Sensei Dermot O'Keeffe Seminar

On Sunday 10th July members from Faolchú Karate Club Tuam travelled to Kiltimagh in Co. Mayo to train with JKS National Squad coach Sensei Dermot O'Keeffe 5th Dan JKS.
It was a rewarding seminar covering Khion (basics) and Kata (patterns). Sensei O'Keeffe focused on turning techniques and balance for the first half of the class.
The second half was to take this farther and taught the Katas Junro Shodan and Gankaku. All our Junior members did well and took part in these advanced Katas with great enthusiasm. It is a great testament to their dedication and spirit.

Faolchú Inhouse Competition

On the 30th of July Faolchú will have our annual competition, this is a friendly event designed just for Faolchú students. The purpose of the competition is to introduce everyone to what competition is like with no need for nervousness or pressure. All competitors will receive a competition medal per event and there are trophies for 1st, 2nd and joint 3rd. No experiance is necessary as the whole idea of the event is to learn by experiance.
8 of our club members will be selected on the day as "Club Champion" in various divisions to go forward and represent Faolchú in the JKS Club Championships.
Catagories are as follows:
Ages 4 & 5, Kata - mixed,
Kumite- boys,
Kumite - girls.
Ages 6 & 7, Kata - mixed,
Kumite - boys,
Kumite _ girls.
Ages 8 - 10,Kata - mixed,
Kumite - boys,
Kumite - girls.
Age 11+ Kata - mixed,
Kumite - boys,
Kumite - girls.
Adults, Kata - mixed,
Kumite - men
Kumite - women.

Club Grading

On Saturday 18th June 54 members of Faolchú Martial Arts Club travelled to Kilconly Community Center to attend a seminar and grading hosted by Sensei Scott Langley 5th Dan JKS. Everyone had a great day and all were successful in attaining their next grades. Here are a few photos from the event.

JKS Summer Seminar

On Saturday Faolchú members travelled up to the JKS summer seminar with Paul Giannandrea, Ronnie Forbes, Flavio Lötscher & Scott Langley. The JKS host several international instructors every year, which is a fantastic opportunity for karateka to see a variety of styles and opinions within the karate world.
Unfortunately on this occasion we only where able to stay for the first half of the session which was with Paul Giannandrea and Flavio Lötscher. The seminars were both physical and educational, based on kumite and educating on the aspects of competition scoring and development drills for our kumite.

Faolchú Competition

Our annual Faolchú inhouse competition is planned for the 30th of July. This is an event suitable for every one of our students. Details of catagories will be sent out closer to the time.

The purpose of our inhouse competition is to positively encourage all students and give them an opportunity to demonstate their skills and knowledge for family and friends in a safe environment. It also gives the additional advantage to club members that they can learn the rules of competition and get the experiance without having to travel. There will be trophies for 1st, 2nd and joint 3rd with a competitors medal for all.

As a bonus this year the JKS our governing organisation have asked to to select our champions in various events to go forward to compete at the Irish club championships (at no cost to selected members).

Further details will be posted on the notice board as they are finalised.

JKS Club Championships

The JKS Ireland have confirmed their first Club Championships. Each JKS Ireland Club will hold their own in house competition to select their Club Champions in various catagories.
These Champions will then go forward to represent their club at the JKS National Club Championship on the 11th of September 2011, which will be held in Moate, Co. Meath.
Our own Faolchú Championships in Tuam will as usual be held in July. Last year proved to be a great experiance for all and wonderful day out. This year will see even greater challenges and rewards as students have gained new skills and experiance throughout the year and will be keen to show their fighting spirit.

Open JKS Course

On Saturday 26th of March, there will be an open JKS Course in Dublin. Please use the following link for info

http://www.jksireland.com/images/stories/docs/open_course_march_11.pdf

Some Events in the coming Weeks

There's plenty to be doing for those of us with free time on our hands over the next couple of months!
Masao Kagawa 8th Dan will be in Nottingham, UK on the 11th to the 13th of March.
The JKS will be having one of many open training courses in Dublin on the 26th of March, followed on the Sunday of the same weekend the JKS squad training in Moat.
Scott Langley will be teaching at an open course and grading in Kiltimagh, Co. Mayo hosted by Alan Biesty on the 3rd of April.
Master Harry Thompson is having MVF's first invitational Little Dragons in Ballina also on the 3rd of April.
The Ardee Open mixed karate will be on the 16th of April, followed on the Sunday the 17th by JKS squad training in Dublin.
Scott Langley will be teaching at a course and grading in Athboy, hosted by Pat Murtagh.
On Sunday the 1st of May, the IJKA Open Tournament is on in Fermoy, Co Cork.
Should any of our students wish to attend these events please talk to one of your sensei for further details.
That should keep us busy for a while.

