Ireland
Brian Toomey 7th. Dan, IJKA Secretary General and IJKA Ireland Chief Instructor.
Brian started his karate career in 1973 in Fermoy Karate Club and passed his 9th Kyu and 8Kyu under Kato Sensei in February 1975. He passed Shodan under Kanazawa Sensei in 1978, Nidan 1980, Sandan 1983 and Yondan 1988 all under Kanazawa Sensei, Godan 1998, Rokodan 2005 and Sichidan 2013 all under Kato Sensei.
In 1995 Brian was appointed Chief Instructor for Ireland and Secretary General for JKA Europe and later for IJKA Europe. In 2007 was appointed Secretary General for the World IJKA organisation, a position he still holds. He is now active in rebuilding the organisation since the sad passing of Kato Hanshi and the effects of the covid pandemic.
He is also Country Representative for Shotokan Karate-Do United Nations (SKDUN)
Since the introduction of Wheelchair Karate by Asai Hanshi, Brian has been active in promoting karate for disability groups in Ireland and other countries, the concept is that Karate is for Everybody.
Brian is still an active competitor and has won many World and European Titles. He feels that competing himself gives him a better comradeship with the students he is training.
He is one of the top experts in the world on Asai Ryu Katas and Kato Ryu Katas.
Karate is his life and he loves passing on the knowledge he has gained to others.
