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Irish Judo Priest in Zambia

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  • 22-09-2012 1:00pm
    #1
    beGood
    Registered Users Posts: 54 ✭✭


    Hi!

    An Irish diplomat who recently returned from Zambia told me about a Father Jude McKenna who teaches judo there. I haven't found any totally reliable sources online but he seems to have been in Zambia since the 60s and holds a 7 dan grade. There aren't too many Irish 7 dan holders in the world.

    It's a very curious story. Has anyone else heard about him?


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    #2
    SBG Ireland
    Registered Users Posts: 826 ✭✭✭SBG Ireland


    most interesting thread title 2012


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    #3
    Rooneymara
    Registered Users Posts: 34 ✭Rooneymara


    Thats sounds like an interesting story, if only someone would invent a machine where you could input certain key words and it would search for you :)

    "Training started the morning following our arrival at the “Jude McKenna” Sports Center. But who is he, still living with such a great honor? It is important to know that between the 50s and 60s Jude McKenna was an Irish boxer, who was supposed to participate at the 1960 Olympics in Rome.

    Before that he was supposed to face Cassius Clay (now Muhammad Ali) in a fight, just to understand the level of this boxer. But thanks to a “call” he became a Cappuccino monk and nowadays he still likes to joke about the fact that God saved him from Cassius Clay!

    Once he moved to Zambia he worked hard to promote jujitsu at first and then judo by founding the Judo Association. In other words we can call him the “Father of Judo” in this nation and the “Giant” as he is over 2m tall.

    Thanks to his work as priest and judo teacher he was the one who helped the young Jonathan Kruger to participate at the 1995 Judo World Championships and to stay in Japan for seven years. The government has wished to dedicate Father Jude the Sports Center.


    August 2010 - Judo Training with the National Team of Zambia in Lusaka
    The dojo is a square hall with 256sqm of original Japanese tatamis. The players of the National Team are judokas belonging either to the National Police or the Army."

    http://brunocarmenisjudoblog.com/477/judo-judo-techniques-and-tourism-in-lusaka-zambia-%E2%80%93-part-2/

    Thanks for the tip man, its an interesting story, sounds like a man full of good stories. Could of been a good MMA guy if born in a different generation :D


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    #4
    Loulou123
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭Loulou123


    beGood wrote: »
    Hi!

    An Irish diplomat who recently returned from Zambia told me about a Father Jude McKenna who teaches judo there. I haven't found any totally reliable sources online but he seems to have been in Zambia since the 60s and holds a 7 dan grade. There aren't too many Irish 7 dan holders in the world.

    It's a very curious story. Has anyone else heard about him?

    If your still looking for information about him I could tell you anything you need to know


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    #5
    arybvtcw0eolkf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 24,878 ✭✭✭✭arybvtcw0eolkf


    Loulou123 wrote: »
    If your still looking for information about him I could tell you anything you need to know

    Please do, I'd be very interested.


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    #6
    Loulou123
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭Loulou123


    Well tell me what you want to know?


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    #7
    HammerHeadGym
    Registered Users Posts: 1,029 ✭✭✭HammerHeadGym


    Everything!
    Where's he from?
    Whats his dealio?
    Where did he learn Judo?
    Who does he teach Judo to?
    Everything! It's a compelling story.
    :)
    Begin.....


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    #8
    Loulou123
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭Loulou123


    Ok, Jude is from glasnevin originally, and has a twin brother who is also a member of the se order living in the states. He trained the Zambian Olympic team in 1980. There is a sports centre in Lusaka named after him for all the work he has done with the children of Lusaka. As far as I know he learnt judo in china - cant remember the full back round on that. He teaches anyone who wants to learn.
    He's a funny man with a great sense of humour. It's an extremely compelling story. As you read in the last post he was due to fight for Ireland in 1960 but pulled out of the Olympics 2 months before they were due to leave.


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    #9
    Danera
    Registered Users Posts: 6 ✭Danera


    If you want to learn more, Fr Jude McKenna talks about his life on RTE Nationwide tonight Wed 4th Oct. Find time to watch the extraordinary man who did a lot for Judo in Zambia


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    #10
    Lola7301
    Registered Users Posts: 69 ✭✭Lola7301


    whst an amazing man!! I was blown away watching the programme, he brought joy to so many and is so humble but with a wicked sense of humour. And can't believe he's 82 and a 9th dan judo master. He's looks about 20 years younger and is still full of Life. I especially loved his comment that most people lived their life seeing everything in black and white whereas he has seen everything in techni colour! Brilliant - i think the capuchin brothers do great work. They get down with the people unlike a lot of religious orders...


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