Irish National Kendo Squad members demonstrating Kendo on Saturday AM on TV3 ahead of a demo at the holiday world show at the request of the Japanese Embassy. It was a little last minute, but we think they did great. 😉
Kendo means "Way of the Sword". It is a traditional Japanese martial art of sword-fighting which was developed as a safe way for Samurai to practice their swordsmanship.
Kendo is a physically and mentally challenging activity that combines Martial Arts etiquette such as respect for your teachers and opponent, with regular physical practice. Physical practice or "Keiko" can be demanding, but students are never placed in a situation where they may feel uncomfortable.
Practitioners of Kendo are called Kendo-ka, meaning "One Who Practices Kendo". Most Kendo-ka would follow the concept of Kendo as defined by the International Kendo Federation (of which Dublin Kendo Kobukai is a member).
For the Japanese Samurai Swordsmanship was a way of life. During the 14th Century, many different schools of teaching formed around Japan, each school being different. Teachings were based on practical experience from the battlefield and practice moved from using real swords to using wooden swords, known as Bokken.
The introduction of the bamboo sword, Shinai, around 1711- 1715 was a major breakthrough in the development of Kendo. Shortly after this the Kote (gauntlets), Do (breast plate), Tare (hip/groin protector), and Men (head protector) were invented and gained popular usage in the Dojo (fencing hall). With the advent of the new equipment, the swordsman was no longer hindered by the risk of injury during practice and could concentrate totally on his technique.
It's really easy. Just come along to one of our training sessions. Your first session is free so you can get a feel for what we do and if our dojo would be a good fit for you. Don't worry about equipment, you just need comfortable workout clothes, like a tracksuit or martial arts uniform and we will provide the rest.
You can see our training times and locations below to find out when and where would suit you. And if you want to talk to one of our instructors just click here to send us an email.
You can sign up for a free beginners session here!
If you like it (and we think you will), you can join the club as a full member.
This covers your classes fees for as many classes per week as you wish to attend for the month. That means if you take just 1 class a week, it's only €12.50 a session. If you take 4 classes a week it works out at just €3.12 a session!
Both the club and federation are non-profit organizations and all fees go towards hall rental and other expenses related to running the club, such as insurance, governing body fees, and events. Of course, please let us know confidentially if you have any problems, we want you to train and this is more important than money.
20:35 - 22:00 **
St. John Bosco Youth Centre,
Davitt Road,
Drimnagh,
Dublin 12
20:15 - 22:15
Nagle Hall,
Marino Institute of Education,
Griffith Avenue,
Marino,
Dublin 9
20:00 - 21:45
St. Joseph's C.B.S. Secondary School,
Fairview,
Dublin 3
13:30 - 15:00 **
The Ballybough Community
Youth & Sports Centre,
49 Ballybough Road,
Ballybough,
Dublin 3
** Due to building restrictions, Saturday and Monday classes are unfortunately cancelled on bank holiday weekends.
The following are some recent clips from our seminars and public demonstrations.
Taking a behind the scenes look at the recent Kendo Seminar, part of the 20 year anniversary celebrations. You'll see some great Kendo, great instruction, and even greater friendships.
Dublin Kendo were delighted to welcome old friends and new with a visit from the National Polish Kendo Team! The joined us for a wonderful training session celebrating International Women's Day!
Which group of warriors will display the can-do (or should that be Kendo?) attitude needed to triumph in the Rugby World Cup final on Saturday morning? With thanks to @dublinKendo and @kendoeireann. #RWC2019 #ENGvRSA pic.twitter.com/ONGW2wvzmn
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) November 1, 2019
Copyright © 2020 All Material on this website is copyright Dublin Kendo Kobukai, and licenced under the CC-BY Licence.