Record-Breaking Temperatures Bring Record-Breaking Results! Combined the seven new students made over 1,000 phone contacts to prove they have control over a stutter.

July intensive courses are always remarked in the Ireland region as being summer scorchers, however during the second-ever Irish online McGuire Programme course between 21st and 24th July we didn’t quite predict potentially record-breaking temperatures to greet us. The windows were all wide open, fans were overworked, the sun blazed across computer screens and seven inspiring new students joined the programme to take control of their speech.

Brian Dempsey and Patrick Hanlon, together with Zoom controller Cormac King and Regional Director Joe O’Donnell, instructed the most recent course in the Ireland region. As we all know by now, the lion’s share of work is done in the breakout rooms and we had the pleasure of experience from coaches zooming in from all four corners of Ireland, as well as those from the UK, USA, The Netherlands and Central Europe.

All seven new students were male and all under 30. Each student applied themselves from the very first pre-course sessions right through each hourly session on the course and the pre-and post-course meetings have also been invaluable in setting that strong foundation for these young men to work towards eloquence.

Patrick, one of the course instructors, wraps up with a closing video review of the Friday of our online intensive course for people who stutter/stammer.

Due to local pandemic restrictions and case numbers, we decided to focus on phone contacts and each of the new students outdone themselves over a couple of hours by communicating with the outside world on the phone using their new techniques. Combined the seven new students made over 1,000 phone contacts. Our roving reporters demonstrating in-person, street contacts were David McNally, Matthew Richardson and Hillary O’Callaghan and each demonstrated wonderful examples of using (and exaggerating) the techniques in face-to-face contacts and showing the new students how to get control over a stutter.

Jitka Ostadalova (from the Czech Republic and a member of McGuire Programme Germany), ran an exemplary Harrison Workshop, cleverly using the tools available via Zoom to inject a bit of fun and silliness into the session. We couldn’t have wished for a more energetic, enthusiastic and encouraging Harrison leader.

On Saturday we decided to run a members improvement day alongside the final day of the course, with instructors and coaches each taking an hour of the five-hour schedule to help members level up their progress and smash their speech targets. A great way to get back on track and a must to get control over a stutter. We even had the pleasure of Dave McGuire joining the Day to host the final session.

Thanks to everyone who made this course very memorable, successful and so special. Thanks of course to Dave McGuire for this wonderful, life-changing programme that shows people how to get control over a stutter.

---

Joe is your first point of contact for people who stutter in Ireland and Northern Ireland Region.

Around the world, our Regional Directors run the Programme in their respective regions. They organise Courses, Support Groups and Open Nights – among many other events and happenings related to helping people who stutter.

Joe is very happy to answer any questions you may have so please don’t hesitate to contact him.

---