The ITA was represented by Mr. Pat Barry VI who attended the 70th IIC which took place in Hertfordshire, Watford, England from Friday January 27th to Sunday January 29th inclusive. The IIC was hosted by Master Thomas Denis and attended by over 240 people including 10 Masters. Master O’ Toole and Master Douglas from the I.N.T.A. participated in the IIC.

The first section of the IIC took place on Friday evening and the opening ceremony was conducted By Master McCallum.  The IIC then got under way with Master Jedut from Poland starting a very intense warm up before handing over to the the ITF’s Technical Committee of Grandmaster Marano, Grandmaster Bos and Grandmaster Lan. Many people were amazed that Grandmaster Bos was in attendance and playing an active role throughout the IIC just a short few weeks after major surgery. For the remainder of the first session the participants were given a detailed breakdown of the colour belt patterns.

On Saturday there were two full sessions and throughout the day participants were split into groups according to grade and kept busy with Patterns and Kicking Drills. Over the weekend all patterns were covered in detail, along with various self-defence techniques, 1, 2, & 3 step sparring and sparring strategies and drills.

Fourth Degree and higher had an early start on Sunday morning with Yon-Gae, Ul-Ji, Moon-Moo, So-San, Se-Jong and Tong-Il Tuls given a detailed breakdown by Grandmaster Marano. He also said how proud he was and how good it was to see so many 6th degree and Masters doing Tong-IL at an IIC. Grandmaster Bos also spoke with members from 4th Degree and higher and gave us an insight into future competition and  rule changes which will enhance the sport side of Taekwon-Do as a spectacle. The ITF Technical Committee made everyone feel at ease and all participants were amazed at the amount of pattern detail and fantastic knowledge which the Grandmasters possess.

At the end of the IIC participants had an opportunity for photographs and autographs with the Grandmasters.

Once again all participants left the IIC invigorated and motivated to continue working hard on all aspect of Taekwon-Do.

We would like to invite all Taekwon Do students over ten years of age, yellow belt and above, to the 2012 Taekwon-Do Summer Camp. This camp will involve training with national and international instructors from all over Ireland. All accommodation and meals will be provided in this safe and secure venue. Last years camp attracted students of all ages and grades from across Ireland and we hope to build on this success for the 2012 camp.

The camp will provide an opportunity to train in all aspects of Taekwon-Do with some of Irelands best instructors as well as fun activities and sports (see the attached schedule). As well as improving your physical skills this camp is a great opportunity to make new friends and have fun. 

Application form

Info Pack

Poster

Following clarification today from the AETF regarding the rules of this year's European Championships, the coaching and management team are pleased to announce the squad to represent Ireland.  The squad has been selected from the people who competed in the Irish Cup and from people who attended the two selection sessions in January.  The squad is as follows:

Junior Male
I Degree Pattern: Tiarnan Moriarty, Alex Plamadeala, Adam Foley
II Degree Pattern:  Jamie Williams

-52kg Sparring:  Ryan Shelley, Rostik Ivanchuk, Dylan Murphy
-58kg Sparring:  Jamie Williams, Alex Plamadeala, Michael Boylan
-63kg Sparring:  Colm Carroll
-70kg Sparring: Adam Foley

Team Pattern:   Jamie Williams, Adam Foley, Alex Plamadeala, Tiarnan
Moriarty, Dylan Murphy

Team Sparring:  Adam Foley, Jamie Williams, Alex Plamadeala, Colm
Carroll, Michael Boylan

Junior Female
I Degree Pattern: Sarah Lehane, Nicole Moriarty, Tricia Collins
II Degree Pattern:  Chloe Aboud

-45kg Sparring:  Niamh O'Sullivan
-55kg Sparring:  Chloe Aboud, Tricia Collins
-60kg Sparring:  Sarah Lehane
+60kg Sparring: Anne Marie Torsney, Kelly O'Donovan

Power: Anne Marie Torsney

Special Technique:  Chloe Aboud, Aine Cregan

Team Pattern:   Sarah Lehane, Tricia Collins, Chloe Aboud, Nicole
Moriarty, Niamh O'Sullivan, Aine Cregan

Team Sparring:  Sarah Lehane, Chloe Aboud, Tricia Collins, Anne Marie
Torsney, Kelly O'Donovan, Niamh O'Sullivan

Team Power:     Anne Marie Torsney, Kelly O'Donovan, Katie Cooke

Team Special Technique:  Chloe Aboud, Anne Marie Torsney, Sarah Lehane,
Aine Cregan

Senior Male
I Degree Pattern: David Lynch
II Degree Pattern:Luke Laffan
III Degree Pattern: Stephen Smullen
IV - VI Degree Pattern:  Stephen Ryan

