This Birminghamian just broke a Guinness World Record—find out why

A big round of applause for Birminghamian Patrick O’Mara, who is now a world record holder for “Most Speeches in 24 Hours,” certified by Guinness World Records. Read on to see how he did it!

A record years in the breaking

When Patrick O’Mara saw a Bham Now article about a local business that broke a Guinness World Record, he was so inspired that he decided to break a record of his own: the Guinness World Record™ for the Most Speeches in 24 Hours.

As the driving force behind Pro-Presenting, LLC—a service that helps people improve their presentation skills—O’Mara was uniquely positioned to break the record.

On June 3rd, 2023, O’Mara began his record-breaking journey, which involved 33 different organizations across Birmingham, Hoover, Woodlawn, Bessemer and Homewood. Each speech was over ten minutes long and spontaneous—O’Mara’s speeches were each crafted with prompts from fortune cookies.

On January 11, 2024, Guinness World Records officially approved 32 of O’Mara’s speeches—surpassing the previous record by two!

“The collaboration with UAB J. Frank Barefield Jr. Entrepreneurship Program was instrumental in achieving this world record. Their commitment to education and empowerment aligns seamlessly with my mission to inspire positive change through my speeches.” 

Patrick O’Mara, Guinness World Record holder for “Most Speeches in 24 Hours” 

O’Mara worked with Dr. Patrick Murphy of UAB J. Frank Barefield Jr. Entrepreneurship Program, who provided guidance and secured an intern to process the evidence requirements for the Guinness certification.

“I still remember pitching this idea in late 2022 and am so grateful to have received such generous support from Dr. Murphy, and the entrepreneurship students! He helped create an experience I’ll cherish for a lifetime!” 

Dr. Patrick Murphy, J. Frank Barefield Jr. Entrepreneurship Program, UAB

Excited to see Patrick O’Mara break a Guinness World Record? Tag us @bhamnow to let us know!