Galway Toastmasters - 14 May 2025 - Chemicals, Galway in 1983 and F Bombs!

 

Galway Toastmasters meeting on Wednesday  14^th May was both instructive and entertaining. Brian acting as president opened the meeting with positive words and our Toastmaster for the evening, Kathy, took over and got the officers to explain their roles.  We got a lovely word of the night Serendipity and a challenge to use it. Then came a very lively Topics session conducted by Brian. Topics ranged from sharing your lotto millions with Brian to the effect of the new Pope. There was serious thought plus much humour.

Then we were treated to three very diverse speeches.

Pat with a speech “Forever Chemicals” took us on a journey of the development of plastics and the slow realisation of the negative spin off for both humans and the environment.

Michael with a speech “A look back at Galway Life” took us back to Galway in 1983 with vivid images and much humour.

Cormac with a Prepare to Speak Professionally speech “F Bombs to Remember” gave great insight on how  to move from people pleaser to self-direction  Then how to focus from a million things down to specifics with great acronyms.  Good  luck Cormac when presenting this excellent speech in London.

A lively break followed and then Christine took over as General Evaluator. We had  three very good speech evaluations by Bea for Pat, Stephen for Michael and Maud for Cormac.  All gave excellent feed back including points for improving.

Then came the officer reports and finally a lovely poem "Immortality" by Clare Harner, was read by Avril for Creative Corner.

“Do not stand at my grave and weep, I am not there  I do not sleep – I am the  thousand winds that blow, I am  the diamond glints in snow………

The Agenda for the next meeting was filled and a reminder that it is also the AGM and election of officers for the coming year.   People who hadn’t spoken were given a chance and our new guest did.

Another very enjoyable evening.