Local man Patsy Whelan awarded The National Contribution Award for Karate in Ireland

Carlow local Patsy Whelan began teaching karate in 1980 in Carlow IT. Shortly after, in 1985, he began teaching at Carlow Karate Club.

Sensei Patsy was awarded The National Contribution Award for outstanding national contribution in Ireland at The United Kingdom Karate Awards (TUKKA) 2023.

TUKKA is a non-profit, non-political group for everyone in Karate in the UK, Ireland, Holland, Finland, Sweden and France.

Directors of TUKKA, Molly Samuel-Leport and Terry Boyle, have said that the awards "acknowledge and recognise the individual achievements of those who excelled in sport and traditional karate at a national and international level."

Patsy is still part of the Carlow Karate Club which is celebrating it's 50th anniversary this year. To mark the occasion the club are hosting a two day national and international tournament in Carlow on the 7th and 8th October in the Woodford Dolmen Hotel.

For more information about the club email [email protected]