Fermoy Karate Club

Fermoy Karate Club 1970-2011

Fermoy Karate Club was founded in 1970 after three Fermoy men, Neil Sargent, Sean Sargent and Paul Barry, having returned from working in Zambia, learning the art there from a South African instructor. So the Fermoy Club has the distinction of being the first karate club in Munster and perhaps in the country.
Some of the first members of the club who went on to be instructors in the club and also founded other clubs throughout the country were, Bill Hammond(RIP), Tom Abernethy, Tadgh Murphy, Larry Ryan, Paddy Walsh, Kitty Hammond, Frank Shinnick and Mick Carroll. Neill and Sean Sargent have since opened a garage in Middleton. Both men have founded other clubs since; Neil in Middleton and Sean in Youghal. It is great to see that both are still instructing. Paul Barry opened a crash repair workshop in Cork City but unfortunately has since retired from karate.

Other instructors down through the years are Brian Toomey who is the present Chief Instructor and also founded Mitchelstown Karate Club, John Joyce, Michael Joyce, Dave Aherne, Natalie O’Sullivan, Jim O’Brien, Mick Lynch, Mary O Mahoney, Mary Ryan, Liam Flynn, Domenico Martino, Celine King and present day instructors Sean O’Donnell and Ross Daly.

Fermoy Karate Club has trained in many venues in the town down through the years such as the Community Youth Centre, The Grand Hotel, The Royal Hotel, The Twilight Zone, The CYMS Hall, Collaiste an Craoibhin, Presentation School and its present home Ken-Bu-Kan Dojo on the Mallow Road.

Fermoy Karate Club has been very successful on the competition front. Every year club   members are successful at the Irish Karate Championships. The club can boast a number of World and European Champions.

Club members who have represented Ireland at World and European Championships are Brian Toomey, Mary O’Mahoney, Mary Ryan, Joe Hunter, Andrew Shinnick, John Shinnick, Michael Hennessey, Stephen Morrison, Celine King and Ross Daly, Gerry Conway (Wheelchair).

In 2010 three members of the club Ross Daly, Joe Hunter and Brian Toomey represented Ireland at the World Karate Championships in Turin, Italy. Ross Daly became the clubs latest World Champion winning a Gold Medal in The Men’s Kumite event and also taking Bronze in the team event. Joe Hunter took Bronze in the team event while Brian Toomey won silver in the Masters Kata event and also won a bronze medal at the European Championships in Hungary. As well as competing, Brian Toomey is also Irish Team manager and Kata Coach

Disability & Special Needs

Another first for Fermoy Karate Club is it became the first karate club in Ireland to become a totally inclusive club and we now have a number of people with disabilities and special needs, wheelchair users and non wheelchair users training regularly in the club. We are delighted to be associated with the Rebel Wheelers Club from Cork and hold classes during the year at The Cope Centre, Montenotte.

Chief instructor at the club is Sensei  Brian Toomey 6^th Dan Brian began training at the club in 1974 and has gone on to become one of the world’s top karate instructors. He is Chief Instructor in Ireland for both the International Japan Karate Association and the International Wheelchair Karate Federation. The Fermoy Club acts as Headquarters Dojo (Training Hall) for both these organizations and Irish squad sessions and seminars are regularly held there. Brian travels throughout Ireland striving to improve the standard of karate. He also travels abroad both teaching and attending seminars to improve his own knowledge. He has been invited to teach in most European countries as well as Japan, India, Turkey, Dubai, Africa, Russia, Ukraine, Georgia and Abu Dhabi.

As manager and kata coach to the Irish Team he has helped to put Ireland on the map at International level. The team is one of the success stories in Irish Sport, constantly winning medals at World and European Championships. He still competes himself and this helps as it builds up a great comradeship with the squad. He is a certified NCTC coach and this year graduated with a diploma in Sports and Recreation.
At present we are enjoying a large membership in the club across all age groups and grades. We have also introduced another martial art form into our training programme called Kombatan under the expert  tuition of sensei Jesi Pablo. Kombatan is a Filipino martial art, which combines several classical and modern styles. Unlike in many Asian martial arts, students of Kombatan learn first to use weapons and defend themselves against them.  When the student learns to defend him/herself against a weapon, it is easier to learn to defend oneself against an unarmed opponent. Classes are held on every third Tuesday of each month and a number of our senior students have attained blackbelt status.

Try it for yourself

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New members always welcome ( first class FREE ) come along and check us out, karate is a wonderful sport that is open to all regardless of age,fitness or mobility levels, a sport that will always treat you with respect and you will always be part of the team.

For further information contact:   Brian Toomey, Sensei  on 0872500783 or Jim Condon, PRO on  0876912292

About Kombatan: http://tinyurl.com/3w3qoy4

About Fermoy Shotokan Karate Club: http://tinyurl.com/43yd53x