'Once people realise they are in a completely safe space, where everyone is willing them on, they begin to find their voice'

As Phoenix-Tara Toastmasters in Dunboyne celebrates its 20th anniversary, long-standing member Mairead Murphy is encouraging others to take the first step towards confident public speaking

“My passion was just a little bit bigger than the terror.”

Those are the words of Dunboyne's Mairead Murphy, who has told how joining Phoenix-Tara Toastmasters helped her overcome a crippling fear of public speaking and eventually perform on the stage of Dublin's Abbey Theatre. As the club celebrates its 20th anniversary, she is encouraging others to take the first step towards finding their own voice.

Former nurse Mairead, one of the club's longest-serving members, joined Toastmasters after years of speaking at conferences about breastfeeding and home birth. While she loved sharing subjects she was passionate about, the anxiety beforehand was overwhelming.

“I loved giving the talks, but the quality of life beforehand was atrocious,” she recalled.

“From the moment I was asked to speak at a conference until the day arrived, I was getting sicker and sicker in my tummy. I couldn't sleep properly and I couldn't eat the night before. My passion for the subject was just a little bit bigger than the terror.”

Everything changed after she spotted a poster advertising Phoenix-Tara Toastmasters in Dunboyne.

She credits the club's supportive environment and constructive feedback with transforming not only her confidence but her enjoyment of public speaking.

“So at this stage now, I am able to sleep really well the night before I give a speech. I'm able to have a hearty breakfast on the morning of a conference and it's a complete joy to be able to do that,” she said.

The confidence she developed also led her to discover a love of storytelling, eventually performing on the Abbey Theatre stage after winning the Dublin Story Slam final.

“What was the high point for me wasn't even winning,” she said. “It was hearing the audience's reaction. They absolutely loved the story.”

This year marks two decades since Phoenix-Tara Toastmasters was established, and Murphy said the club has gone from strength to strength despite significant challenges, including the Covid-19 pandemic and the loss of its long-time meeting venue.

“We're really excited that we've not only survived but thrived,” she said.

The club recently received the prestigious Smedley Award, recognising its achievements in membership growth and education, while one member reached the Ireland and Great Britain finals of the Toastmasters public speaking competition this year, finishing as runner-up.

Murphy said people join Toastmasters for many different reasons.

Some want to feel more confident giving presentations at work, others are preparing for milestone speeches such as weddings, while many simply want to become more comfortable communicating with others.

Among the club's many success stories is a member who joined while taking part in a programme for people who stammer.

“He came to us to practise public speaking and, by the end of the programme, he was doing stand-up comedy in Dublin,” Murphy said.

She also recalled another member who arrived too nervous to speak after a childhood experience had left her terrified of public speaking.

“Once people realise they're in a completely safe space where everyone is willing them on, they begin to find their voice,” she said.

Mairead believes clubs like Toastmasters are becoming increasingly important at a time when many people, particularly younger generations, communicate more through screens than face-to-face.

“People are longing for connection,” she said.

“It's about communicating, connecting with people and speaking from the heart.”

As Phoenix-Tara Toastmasters celebrates its 20th anniversary, Mairead has a simple message for anyone who thinks public speaking isn't for them.

“It's done at your own pace,” she said.

“If you're saying, 'I could never do that,' then you're exactly the sort of person Toastmasters is for.”

Phoenix-Tara Toastmasters meets in the upstairs meeting room at Mulvany's Pub, Dunboyne, on the second and fourth Mondays of each month. Summer meetings will take place on Monday 27th July and Monday 24th August at 8pm.

New members and visitors are always welcome under the club's motto: “Lose your fear and find your voice.”