World Karate Medallists

A Celebration Disco is being held on Friday next, 17th November 2000 to congratulate our five Beara Competitors who represented Ireland in San Jose, USA recently in the World Karate Tournament and won 5 medals - 4 silver and 1 bronze..  An open meeting will precede the disco at 9.00pm to give information on this Martial Arts sport and to create an awareness in general of what is involved.  The disco will also be used as a fund raising event to defray some of the costs incurred to date.  Everyone is welcome to come along and partake in the celebrations and the meeting and to help develop the club toward possibly competing at the Olympics in Athens in the year 2004.

Five Clubs from West Cork along with four other Irish Clubs represented Ireland at the World Karate Championships held recently in San Jose, U.S.A.. West Cork, Beara  F.S.K.D. was one of these clubs with Niall Wright, Fiona McCarthy, Mary Ester O'Sullivan, Danilo Duswaswa, and Damien Healy all taking part for Ireland and did they do us proud.  Fiona McCarthy, Kilcatherine won 3 Silver Medals, (missing out by 1 point for a Gold) Danilo Duswaswa, Lauragh won a Silver Medal and Mary Ester O'Sullivan, Kilmacowen, won a Bronze Medal.  Niall Wright and Damien Healy, from Castletownbere were a very creditable fourth in their categories.  All the other clubs between them won 9 Medals which resulted in Ireland being ranked 4th in the World from being outside the top 10.  Well done and Congratulations to all concerned. 

Niall Wright, sensi, (leader & trainer) wishes to thank everyone who donated money which helped towards the cost of travel to the U.S. to compete.  Without this help, it would not have been possible.  Karate was not an Olympic Sport up to now, but will be included in the next games in Athens 2004.  Therefore, the medals won by these brave competitors are equivalent to the medals won at the Olympics.  What makes it even more special, is that they did it without financial support given by the Government etc.  Surely they deserve equal if not more recognition for their wonderful achievements.  Niall was contacted on his return by the Grand Master, Kenneth Funakoshi, who founded the Funakoshi Shotokan Karate Association, to congratulate him on the achievements of his pupils.  He also asked him to front the Irish Association, for which Niall is seriously contemplating.  It requires determination and effort to come this far and he and his classes have proved that they are not lacking on these. To date he is running 3 clubs in West Cork and Kerry, at Castletownbere, Kenmare and Glengarriff, which are regarded as the best in Ireland.

Your support is vital towards the development of this sport here in Beara.  Admission at the door will be £5.00 and Students £4.00.  Donations can me made to the FSKD account at AIB Castletownbere – a/c no. 04383063 Sort Code  70-29-38