Meet The Board Member: Kieran McCrystal, National Events Officer

1 day ago
3 min read

Why I Jumped Headfirst Into Round Table.

If you ask my friends to describe me, they’d probably tell you I’m incapable of doing just one thing. I’ve coached rugby, joined golf societies, i chop fire wood at weekends , turn pottery, build, mountain rescue and coach archery. A couple of years ago, I even bought two sailing boats sight unseen, learned how to sail, and sailed a 4-day, 19-hour journey from Carrickfergus to Southampton.

I’ve always chased variety, but for a long time, I was looking for something deeper - that genuine sense of camaraderie I missed after my time as a Captain in the Military. Football clubs and golf societies are great, but they only give you one narrow lane. I wanted a place where men could connect over a constantly changing slate of adventures.

As it turns out, that search led me straight to the Round Table.

My journey here actually started with a message on Reddit from a Tabler named Vinnie. In 2017 I’d been looking into the Men’s Shed movement to create a space for guys, especially veterans coming back from places like Iraq and Afghanistan, to decompress. Men rarely open up sitting face-to-face over a table; we talk shoulder-to-shoulder while doing an activity together.

When Vinnie introduced me to Round Table, in 2024, I realised it offered everything I was looking for and so much more. In classic fashion, I decided to dive in headfirst without asking questions. With the invaluable support of guys like Richard Clark, Vinnie, and Anton, we started the Mid-Ulster Round Table. Building that table from the ground up remains one of the proudest achievements of my life.

I'm also very proud to be the second recipient of the EirLund award, for being the biggest Lund in Area 52. Feel free to google what a Lund is in slang for further explanation

Resilience and the Drive to Build

That "dive right in" mentality is something that took on new meaning for me back in 2019. After a severe cycling accident involving a tractor, I spent two days in a coma and had to relearn basic, everyday functions from scratch. Walking out of that hospital was a miracle, and it gave me a whole new level of confidence to drive forward with purpose. Two weeks later, unable to return to my career in the Prison service, I launched my landscaping business, which has been thriving ever since.

That experience taught me that life is too short to sit on the side lines. Whether I'm building a business or helping build a local table, I put my whole heart into it.

Why I Ran for National Events Officer

Honestly, campaigning for National Events Officer has been the absolute highlight of my Round Table journey so far (even if filming individual video messages for all those tables occasionally tested my wife and five kids' patience!).

Reaching out directly to individual tables gave me a front-row seat to the wild, wide, and eclectic mix of gentlemen who make up our movement. Getting to listen to your stories, help out struggling tables, and build real connections reinforced what Round Table is truly about.

As your National Events Officer, my core focus is simple: collaboration. Round Table isn't an island. We are part of a incredible four-family ecosystem, and our national events need to throw a massive, warm embrace around Ladies Circle, Tangent, and the 41 Club / XRT.

When we bring all four families together, the positive energy we generate is unstoppable.

The future of Round Table is rock solid, and I couldn't be more excited for what's ahead, especially as we look toward our upcoming conference in Newcastle to celebrate 100 years of this incredible movement. I can't wait to grab a drink with you, hear your story, and build the future of our tables together.

See you at the next event!

Kieran McCrystal, Mid Ulster 1293 – events@roundtable.org.uk