Osu

Just to wish everyone in the IKK and their families and friends and everyone in the global Kyokushin community a peaceful and prosperous new year.

May the best of your past be the worst of your future.

Osu

Shane

2013 was a busy year here in the IKK.

We held our annual clicker tournament and our Junior Clicker Coach Sensei Steve Quaile used this to pick the team for the Severn Challenge later in the year. We had an absence from this event for a couple of years so it was good to be back in 2013. Sensei Steve is planning for 2014 and the Junior World Tournament in 2015. Senpai Dave King was appointed Assistant Junior coach this year. Sensei Jon Maher was appointed Kata coach and held several Kata Sessions in preparation for the forthcoming World Tournament in Belgium in 2014 and beyond.

Sensei Ken Fitzpatrick and Sensei Shane Mulhall worked tirelessly throughout the year as our Knockdown coaches. Together they entered teams into 2 regional tournaments, 1 national tournament and 2 World Tournaments. And those teams brought home a total of 13 trophies. Special Mention to Senpai Aneta Meskauskiene who won 5 of those trophies including 2nd place at the World Tournament. Looking ahead to 2014 it looks like the coaches will be busy as ever with the usual tournaments and a European Knockdown in November.

Our referees were busy in both Clicker and Knockdown. We held 2 referee courses and had officials at our own National Clicker tournament and at 4 Knockdown events in Greece and the UK. Sensei Shane Lalor and Sensei Jon Maher received their International Judge certificates from the IFK Chief referee Shihan Alex Kerrigan.

Throughout the year each Dojo held there own Kyu gradings and this meant our panel of grading instructors were kept very busy. We also held two national gradings for Brown belt and above. This year saw one new member of the IKK Yudansha - Senpai Niall King of Galway dojo. Also this year we saw the promotion to Rokudan of our Chief Instructor Shihan Kevin Callan.

All in all a busy 2013. We look forward to an even busier and action packed 2014.

Osu

The BKK held its 37th Open Knockdown Tournament Incorporating the 5th Cup of Europe on Saturday 16th November 2013 at K2 in Crawley, England.

Please see below for some photos from the event.

The Irish Karate Kyokushinkai held its National Grading in Galway on 6th & 7th December 2013. There were candidates for 2nd Kyu up to Shodan. The grading took place over the Friday night and all day Saturday.

The Saturday session was also an open training session. Present on the Grading Panel was Shihan Kevin Callan assisted by Sensei Shane Lalor and Sensei Ken Fitzpatrick. The IKK Life President Shihan Liam Keaveney 7th Dan was also in attendance.

At the end of a long hard day there was some disappointment for some and joy for others especially the IKKs newest Shodan Senpai Niall King of Galway dojo.

But this was not the end of the day as there was one final surprise in store for Shihan Kevin. Shihan Liam on behalf of the IFK announced Shihan Kevins promotion to Rokudan - 6th Dan. Congratulations to Shihan Kevin.

Shane