Our Instructors
Jason O'Keeffe
6th Degree Black Belt - Coolock Kenpo Karate Club
Sensei Jason o’keeffe started his kenpo karate career in 1982 under the guidance of master Patrick S. Kennedy. He is a 6th degree black belt (associate professor). He has won numerous awards including student of the year in 1985-1987.
He has 7 European gold medals in fighting and forms. In 1994 he was awarded the Irish Kenpo Fellowship up and Coming Black Belt Merit Award. He was named Black Belt of the year in 1992, 1994, 1995, 1997 2001 and 2003. He was instructor of the Year in Irish Kenpo Karate Academies for 2000, 2002 and2003. He placed 1st in Forms and Fighting-Group 1 in the International Kenpo Fellowship Championships in 2002.
In 2003 he won a silver medal in the International Kenpo Karate Association world Championships. He has also achieved five 1st place finishes in the Kenpo Grand Master Larry Tatum’s Inter club Championship. In February 2004 he met and trained with Grand Master Larry Tatum in Pasadena, CA.
He has a fearsome reputation as one of Ireland’s top freestyle fighters and is highly respected by young and old fighters. He now runs his own club in Coolock north Dublin Ireland. Mr Jason o’Keeffe is in the process of starting up four more new clubs under the name of irishkenpo.com
The first of the four clubs opened in October 2007 in St John’s GAA Club Ballinteer South Dublin. The instructor there is Mr. Nigel Byrne. His second club Kinsealy Kenpo Karate Club opened in St. Nicholas of Myra National School, Kinsealy in January 2008. Instructor there is Mr. Thomas Mc Donald. The other two will be opened very shortly in artane and swords North Dublin. Mr Jason O’Keeffe has just returned from L T K K A world championships in Madrid Spain as World Champion in Free Style Fighting. He brought a team of eleven students of which between them returned with an impressive six worlds titles and three second places.
Mr. Thomas McDonald
2nd Degree Black Belt - Kinsealy Kenpo Karate Club
Mr. Thomas McDonald started his Kenpo Karate career in 1983 under the guidance of Master Mr. Patrick S. Kennedy. He is a currently a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Coolock Kenpo Karate Club Ireland. He has won numerous awards over the years including student of the year in 1989,1990,1994,and 2001 in the Irish Kenpo Karate Academies.
In 2002 he came 3rd in fighting at the International Kenpo Fellowship Championships. In 2003 he participated in the Kenpo Karate Championships in Ireland where he was placed 3rd in forms, and recently at Grand Master Larry Tatum World Championships in Ireland 2005 Mr. Mc Donald came 3rd in fighting.
During those Championships he attended seminars with Grand Master Larry Tatum. Mr. Mc Donald has enjoyed many achievements during his years in Kenpo Karate through his Fighting abilities and Forms. He is highly respected throughout Ireland by his fellow junior and senior Kenpoists. He has been instructing at Coolock Kenpo Karate Club for the past 5 years under the guidance of Associate Professor Mr. Jason O’ Keeffe. Recently he was promoted to Chief Assistant Instructor. Mr. McDonald opened his own junior club in January 2008 under irishkenpo.com. Teaching young children has always been his forte and likes nothing more than watching their confidence grow by attending his classes, always encouraging them to reach their maximum potential through Kenpo Karate.
Mr. Martin Daly
1st Degree Black Belt - Coolock Kenpo Karate Club .
Mr. Martin Daly started his martial arts career in 1987 at the age 15 under the guidance of master Patrick S Kennedy in rehany, Dublin, Ireland. During his time training with Master Kennedy he won three interclub competitions.
In 1991 Martin began his training with Mr Jason O’Keeffe (6 degree black belt). Under the guidance of Mr O’ keeffe he received his 1st degree black belt in 2004.
Since then he has helped Mr O’ keeffe run his Kenpo Karate Club in Coolock, Dublin. When he is not training with Mr O’ keeffe in coolock Martin can be found helping to train the juniors in two of Mr O’ keeffe’s other clubs in Ballinteer south Dublin and Kinsealy north Dublin.
Teaching young children has always been his forte and he likes nothing more than watching their confidence grow by attending his classes, always encouraging them to reach their maximum potential through Kenpo Karate.
Mr. Daly has enjoyed many achievements during his years in Kenpo Karate through his Fighting abilities and Forms. He is highly respected throughout Ireland by his fellow junior and senior Kenpoists.
Recently he was promoted to Assistant Instructor for irishkenpo.com
Over the past five years Martin has helped train lots of students for their participation in Grand Master Larry Tatum’s World Championships that have been held in the USA and Europe.
Nigel Byrne
Nigel Byrne started his Kenpo Karate training in September 2003 after he brought his son along to a Club to learn the art.
