Fingal Toastmasters Club
A brief history of the Fingal Toastmasters Club
Our club was the idea of a few people who attended a public speaking class in Killester Tech in 1985. One of them in particular, Pearse Barrett, as soon as the class ended, got in touch with Jim Latten of the Eblana Toastmasters club, who in turn contacted the Malahide club. Toastmasters from this club, along with others, arranged the first meeting in late Sept 1985, in what was then the Hollybrook Hotel just off the Howth Rd, in Clontarf. The club moved to the Shieling Hotel, Raheny, in 1988, and had a long and happy stay there until June 2007, when, due to its impending closure, we moved to the Marine Hotel in Sutton.
The club has produced very many area and division contest winners and four district (Ireland and U.K.) winners of the humorous speech contest. These were Ted Corcoran 1988, Noel OBeara 1990, Liam Grimes 1993, and Gerry French 2005.
Many of our members have served in leadership positions as an Area or Division C Governor Finola OBrien, Ann Gibson and Ted Corcoran as Area Governors, and then Division Governors, and Maura Ruddy, Noel O Beara and Liam Grimes as Area Governors. Ted Corcoran went on to serve as District Governor of District 71 (Ireland and U.K.) in 1994/95, International Director for the rest of the world outside North America in 1996/98, and as International President in 2003/04.
Fingal has long been regarded as one of the leading clubs in Dublin, with a constant membership of between 30 and 40. It has a very experienced core of long time toastmasters who unselfishly help and mentor less experienced members. Each year, for several years now, the club has achieved the Presidents Distinguished Club award, the highest award a club can achieve. This is a tribute to the high standards of performance the club constantly delivers.
Fingal achieves Presidents Distinguished Club award again!
For several consecutive years now Fingal has achieved the highest award a club can achieve - the Presidents Distinguished Club award. This has been achieved once more for year 2009/10, which ended on June 30th. Only about 2000 clubs, world wide (out of 13,000), achieve this highly sought after award. Many thanks to all the club members whose hard work made this possible. We will get a badge for our banner in due course from WHQ, which will be added with pride to all the others. This award is awarded to clubs who achieve goals in member recruitment, educational, training, and administrative areas.
Why Bernadette Mulvey, Fingal Club President 2005/06, joined Toastmasters
Many people have asked me why I joined Fingal Toastmasters and I like to tell them it was to "Broaden my Horizons". I like to think I have done so where my communications and leadership skills are concerned, and I attribute this to all the communication and leadership opportunities that have been afforded me as a member of the club.
I joined in April 2002 and since then have served on the committee as:
Sgt at Arms (a great way to meet people since you are the welcoming face at the door each meeting)
Vice President of Education in charge of the content of each meeting (had to used my persuasive skills to get people on the program)
Club President (I had the honour of being the Clubs twentieth president and had to do MC at our 20th year celebrations last year. A big thrill and a great experience!!)
Perhaps the most significant broadening of my horizons has been due to my visits to many places and countries. Thanks to Toastmasters, I have attended numerous conferences in Ireland and UK, but I have also travelled to Atlanta, Reno, and Washington DC, for Toastmasters International Conventions. It is truly an international organisation and I have had the privilege of hearing many world class speakers at these events.
There are so many opportunities in Toastmasters as a speaker, a listener,and a leader - don't take my word check it out.
Bernadette Mulvey
