Our technical directors are Philippe Gouttard (6th dan Aikikai) and Luc Mathevet (5th dan Aikikai).
The DAA was founded in September 1995 by Cyril Lagrasta (4th dan Aikikai) in order to to teach and spread the Aikido he learnt in his home country.
To this day, the organisation regroups 4 dojos all located in the Dublin area.
HISTORY:
Dublin Aikikai Aikido began life with the Phibsboro Aikido Club in September of 1995, located in North Dublin at the Phibsboro Gym. The clubs founder Cyril Lagrasta (presently 4rd Dan Aikikai Aikido) had come to live in Ireland from his native France.
While in France, Cyril had studied Aikido in his hometown of Grenoble with Bruno Mathis 4th Dan Aikikai. The then owner of the Phibsboro Gym had an interest in learning Aikido. He approached Cyril and asked him to start a club at the gym. So the seeds were sown, and the Phibsboro dojo opened, with no mats to begin with, it was tough to keep students and the interest in Aikido going.
Before settling in Dublin, Cyril’s hometown dojo was affiliated to the FFAAA (Fédération Française d’Aïkido, d’Aïkibudo et Affinitaires). The FFAAA has many foreign branches all over Europe and is currently one of the main European federations with over 25,000 students in France alone. The style of Aikido was heavily influence by the late Seigo Yamaguchi Sensei who died in 1996. Yamaguchi Sensei was one of O’Sensei’s highly respected and talented Uchi Deshi (live-in student). The current head of the FFAAA in France is Christian Tissier Sensei 7th Dan Aikikai.
Many students have begun their Aikido studies after witnessing the fluid and dynamic style of Christien Tissier Sensei at the annual martial arts festival in Bercy, Paris. Tissier spent 8 years studying Aikido at the Hombu dojo and is highly respected the world over as one of Aikido’s greatest talents.
Cyril had always wanted to be able to practice an Aikido that would reflect the atmosphere and spirit he had experienced in France. At first, the Phibsboro Aikido Club was affiliated to the Irish Aikido Federation (IAF). Early on in that first year Cyril’s vision and that of the IAF differed. Cyril was left with 2 choices stay with the IAF or become independent and strengthen his association with France. Cyril choose to align himself with the FFAAA in France and with a handful of students persevered to introduce an “FFAAA way to practice Aikido” into Ireland. During those early times Cyril and his young students invested quite a lot of time and effort by going abroad for seminars in Europe. These trips were hugely inspirational for those who took part. Arriving in seminars to see 200 black belts training was an amazing and daunting sight!
Since those times the Phibsboro Club has continued to grow in knowledge and numbers. With the opening of new dojos in Swords, Fairview and DCU College, the Phibsboro Aikido Club formed Dublin Aikikai Aikido to represent the dojos as a group.
The DAA now regularly travel to Japan to keep strong links with the Aikido World Headquarters and a strong link to the basic roots of Aikikai Aikido. It has allowed students to get a clearer understanding of the Aikido practiced in Japan and in France.
Through the associations and links with the FFAAA we also still travel regularly to France for seminars and are visited in Dublin by top-level instructors. Our relationship and bond with France has grown to the extent that Philippe Gouttard Sensei 6th Dan Aikikai is now the Technical Director of Dublin Aikikai Aikido. Philippe is one of the FFAAA’s most respected technical directors and has given a huge boost to the level of Aikido practiced today at Dublin Aikikai Aikido. The level has improved so much that we now regularly send students to grade in France for dan gradings.
Dublin Aikikai Aikido came to know Philippe through those early trips to Seminars in Paris. Then we regularly travelled to visit his annual summer school seminar. This seminar is held in the town of Meze on the South coast of France, people combined with great training and fabulous weather. At that first summer school, Philippe decided to help Phibsboro Aikido Club and is generous enough to visit Ireland for a number of seminars a year. His input and influence has played a major role in the Dublin Aikikai Aikido’s development and we wish to thank him for these continuing efforts in developing our Aikido. With this level of support and direction the Aikido we practice is slowly beginning to mature and develop.
The Dublin Aikikai Aikido is very committed to developing and enhancing Aikido in Ireland for all Aikidoka. Keep and eye on the events page for latest seminars and trips to France. Our door is always open to visiting students and beginners alike; our focus is on the training and discipline of Aikido.
Please feel free to visit our Dojos!
Who I'd like to meet: Anybody interested in the practice of martial arts, in particular, Aikido.
