In 2002 Claregalway /Turloughmore Karate Club began coaching children and adults of the local area, among those first students were Dave Giles (jr), Jack Roache, Mellisa Glynn and Gordon Myers which I am happy to say that they are the first students from both clubs that have achived the rank of SHODAN BLACK BELT which took place May 27th 2011 in Shantalla dojo Galway City under Chief Examiner Renshi Bill Creasey 6th DAN . Renshi Creasey is the founder of Irish United Karate Do Kai organisation and is a well known and respected Coach he also holds a degree in Science in Sport and Exercise form limerick university and is the head Karate coach of the Irish martial arts commission.
All of the students have made a huge committment in their lives in attending training sessions twice a week over the last 9 years to attain their Black Belts all of them have proved that they are compedent in the main aspects of Karate do, which are Basics, Kata & Kumite each of them have also proved that they are cable in the art of Karate fighting as they all completed 4 fights each on the night so that they could put all the techniques they learned into action. Congratulations to them all including Allison Barry who transferred from her local club in Oughterard just over a year ago to Claregalway Karate Club and has been travelling over twice a week from Oughterard to Claregalway and Turloughmore which is a huge committment from both her and her parents.
In the Picture
Back row Pat Kelly (4th Dan), Dave Giles Snr (3rd DAN),Renshi Bill Creasey (6th DAN ) Gordon Myers (1st DAN), Allison Barry (1st DAN), Anthony Lawless (2nd Dan),
Front row Mellisa Glynn (1st Dan), Jack Roach (1st DAN), Dave Giles jr (1st Dan)