-54kg Sparring:  Eddie Dillon
-71kg Sparring:  Hong Looi
-80kg Sparring:  Darren Smith
+80kg Sparring: Shane O'Rourke

Team Pattern:   Stephen Ryan, Stephen Smullen, Danny Dillon, Jamie
Rigney, Richard Forde, Luke Laffan

Team Sparring:  Ross Smith, Darren Smith, Stephen Ryan, Stephen Smullen,
Hong Looi, Richard Forde

Senior Female
I Degree Pattern: Katie Laffan
II Degree Pattern:  Naomi Coonghe
III Degree Pattern:  Laura Cullen

-52kg Sparring:  Katie Laffan
-58kg Sparring:  Louise McCagh
-63kg Sparring:  Sabina Mason

Power: Agnieszka Aziewicz

Special Technique:  Louise McCagh

Team Pattern:   Laura Cullen, Naomi Coonghe, Shakira Coonghe, Katie
Laffan, Agnieszka Aziewicz, Louise McCagh

Team Sparring:  Louise McCagh, Sabina Mason, Bianca Pantel, Agnieszka
Aziewicz, Naomi Coonghe, Shakira Coonghe, Katie Laffan

Team Power: Katie Laffan, Naomi Coonghe, Agnieszka Aziewicz, Shakira Coonghe   

Team Special Technique: Louise McCagh, Katie Laffan, Naomi Coonghe, Agnieszka Aziewicz

This is an exciting squad and represents the outstanding talent that was available to the coaching team for this year's European Championships. As well as a number of familiar faces from previous campaigns, there are a number of very exciting juniors making their competitive debuts and a number of juniors who have successfully made the transition to senior.

Congratulations to all those selected and to their clubs and instructors who have developed them to this point.

Please give all of the competitors along with the coaching and management team your every support during the coming months.

Yours in Taekwon-Do

Kevin Hannigan

Director of Coaching

Mr. Stephen Ryan, V Dan, ITA Umpire Chairperson and Mr. Ken Leahy V Dan, ITA Umpire Vice Chairperson, assisted by Miss Laura Cullen 3rd Dan, Tournament IT Co-ordinator conducted an ITA national umpire workshop on Sunday January 29th at the Cork International Airport Hotel. This workshop was offered on a free of charge basis, with the costs being covered by the ITA. The course was attended by 49 participants from Cork, Clare, Limerick, Wexford, Wicklow and further afield including Master Kenneth Wheatley ( I.T.A. President )  and Master Patrick O’Rourke.

The course involved a mix of theory and practical sessions with an emphasis on the latter, where participants learned all of the essential skills to umpiring at ITA and ITF tournaments.

Before the practical session Mr Leahy went through the electronic system and the setting up of same, from the basics up to and including the changing of bout times, break times and updating the pool of competitors when necessary.

The practical session then started with everyone present getting the opportunity to experience every position within the ring council environment without any pressure.

For the practical session participants were allowed to focus on ring council positions that they felt most comfortable in and encouraged to put those skills into practice in the season ahead. To make the course a more valuable learning experience participant put on their Doboks to play the role of competitors.Both juniors and adults participated in pattern and sparring matches, providing the referees with live competitors to judge and for very valuable discussion and feedback on the results at the end of each match.

Photos

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ITA have the pleasure of inviting you to the ITA Cork Open Championships, which will be held in Neptune Stadium, Cork City, on the weekend of the 18th and 19th February 2012. This competition will include pattern and sparring for all grades, and special technique and power test for black belts. Saturday 18th February is for the cadet and senior categories and is open to yellow belts and above aged 14 and over. Sunday 19th February is for the junior categories and is open to yellow belts and above aged 7 to 13yrs.

Please email your entries to entries@taekwondo.ie no later than Monday, the 13th February. All entries should be made using the ITA Cork Open excel spreadsheet. Entries will be confirmed by return of email (within 24 hours). If you have not received a confirmation email, your entries have not yet been received. Please note that this is a pre-registration only event. No entries will be accepted after 13th of February. Completed hardcopy forms should be brought on the day of the event. Please remember that accurate information is the responsibility of the instructor and any errors, which require correction on the day, will incur a fine as detailed below.

Sparring for Cadet and Senior Black Belts will be run using a pool & requalification system, guaranteeing more bouts for all competitors in those categories. This event also forms part of the ranking system for national team but is open to all Taekwon-Do Associations.

This year we also have a number of new initiatives to improve the professionalism, enjoyment and smooth running of the event. Please see the official invite for more information. 

ITA Cork Open Invitation

ITA Cork Open Individual Entry Form

ITA Cork Open Poster for clubs