Donegal Training Course - November 2025

Well, another great trip to Ireland for an excellent weekend course in Donegal.

Starting with a road trip from Belfast with Ciaran Donnelly showing me some of the wonderful sites and walks around County Donegal, which I will certainly be doing in the future.

Friday started with a fast paced session at the Kinclasslagh club run by Paul McNally and Dominic Shannon, for Brown and Black belts working on form and combinations in Kata. Great effort from all with lots of sweat and good technical application.

An early start on the Saturday for a full day's training, a good start covering basics and combinations followed by pinan katas with some practical bunkai ideas thrown in.

A lunchtime break followed but not for the Senior grades who worked on Higashi Yon, a beautiful flowing kata and the most advanced of Peter Spanton's superbly designed katas.

The afternoon session was split into Kumite and pair work concentrating on sweeping and finishing off opponents.

We then had the formal gradings with the applicants tested on all aspects of the syllabus.

Successful candidates from Tir Chonaill Higashi were Lilly Campbell (1st Dan) and Sophia McFarlane (2nd Dan)

And from Belfast Higashi we had Brajith Srigengan (3rd Dan) from Belfast Higashi

The biggest cheer of the day however went to Giovanni Bellino who was awarded an honorary 1st Dan after many years in Karate.

A great course and thank you to Paul for the invite and to all the Ireland Higashi students and instructors for their great hospitality.

--Sensei Steve Bell.