The classes in DCU Karate Club are taken by a panel of experienced instructors from JKA-Shotokan Ireland. They all frequently travel abroad attending international training camps and seminars to ensure that their own karate, and the karate they teach, remains at a suitably high level.

The chief instructor for 2018/19 is Liam Murphy (JKA 5th Dan). Liam started training in karate in 1989 in DCU and served as chairman of the club from 1991-93. In 1993, he was awarded his 1st dan by Masao Kawasoe Sensei. In 2001, Liam moved to Japan where he lived for a year, training in the Japan Karate Association’s headquarters in Tokyo. Here he had the opportunity to train regularly under some of the most highly regarded shotokan instructors in the world, including Osaka, Tanaka, Naka and Ueki Sensei. While in Japan, he also studied the traditional martial art of kyu-do (Japnese archery). In 2014 he obtained his JKA 5th dan  from Toshihiro Mori Sensei and Masao Kawasoe Sensei. In addition to his traditional training, Liam has represented Ireland several times at European and World Championship level in both kata and kumite. Liam is also a contributor to Shotokan Karate Magazine.

For more information about JKA-Shotokan Ireland’s senior instructors, click here.