Dublin South Toastmasters celebrate 10 year anniversary

Dublin South Toastmasters celebrated its 10-year anniversary last Tuesday with an online meeting featuring current and past members and presidents, as well as visiting members from other clubs.

Founded in 2011 by John Kelly, the club currently boasts around 35 members and in non-pandemic days met in the Clayton Hotel, Leopardstown every first and third Tuesday of the month.

The Dublin South Toastmasters is part of the international Toastmaster organisation aimed at helping people improve their public speaking and leadership skills.

The club was popular from the get-go and in 2013, a breakaway group, called the Dublin 18 Toastmasters formed to accommodate the extra interested people.

“As far as I’m aware, there is no other club in Ireland that has setup a sister club operating in the same town, venue and same night,” says Kelly.

“By the time Dublin 18 was formed, I had taken a break from toastmasters, as I had simply burned out.

“The success of our club was so great that it was decided to split into two clubs.
“Many members couldn’t get a slot for a speech,” he said.

Now, as with most other organisations, the group is forced to hold its meetings online.

“I don’t think we will ever be where we were a year ago,” says Ruairí Farrelly, current club president.

“The days where meetings need to be face-to-face are behind us.

“It’s a new skill – being comfortable on screen is something that we all must learn. There is also a certain convenience online.”

Farrelly says he joined the club in 2014 as he wanted to improve his confidence during work meetings and after six years was appointed club president in 2020.

“I have found the role of president brilliant,” he says.

“We, like most clubs, are in a different place compared to this time last year.

“We have managed to move online and yet we are still able to conduct the meetings at the same high standard.

“A lot of this is thanks to the committee – both this year and last year.

“The role of president is tough but with a great committee, it is a lot easier,” he says.

The 10th anniversary meeting saw founder Kelly share some early stories of the group and two members who attended the first ever meeting made speeches.

“In 2011 Mr John Kelly conducted the first meeting of the Dublin South Toastmasters and on February 16, 2021 we celebrated the club’s 10th year in operation,” says Farrelly.