Keeping the conversation going

From building confidence to give a speech at a wedding to personal and professional growth, the reasons given by those who’ve joined Cavan Toastmasters are as colourful as they are varied.

At its core, the commitment of members attending the twice monthly local group, which meets at Cavan Town’s Conaty Centre, is to foster confidence and develop public speaking skills in a safe and encouraging space.

For “jack of all trades” Séan Mackin the decision to join Toastmasters was “simple enough”.

“To learn to speak more confidently in public,” articulates Séan from Ballinagh.

He “sells concepts” for a living, but doesn’t elaborate any further on what exactly that means.

Séan wasn’t lacking in confidence before joining Toastmasters but certainly has seen his ability to get his point across grow since he started attending and honing that particular skill-set.

As well as Grammarian on the night the Celt attends, Séan is assigned the job of ‘Ah Counter’ - the person charged of counting up the number of ums, ohs, ahs, and ehs a speaker might let slip.

Séan’s brutal too. The red pen is immediately out for the first speaker, and the second. The whole experience of attending Toastmasters revolves around delivering speeches, receiving constructive feedback, and developing one’s ability to articulate their ideas clearly and persuasively.

There is a plan in place for new sign-ups too. It’s not just a case of putting your name down and forcing them to jump in at the deep end. They can, of course, but people can take on other roles to gently ease themselves in. Like being put in charge of the timer, or as Grammarian like Séan. There is even a general evaluator who provides end-of-night feedback.

Kelly McCusker joined Toastmasters in October 2023. The reason? In her case, it was to build up her own confidence ahead of giving a speech at her brother Ritchie’s wedding in December of that same year.

“I was best man at my brother’s wedding and that brought with it all the dread of public speaking.”

She’d never before delivered a speech to an audience, and even signing up for Toastmasters took an enormous gulp of courage.

So petrified was she on her first night that Kelly nearly turned back from the imposing coved grey stone entrance to the former St Pat’s College.

“I was so nervous, petrified even to introduce myself. I sat at the back. I’d read somewhere since that, for 70 per cent of people, public speaking is their greatest fear, even over death.”

In the end her wedding speech was delivered impeccably. Still Kelly kept coming back.

“I just really enjoy the meetings. Regardless of whether you have to give a speech, or are in the profession of having to deliver presentations, just for communication in general, [public speaking] I think it improves everything.”

Ger Walsh is from Sligo originally but is now living in Cavan. It is only her second ever meeting. Her first was as a guest, and she didn’t hesitate to sign up after.

She’s still finding her way, though you wouldn’t think it to hear her recite Pam Ayer’s classic poem ‘Oh, I wish I’d looked after me teeth’ with unerring confidence.

Toastmasters was something Ger had seen advertised many moons before but she couldn’t find the time to squeeze meetings into her hectic schedule.

“I was a bit nervous,” she says of her recitation. “There’s always room for improvement.”

Anne Brady is President of Cavan Toastmasters. She joined in 2019 for a “combination” of factors - always wanting to be a better public speaker having experienced, by her own admission, several “soul destroying moments”, mostly in her younger years.

Another factor was she moved back to Cavan, had a family, and was looking for something different, something creative and engaging, to get her out of the house some evenings.

“Leaving that first meeting, I had a buzz,” she recalls.

Anne opens up the night by giving a speech on how utilising all parts of the brain can help stave off illness such as dementia.

“Cognitive back up” is essential. “Let’s all create neurons together,” she says with an expressive swipe of the arm.

She’d later deliver another piece on the Loch Damháin Fiddlers, a story of fairy lore.

What advice does Anne give to anyone looking to improve their public speaking skills? Measured breathing, loose arms?

“Practice,” she advises. “The more you do it, the better you get. It gives you an opportunity to think more about how you’re presenting yourself.”

The international Toastmasters organisation celebrated 100 years in existence last year and Anne says there is an outlet for everyone, from the person looking to build confidence to speak in front of others to those who wish to compete against other groups at hotly contested yearly events.

Idara Udo is originally from Nigeria but has called Cavan home for the best part of a decade.

Just before Covid she was looking for opportunities to improve her public speaking and linked in with Toastmasters.

The word of his particular night is “extravagant”, which Idara introduces to the group, encouraging them to use it if possible.

“It’s an important part, to be able to incorporate new words. Its creates a sense of spontaneity. We do have prepared speeches, but Toastmasters really is about learning, to improve our vocabulary. You want to improve all aspects of your presentation.”

Séan has been a member for several months now. He finds regular engagement is key to getting better.

The curve may seem steep at first but Séan says, with the support of others, “you’d be surprised at just how quick you’ll find yourself improving”.

“The sky’s the limit. You want to be eloquent. You want to appear confident. You want to communicate well.”

Toastmasters, he quips, is a “safe space” for developing those traits.

“What’s the worst that can happen?”

To join Toastmasters, the group meet on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month, from 7:45pm, at the Rossinver Room in the Conaty Centre in Cavan Town.