About The Irish Open
Starting in a small sports hall in Kildare, just outside Dublin, in 1995 the first Irish Open International was a small affair compared to the spectacle we see today. Volunteer Committee Chairman and event coordinator Roy Baker after years of traveling with the Bushido Martial Arts Squad, the Irish Team and being part of the first semi-professional point fighting team in Europe (The Hayashi Team), he decided to try to grow his annual tournament from the "Bushido Open" to an international event. He spent time while attending international tournaments throughout the previous year talking to his friends and colleagues in Martial Arts to come attend this fledgling tournament. The first Irish Open International was a great success, approximately 500 competitors from 10 countries with some of the best competitors of the time in attendance. Alfie Lewis (one of his last tournaments), Peter Edwards, Billy Bryce, Matt Winsper, Marco Ferrasi, and many more of the top fighters of the era were in attendance.
The second year Roy and his team moved the tournament to a larger arena in UCD, a university campus in Dublin city. The tournament grew from strength to strength with word of the standard of competition and the hotly contested open weight and team event titles up for grabs.
Following the immense success of the competition after two years in UCD, the Irish Open International moved to the Tallaght Basketball Arena then the largest available arena in Dublin suitable for the event. The competitor numbers grew as did the stature of the event and for 10 years (1999 – 2009) the basketball arena was to be the home of the Irish Open. All the top fighters from around the world came and competed for the coveted individual, team and open titles and for the glory as going down in history as an Irish Open Champion.
The Irish Open has seen some of the all time greats battle it out with past champions from individual and open weights including, Marco Ferrasi, Emanuel Bozzolani, Ross Levine, Steve Anderson, Mike Pombiero, Jack Felton, Drew Neal, Gregorio “Grillo” DeLeo, Zsolt Moardi, Robbie McMenamy, Ilja Salerno, Raymond Daniels, Morten Spissoy, Billy Bryce, Corey Cain, Sam Timmis, Kristian Jaroskweiez, Danny Harrison, Sean Vierra, Darragh Geoghegan, Gloria DeBei, Sharon Gill, Elaine Small, Patrizia Berlingi, Nicola Corbett and so many more over the past 13 years.
However over the last 7 years one name has been synonymous with the Irish Open “Grand Champion” title and that is Raymond Daniels. Wining the most coveted title in sport martial arts a record Nine times speaks for itself and the fact that Raymond is undoubtedly the fighter of the decade.
But the Irish Open history book is still being written, each year a new chapter emerges, new Heroes, new superstars eager to take the crown. Full Contact, more forms and weapons divisions, keep adding to the amazing spectacle that is the Irish Open. Join us in Dublin for the next chapter and get your name on the list of champions. It continues to go where no other tournament in the world has gone, it is run by a volunteer committee in aid of Charity. It is without question the must go to tournament in the world today, where, quality, accountability and standards are met. For fighter, by fighters for charity.
The Irish Open International – Where Heroes are Born