He studies his Kenpo in Coolock under the guidance of Mr. Jason O Keeffe, 6th Degree Black Belt and Association President of irishkenpo.com
His first competition was the World Kenpo Karate Championships, held in Dublin in 2005.
After training five days a week for the event he won four trophies, one for first, one for second and two third places.
In the World Championships held in Spain in 2007 he lost in the sparring final by just one point, but second place was still a great result in anyone eyes. Nigel has excelled in all the competitions he has entered, whether it’s in Ireland or Europe.
He has taken part and been involved in many seminars on Martial Arts in Ireland, Europe and the States.
Both his sons Aaron and Luke also love the sport and have won major competitions including Irish and World Titles.
In October 2007 with the help of his instructor Mr. Jason O’Keeffe (Association President of irishkenpo.com), Nigel opened his own Club called Ballinteer Kenpo Karate Academy in St. Johns GAA Club, Ballinteer, Dublin 16. He has a great bunch of young students and receives fantastic support from their parents and fellow instructors and students from irishkenpo.com’s other two Clubs Coolock and Kinsealy.
Nigel has recently started a Senior Club which takes place after the Junior Class which concentrates on fitness and Kenpo Karate.
Ciarán Byrne
Junior 2nd Brown Belt - Coolock Kenpo Karate Club
Ciarán Byrne began his kenpo karate career in June 2004 under the instruction of Mr. Jason O' Keeffe (6th Degree Black Belt). He also received much guidance from Mr. Nigel Byrne (1st Degree Black Belt) and Mr. Martin Daly (1st Degree Black Belt). He is currently a junior 2nd brown belt in Coolock Kenpo Karate Club.
His first competition was the World Championships held in Ireland in 2005, in which he won 3rd place in fighting. Since then he has gone on to win 1st place in fighting and 3rd place in forms in Ireland in 2006; Student of the Year 2006 (Coolock Kenpo Karate Club); 3rd place in fighting and 2nd place in forms in Ireland in 2007; 2nd place in musical creative forms and 1st place in forms in the World Championships held in Spain in 2007; 1st place in fighting and 3rd place in forms in Ireland in 2008; 2nd place in team fighting at an Interclub Tournament at the beginning of 2008, as well as 3rd place in fighting, and 1st place in team fighting at another Interclub Tournament later that year. Most recently he won 2nd place in musical creative forms, 1st place in fighting and 1st place in team fighting at the World Championships in Ireland in 2010.
He has also helped his instructor teach classes at fellow clubs of Irishkenpo.com, as well as a self-defence module for girls in 2009. As well as this, he has travelled to Peterborough, England with the club to participate in several seminars instructed by Mr. Andy Fitzgerald (7th Degree Black Belt) in 2008, 2009, and 2010.
Ciarán put in much effort in 2010 helping the students of Irishkenpo.com prepare for the World Championships. His contribution was recognised by his instructor Mr. Jason O' Keeffe and he was officially named a Junior Instructor on Friday, 26th November, 2010.
Aaron Byrne (right) began his kenpo karate career in September 2003.
He has been training under the guidance of Mr. Jason O' Keeffe (6th Degree Black Belt and Association President of irishkenpo.com). in Coolock Kenpo Karate Club since 2005.
He trains twice a week in Coolock and twice a week in Ballinteer.
His first competition was the World Championships held in Ireland in 2005, where he won 1st place in Forms.
In the World Championships in Spain 2007 he came 1st in forms and 1st in Creative/Musical Forms and at the World Championships held again in Ireland in 2010 he came 1st in forms, 1st in Creative/Musical Forms, 1st team Sparring and 2nd in Individual Sparring. Other achievements include Irish and Inter Club Champion in both Forms and Sparring on several occasions
Luke Byrne (left) began his kenpo karate career in Sept. 2006. He has also been training 
under the guidance of Mr. Jason O' Keeffe in Coolock Kenpo Karate Club since 2006. He trains twice a week in Coolock and twice a week in Ballinteer Kenpo Karate Academy.
Luke achievements include 1st place in Forms in Spain 2007. 1st in forms, 1st in Creative/Musical Forms, 1st team Sparring in the World Championships held in Ireland in 2010. Irish and Inter Club Champion in both Forms and Sparring on several occasions.
Aaron and Luke have both dedicated a lot of time to their training and have helped other junior students improve their Kenpo skills along the way, especially in Ballinteer Kenpo Karate Academy where they help the Chief Instructor, Nigel Byrne, teach the Junior students.
Their contribution didn't go unnoticed and they were officially appointed as Junior Instructors in Ballinteer Kenpo Karate Academy on Thursday 6th January 2011.
Aaron successfully passed his Junior Black Belt Grading on 26-8-2011
Luke successfully passed his Junior Black Belt Grading on 26-8-2011