Koike Sensei 5th Dan JKS

On Sunday 6th March Sensei Yutaka Koike 5th Dan Technical Director of JKS Karate Italy, an all Japan Karate Champion and University Karate Instructor Course Graduate travelled to Tuam.

Karate students from a number of clubs travelled to take part. The morning was devoted to children from the age of 4 years. Everyone had a great time. With the lesson for the class being on how to create great spirit in the Dojo while having fun and learning core principals of karate.

A number of Faolchú Students graded after the class and all were successfull.

The second half of the day was for adults and over 35 people attended some travelling from Donegal, Cork, Longford and Mayo. The lesson for adults was on the correct use of breathing to create more power within karate techniques.

Everyone had a great day and Koike Sensei posed for many photos and was asked to autograph a number of grading books. A testament to his enlightened instruction.

More Photos to follow later

JKS Seminar & Grading

On Saturday 4th December we travelled to Dublin for the JKS Christmas Course & Grading. Over 250 students graded between Saturday and Sunday.
The highlight of the course was the Shodan (black belt) grading.
Our own Sensei Marie took her Shodan on the day in a very tough test. Congratulations to her.

Myself on the receiving end!! of a demonstration.
Sensei Kyle Kamal Helou JKS Technical Director for the Middle East
Half of the hall!

Sensei Alan Campbell Chairman JKS GB & Ireland, Marie Murphy, Marty Boyle, Malcolm Murphy and Yutaka Koike Technical Director JKS Italy

JKS Autumn Championships

On Sunday 26th September Faolchú members travelled to Dublin for the National JKS Autumn Championships.

The club was represented by senior members Malcolm & Marie Murphy and Marty Boyle. Junior members taking part were Nathan Collins and Jadzia Murphy. Other club members travelled to offer support and see what competition at this level was like.

Nathan in action in his Kumite

Jadzia Waiting her turn in her Kumite section

Marty in action in Kumite

Nathan and Jadzia warming up

Over 300 competitors took part on the day with teams from Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and all over Ireland.

Marty and Marie won medals. Marty placed third in both Kata and Kumite while Marie was a member of the Hokubo Dojo Team, home of the JKS Ireland squad which came second in the team kumite.

Nathan and Jadzia each made it through the second rounds of competition in kata and kumite which was an incredible achievement at this level in groups with 40+ competitors.

Unfortunately i placed just outside the medals in both Kata and Kumite.

JKS Humbo Dojo Training

Members from Faolchú travelled to Dublin and the home of JKS Karate in Ireland for a training seminar with Robert Steggels 5th Dan JKS Scotland on Saturday 11th September.

It was a challenging day for both juniors and seniors, with the focus on compression and release of energy through stance and hips.

One of the highlights was the performance of Heian Kata on the spot. The challenge of never changing height and remaining in the one space while executing every movement from a kata was exhausting.

Sensei Robert Steggles to the fore instructing the Junior participants.
Myself in mid flow executing a punch.
Sensei Marie performing one of the many challenging drills on the day.

The Senior group having a laugh.

Thanks to Sensei Scott Langley 5th Dan JKS for providing such a great day and to Sensei Steggles for his enlightening instruction. Also a special thanks to the senior members of JKS Ireland who were so helpfull on the day Sensei John Shanaghan 5th Dan JKS and Sensei Koike 5th Dan JKS.

Congratulations

Congratulations to Marie and Jadzia Murphy who won medals in Kumite at the JKS Spring Tournament recently.

Abbeyfeale Training

I just wanted to say a thank you to Humphrey and Kay Doody and their club in Abbeyfeale for graciously allowing me to attend their grading seminar with Sensei Scott Langley 5th Dan JKS on Saturday 15th May.
I received a very warm welcome from all their members and a keen interest in how long the journey had taken me (2hrs 20min). I look forward to meeting my new friends again in upcoming Events.

Members of Faolchú attended the JKS Spring Championships on Sunday 16th and I will post a notice on this along with some photos later in the week.

Grading Application Forms

By now everyone who is eligible to grade should have received a notice about the up-coming grading on 19th June. If you have not please contact myself or Marie immediately.

It is important that the forms are returned with two passport photos.

As you can appreciate it takes some time for the JKS to process the applications and return your Grading Record book to us. It would be nice if everyone grading could receive their grading record book on the day and for this to happen we need the forms in this week.

For those not grading you are still encouraged to attend the Training Seminar with Sensei Scott Langley 5th Dan JKS before hand. It will benefit everyone to train with him even if you are only with us a couple of weeks.

We will send out letters of the Venue and the Times well in advance and also include a guide to proper conduct on the day in the Grading Hall, but for now keep free the 19th of June.