Sensei Eamon House — 6th Dan
My Karate Journey
I was persuaded by my cousin Les House to join the then Aer Lingus Karate Club back in 1976.
Training was on Friday night and Sunday morning in the old ALSAA Swimming Pool complex in Dublin Airport. Ironically, Leslie never turned up for training that Friday night—nor has he ever since.
It was in this dojo that I rekindled my friendship with Robert McGrath; we were attending the same secondary school at the time.
Paddy Davis, a green belt (5th Kyu), took in the membership and looked after the warm-up and taught the children that night. But it was the instructor, Derek Desmond—then a second dan black belt and top kumite fighter in Ireland—who I aspired to become like.
After a couple of months, Sensei Derek sent a group of us to the AIKW Hombu dojo, Gardiner St, for my first grading. I remember it well—it was on my birthday, October 2nd, 1977.
Bernie Brady took my application and I was sent into the dojo to meet Mr. Iwasaki Sensei, who had just introduced a new grade: 9th kyu. We were the first to undergo this examination—marking the beginning of many firsts for me in Wado Karate.
As the years passed, I took my kyu grades up to first kyu under Mr. Iwasaki Sensei and participated in competitions throughout Ireland (north and south), including AIKW and ONAKAI events. There were also several international tournaments held in Ireland—both Wado and all-style—hosted in the Mansion House and National Stadium.
Sensei Desmond and Mr. Iwasaki held weekly squad training in Gardiner St for the Irish team, and I attended all of them. But each year, my goal was to make the Aer Lingus Kumite Team—and that team beat the best in Ireland for ten consecutive years, winning All-Ireland and All-Styles titles.
After the Wado split in Ireland (1990), Sensei Desmond brought Tatsuo Suzuki Sensei back to Ireland for a week-long intensive training and Dan grading course. I had trained under several Japanese instructors before, but Suzuki Sensei was in a league of his own. His precision and attention to detail were unmatched. He had received direct instruction from Wado’s founder, Sensei Hironori Ohtsuka.
Throughout the week, Liam Walsh and I paired off daily under Suzuki Sensei’s watchful eye. We covered kata and kihon kumite in detail.
Grading day came quickly. Thankfully, both Liam and I received our 1st Dan ranks that Sunday—another first for me, and the first student under Sensei Desmond’s sole instruction to receive 1st Dan in Ireland.
Continued Progress
Throughout the 1990s, I continued training with Sensei Robert McGrath under WIKF Ireland and went on to receive my 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Dan from Suzuki Sensei.
In 2009, I was awarded my 5th Dan by Suzuki Sensei—an honour I will always treasure. I became the only student in Ireland to receive 1st to 5th Dan directly from the greatest exponent of Wado Karate in the world.
In June 2016, during a training tour in Japan, I was awarded my 6th Dan by Sensei Philip Kear in the presence of Kobayashi Sensei—another great honour.
Certifications & Legacy
- In 2008, I received a Level 2 Coaching Certificate from Sport Ireland.
- In 2012, we honoured Suzuki Sensei’s dream by forming Wado Kokusai Karate-do Ireland (WKKI).
- On May 1st, 2015, the name changed to Wado Kokusai Suzuki-Ha Karate-Do Ireland, becoming a founding member of Wado Kokusai Suzuki-Ha Europe.
- In November 2014, I obtained the National O.N.A.K.A.I. Referee B Level.