 different clubs all around the globe!
His home club, Salford Speakers is in Division E,
Area 48.
Toastmasters International District 71 Newsletter May 2018 www.d71toastmasters.org
District 71 Newsletter May 2018
Lima Toastmasters. Julian with the Lima Toastmasters members. Some of them have been in the
club for over 60 years. February 2017.
Skylark Toastmasters. Best
speakers picture at the end of
the meeting at Skylark
Toastmasters. July 2017.
Covent Garden Toastmasters. Julia Gubar,
VP of E at Covent Garden Toastmasters and
Julian. April 2017.
Toastmasters International District 71 Newsletter May 2018 www.d71toastmasters.org
District 71 Newsletter May 2018
Congratulations Travelling Toasties!
The Travelling Toastie scheme was developed by Karen O’Donnell, our 2016-17 D71 PR Manager. It
encouraged members to visit other clubs, and ideally, to take on a role. The idea was to support struggling
clubs, and one benefit was the sharing of best practice by observing how another club does things.
This scheme was so popular that when I was elected last May in Manchester, I knew I would continue it! It
has been great sharing the photos our Travelling Toasties have shared, and you can find many of them on
the District 71 PR Facebook page. Click here to have a look.
Overall, our most travelled Toastie was Clare Crowther from Division E, pictured here with Epsom Speakers President Peter Paul Parker. Clare visited a whopping 14 clubs this year. Her trail-blazing pace was nearly matched by Phillip O’Brien from Division A, who ventured to 12 clubs. Then from Division H came Phillippa Collier with 9 TT visits, and Steve Campion with 7. With 6 visits each we have Deirdre Walsh of Division D, and our jet-setting TT Julian Cereda from E! Here are the Division with total TT visits.
Division A: 13
Division D: 6
Division E: 20
Division H: 17
Division M: 3
Division S: 13
Are you wondering, “Where is Division B, Division C, Division F and Division G?” Me too! Maybe next year!
– Laura Bruce, District PR Manager
Hope you have enjoyed this issue of the newsletter.
Thank you for contributing to the newsletter, sending me your feedback on the newsletter, and often, just
letting me know you have enjoyed reading the latest issue. It’s been a pleasure to bring together news
from across our District. Next month will feature Division E – so I still have another issue to go before I
complete my term!
Wishing you continued success in your Toastmasters journey.
--Laura Bruce, D71 PR Manager