About SKIF Ireland

In 1971 the Irish Karate Union was formed and several of those founding members are still training today including:  Sensei Neil Sargent (7th Dan), Sensei Abe McCarthy (8th Dan) and Sensei Sean Sargent (7th Dan).  At that time the organisation was with the JKA/KUGB.  When Soke Hirokazu Kanazawa created Shotokan Karate International Federation in 1978,  the organisation left the JKA/KUGB and joined SKIF.

Shotokan Karate-Do International Federation Ireland was formed in 1978. Playing a major part in being the largest organisation in Ireland which has a large number of clubs in the country.  Over the years World Supreme Instructor Soke Hirokazu Kanazawa (10th Dan) has visited Ireland twice yearly and the seminar and gradings are held in Cork, Dublin, Clonmel, Midleton & Bandon.  Some notable Instructors who have visited Ireland regularly are:

• Soke Hirokazu Kanazawa (10th Dan)
• Nobuaki Kanazawa Kancho (8th Dan)
• Manabu Murakami Shuseki Shihan (8th Dan)
• Shinji Tanaka Sensei (7th Dan)
• Ryusho Suzuki Sensei (7th Dan)
• Fumitoshi Kanazawa Sensei (6th Dan)
• Daizo Kanazawa Sensei (6th Dan)
• Rikuta Kogo Hanshi (9th Dan)
• Dr Philip Kwok Sensei (9th Dan)

In 1994 SKIF Ireland was host to the SKIF Japan National Team,  Manabu Murakami Shuseki Shihan, Ryusho Suzuki Sensei, Iwate Sensei, Nakamura Sensei, and Gomi Sensei.