Welcome
Kendo in Dublin: The way of the sword on Irish ground.
Practice. Presence. Purpose.
About
The question nobody asks out loud
When you think about trying kendo — or when you walk into a dojo for the first time — do you ever ask yourself: do I belong here? Is this for me?
Well, here's the thing: I know that feeling too well. I ask myself those same questions four times a week — basically every time I go to practice.
Not who you'd expect
I am not the kind of person you would expect to practice kendo. I am not sporty. I have no natural fitness — is there such a thing, anyway? I had tried kendo before and quit — more than once, always for the same reason. My body has never been a great supporter of this sport.
But something shifts when staying becomes more important than quitting. That is what brought me back — for the fourth time, I think. Not confidence. Not fitness. Not some new version of myself. Just the quiet, stubborn realisation that I could not afford to quit one more time. I went for the practice. I stayed for the practice.
A contribution
My sensei has a vision: to grow the kendo community in Ireland, and especially the women's kendo community. I believe in that vision. This site is my contribution to it — built by someone one year in, with no institutional authority and no budget, who decided to do the work anyway. If it works, the evidence will speak for itself. If it doesn't, I'll learn. Either way — kendo wins.