Cloughjordan Li Ching Wu Club hosts special event
Cloughjordan Li Ching Wu Club held a very special event on Saturday.
Sophia Whelan and Aaron Bailey graded to First and Third Dan Black Sash respectively.
Sophia (18) is the club’s first female Black Sash, having trained since she was age nine and assisted with the younger classes for several years.
Aaron (28) first joined the club in 2010 and has taught the class with Sifu (instructor) Patrick O’Connor for the past ten years.
The club welcomed a range of students for the occasion: those from the club’s early days, recent graduates, and present students of all ages. Members of the community, family and friends gathered to witness a display of both the martial skills of fighting and the graceful art of movement entailed in martial arts.
Instructors from the Dublin branch and past students taught sections of the seminar before the grading ceremony began with Sophia demonstrating ‘trapping’ elements of the martial art; the traditional aspects that hail from Chinese Kung Fu. Sophia and Aaron then engaged Sifu Karl Graham of Dillon’s Li Ching Wu Academy (Dublin) with freestyle trapping.
They each presented their forms - set movements displaying a range of combinations, attacking, and defending - from the basics to impressive jumping roundhouse and tornado kicks! Aaron and Patrick performed an intensely choreographed musical form set to a track from The Matrix. Other highlights included an array of light and hard-contact self-defence techniques from Sophia, and applications of short-fist (wrist-to-wrist short range combat) from Aaron, with each firing off throws and takedowns that had their opponents looking weightless as they sailed through the air.
The finale comprised of the two martial artists each sparring four consecutive opponents with their last bursts of energy - gradually tiring against fresh fighters each round and facing the most experienced when they were at their least energetic! Certificates, shimmering satin black sashes, and several rounds of applause closed the memorable afternoon. Despite the deadly techniques, the non-violent ethos of the club shone through - with a demonstration of respect, skill, and the art of martial arts as well as the deep connections shared along the journey.
Footage will be made available on www.lichingwu.ie. Classes are on Thursdays in St Kieran’s Hall, Cloughjordan and are open to children aged 6+, teens and adults. See website for contact details.