En Garde! Munster Blades Fencing Club celebrates a decade in Nenagh

Munster Blades Fencing Club is celebrating its tenth year in Nenagh this year.

Previously located in Limerick, the club moved to Nenagh in 2015, and has been running an evening session in St. Mary’s Secondary School Sports Hall for the past six years.

The club largely even managed to continue during the Covid-19 pandemic by switching to Saturday mornings and taking place outside.

“I am delighted with the club in Nenagh,” said Munster Blades Head Coach, Patrick Dight.

“It is thriving, and we continue to achieve success at the national level”.

Patrick recently won a silver medal in the Veteran Men’ s Epee competition, with fellow club and committee member Rachel O’Malley winning a bronze medal in the Veteran Ladies’ Epee.

“I joined the club because my sons were fencing,” said Munster Blades mommittee member Maeve McVeigh.

“Facing an opponent can be a real adrenaline rush, but simultaneously great fun. We laugh a lot!”.

“There are only a handful of fencing clubs in Ireland outside of the universities. It is great therefore having a fencing club locally in Nenagh where people can try out this fabulous sport,” said Club Coach Dominic Burns, who originally hails from Scotland.

Fencing is one of the fastest Olympic sports, with sabre being the quickest of the three types of swords used. Fencing has been included in the Olympics since the first modern Games in 1896. It is one of only four sports to have featured in every modern Olympics.

The three standard weapons used in fencing are the Foil, the Epee, and the Sabre.

Fencers always wear special protective clothing and a mask before fencing. All protective clothing and swords are provided by the Munster Blades Fencing Club in Nenagh.

For more information see the club website at www.munsterblades.ie. Further information can also be found on www.fencingireland.net. Contact the club at info@munsterblades.ie