Tralee Toastmasters

A message from Vicky McCarthy,
2025-2026 President of Tralee Toastmasters

Founded in 1993, as part of an International Organisation. Tralee Toastmasters has grown from strength to strength. We have grown in experience and in members. With new members joining every year we have a diverse group of members. Members of all ages, occupations, experience and abilities. Over the past 32 years Toastmasters has helped the people of Tralee find their voice and to gain confidence. I believe one of the reasons Toastmasters is so successful is because we learn by doing in a supportive and encouraging environment. We, as a club work together to help our members achieve individual goals as well as shared club goals.

Toastmasters uses an educational programme called pathways. Pathways guides our members step by step to improve their communication and leadership skills. This programme is done at each members individual pace. People join Toastmasters for various reasons. Some join for a specific purpose, for example, a wedding speech, a work presentation, to find work, or newly retired and looking for a new challenge. Many people join, get what they want out of Toastmasters and then leave. Other members like me, join for a specific reason and stay for another. I personally joined Tralee Toastmasters to help with my presentation skills when I was in college in 2008. I also joined because I taught it would look good on my CV ( which it does). 17 years later I am an active member of our Club. I have stayed because I think it is important to give back to the club. To pass on what other members taught me to new and future members. I have also stayed because of the friendships, the fun, the travel opportunities and I truly believe we never stop learning. I learn something at every meeting.

Each meeting, three members will present a prepared speech ( which is prepared at each members own pace). These speeches are evaluated by another member. Evaluations are always encouraging and supportive with an area of improvement sandwiched in between. This is how to improve after all.
The third part of the meeting is called Table Topics where a selected member, called the Topics Master will ask a Topic or questions and another member or guest will reply unprepared. Speaking “off the cuff” helps us to gather our taught into a structured response.

As the newly appointed President of Tralee Toastmasters it is my intention to keep the standards that have been set over the past 32 years. Standards and success which each president and their committee have added to over the years. It is also my intention to reintroduce the mentoring programme which has proven extremely successful in the past. Also, from listening to our members I will be reintroducing educational slots on a regular basis. We meet on the first and third Monday of the month at Our Lady and St. Brendan’s Parish Centre, Tralee. With an 8pm start. We always start on time so it is advised to come early. Hope to see you soon.