Athy Toastmasters Brief
November 21, 2013
Athy Toastmasters enjoyed a very informative and entertaining meeting last Tuesday night.The meeting was attended by Area Governor Ger Dooley. Toastmaster was Colette Moore who ensured everything ran smoothly. We had three wonderful speeches on the night. First up was Mary Doody who gave a CC5 speech entitled My Inner Child. In her speech Mary took us on the thrills of a Zip Trek Eco Tour in Queenstown, New Zealand. Next we had Billy Byrne delivering his CC2 speech entitled Inspiration. Billy shared with us how Toastmasters inspires him. Our final speaker of the evening was Anne Doyle with her ACB2 speech entitled Ah, Sure I’m Only Dozing, a speech that stressed the importance of listening to your body and taking a rest when needed. Evaluators on the night were Janet Lennon, Loretto Kenny and Ger Dooley. All speeches were positively evaluated. Following a relaxing tea-break David Newmark hosted a very varied and lively Table-Topics session. Among the topics discussed were highlights of 2013, three items you would take to the next world and favourite lyrics. General Evaluator for the meeting was Mary Ledwidge who complimented all involved on a very successful meeting. Winner of the Bennett Award was Billy Byrne. Athy Toastmasters meets the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month in the Clanard Hotel,Athy at 7.50pm. New members are very welcome. Next meeting takes place on December 3rd.
Athy Toastmasters Brief – Open Night Success
November 7, 2013
Athy Toastmasters – Open Night
November 1, 2013
ATHY TOASTMASTERS
OPEN NIGHT
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH, 2013
START AT 7:50PM
CLANARD COURT HOTEL, DUBLIN ROAD, ATHY, CO. KILDARE.
NO CHARGE
ALL GUESTS VERY WELCOME
Athy Toastmasters is Proud to Host the Division D Final
October 16, 2013
Athy Toastmasters Brief – October 15th
October 16, 2013
Athy Toastmasters had a most enjoyable meeting on Tuesday evening. There were three great speeches on the night on a variety of topics.Tea break was followed by a very lively Table Topics session. The Club also had two birthdays. Our NEXT MEETING takes place on Tuesday 5th November in the Clanard Hotel. Guests are always welcome. For more info contact Joan Melling on 087 2105746.
Athy Toastmasters Meetings – 2013/2014
October 9, 2013
A full schedule can now be viewed by click Meetings in the top menu bar.
Athy Toasmasters Brief – September 17th
September 18, 2013
Athy Toastmasters had a very enjoyable meeting on 17th September. We had three great speeches on travel, personality and procedures and formalities at a Toastmaster meeting. There was also a very interesting Table Topics session. The Humorous Speech competition takes place at our next meeting so if you enjoy a laugh come along to the Clanard Hotel on October 1st at 7.50 p.m. A warm welcome awaits you.
What is Toastmasters?
A Toastmasters meeting is a learn-by-doing workshop in which participants hone their speaking and leadership skills in a friendly atmosphere. A typical group has 20 to 40 members who meet every second Tuesday evening in the Clanard court hotel. The average meeting lasts 60 – 90 minutes.
There is no instructor in a Toastmasters meeting. Instead, members evaluate one another’s presentations. This friendly feedback process is a key part of the program’s success. Meeting participants also give impromptu talks on assigned topics, conduct meetings and also develop skills related to timekeeping, grammar and parliamentary procedure.
Members learn communication skills by working in the Competent Communication manual, a series of 10 self-paced speaking assignments designed to instill a basic foundation in public speaking.
Members also learn leadership skills by taking on various meeting roles and working in the Competent Leadership manual. In our learn-by-doing approach, we don’t lecture our members about leadership skills; we give them responsibilities and mentoring to help. Then we ask them to lead.
Why should I join?
The Toastmasters International program offers many benefits that help people in all walks of life. You will:
Increase your self-confidence
Be a better speaker
Be a better leader
Communicate more effectively
Be a better listener
Improve your presentation skills
Ignite your career
Hone your skills of persuasion
Reach your professional and personal goals
http://www.toastmasters.org/ this link will give further info.
Props Away !
January 19, 2011
I love it when I arrive at Athy Toastmasters and there are things mysteriously covered up with drapes and cloths.
This week I was delighted to see a white board with parts of words shining through the cover sheet. What did it say? ‘MAN’? ‘TATION’?… ahhhh ‘MANAGING PRESENTATION NERVES’ Catherine Dargan’s speech, her CC3 (third speech) was about presentation skills, what a great topic for a Toastmasters meeting.
Two colourful cloths shrouded two lumpy objects on the table, tucked away to the side of the podium… I couldn’t wait to see what was under those.
Visual aids are encouraged in Toastmasters, in fact in order to achieve your Competent Communicator pin. Speech number 8 is all about getting comfortable with visual aids. Some people use Powerpoint but I love the mystery of objects.
Speech two tonight was from one of the Advanced Communicators in our midst. Renee Flynn’s task was interpretive poetry. Poetry is something I never seem to have the time for but what a difference having it read to you. Suddenly WB Yeates ‘A Prayer For My Daughter’ came alive.
But still I was intrigued, what was under the cloths? Liz Williams took the podium for her Advanced Communicator speech, trying to get us slow down in our lives. She talked about takeaways, fast food, microwave meals that say they feed six but only feed two and then finally, the shrouds were lifted. The alternatives to fast meals, an Iron pot, the old-fashioned way of cooking food, left in a pot over the fire all day leaving lovely, tender meat, and the modern version of this? Under cloth number two a slow cooker! I have to say this was a very compelling speech and much of our tea break was spent talking about them and exchanging recipes.
Our next meeting is on Feb 1st at 7.50pm in the Carlton Abbey Hotel, Athy. All are welcome to come along to meet people, improve their confidence, leadership and speaking skills.
Athy Toastmasters Are Leaders
November 4, 2010
Tuesday night saw the annual Athy Toastmasters open evening. Guests were treated to a night of entertainment with speeches covering topics from Cinderella to cavewomen there was even a toast to friends delivered by Loretto Kenny (past club president and area governor).
The group which develops members skills in public speaking and leadership has been going from strength to strength recently hosting the area finals of the humours speech and table topics contest, member Renee Flynn went on to represent the club and the area in the Division finals. They also were one of only three clubs in all of Ireland and the UK to have attained three competent leadership awards in the past year.
‘Leadership is a big part of Toastmasters’ says Amanda Webb club publicity officer. ‘Many people think that it’s all about speaking but members are awarded for their organisation skills and contributions to the twice monthly meetings.’
Bridie Corrigan, current club President opened the meeting that was chaired by ‘Toastmaster’ Renee Flynn. Club founder and Division Publicity Officer Lucia Hughes was also in attendance managing the Table Topics session, a segment of the meeting where members of the audience are encouraged to join in by standing up and responding to ‘topics’. Tuesday evening’s topics varied from Strictly Come Dancing to how to catch a mouse.
Athy Toastmsters is affiliated to Toastmasters International. The mission of a Toastmasters club is to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every individual member has the opportunity to develop oral communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth.
The club meets every first and third Tuesday of the month at 7.50pm in the Carlton Abbey Hotel. Guests are always welcome and can attend 3 meetings free of charge.
Details of meetings are available online at www.athytoastmasters.wordpress.com you can also find them on Facebook www.facebook.com/athytoastmasters
For more information email: athytoastmasters@gmail.com or call Amanda Webb on 01 442 9410.
Athy Toastmasters Club 