Iaido Association of Ireland

The first flowers have started blooming and spring is almost upon us. Another year has passed and the Iaido Association of Ireland is going into its 5th year of existence. And once again, I am honoured to serve the IAI as President. I would like to extent my gratitude to all our members for entrusting me with this office for my third consecutive year.
I am also very happy to be joined by our newly elected Secretary Paul O'Brien and like to welcome him on the Board. Paul is a dedicated Iaidoka and brings enthusiasm and dedication to Iaido and our organisation. I am looking forward working with Paul and I hope that we will be able to support and encourage our members in this coming year as well as raising the awareness of the IAI and Iaido throughout Ireland.

All our dojos are small but what we lack in numbers we make up in dedication. We all believe that Iaido brings us together, to celebrate our diversity and to honour our differences so that we can learn from each other with mutual respect and in a sense of true friendship. The Iaido Association of Ireland is providing us not only with necessary insurance and an internet presence but with a basis for all Iaidoka to come together as one.

I would like to extend my hand to all who want to take up the way of the sword and welcome them in the spirit of friendship. We hope that over time we will become Ireland's finest association in providing opportunities for Iaido training. We will not compete with other organisations and we will not exclude any dedicated Iaidoka who has demonstrated their willingness and sincerity. Our mission is to promote Iaido throughout Ireland and to encourage all students and teachers alike. To provide the ability for people to train but also to ensure that the dojos and teachers we recommend are good dojos and good people who have embraced Iaido in its fullest. Every member of the IAI, every teacher, every dojo is a representative of the association and what we stand for.

I truly and honestly believe that together we will achieve all that we want to achieve and probably more. And in the years to come I hope to see more students joining us, students becoming teachers over time, teachers opening their own dojos in all parts of the country so that we can fulfil our dream of giving everybody in Ireland who wants to learn Iaido the opportunity to do so and that they will not need to travel far to find a dojo with sincere and honest teachers and students who would welcome them.
It will probably take years to achieve this vision, but let us not give up hope, let this vision be strong in all of us, let it guide us. Let us all work together towards this goal, so that one year another newly elected president will address you all and will be able to say that our dream has come true.

Thank you all for your support, encouragement and trust that you have given me in the last years and for the year to come. I wish you all a very successful year and I am looking forward to working and training with you in the future.

Thanks,

Björn O. Fehr
President of Iaido Association of Ireland

Dear all,
As you may have been made aware already as of today an amendment of the "FIREARMS AND OFFENSIVE WEAPONS ACT 1990" (SI 338 2009 Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act 1990 (Offensive Weapons) (Amendment) Order) has come into effect. With this order the following has been added to the list off weapons:
"the sword sometimes known as samurai or katana, other than such a sword—
(i) made before 1954, or
(ii) made at any other time according to traditional methods of making swords by hand.”.

The Iaido Association of Ireland does not provide any legal advice in this matter to anyone, but our believe is that Iaidoka training with blunt weapons are not going to be the target of this legislation. It also excludes swords which have been crafted by traditional methods, therefore all sharp swords which have been bought through an official weapons craft shop in Japan and have been issued with documentation and/or a certificate should have no issues.
Swords made before 1954 have been excluded as well and thus will make exemptions for collectors.

As President of the Iaido Association of Ireland I would recommend for all members of the IAI to carry their membership certificate with them at all times when carrying your sword to and from training. We are happy to assist our members in any matters with regards to any issues occuring because of their Iaido practice. Please contact the President or your teacher for more clarification.

Primary target of this amendment to the act are the cheap mass-produced imitation katana and I would like to disencourage all members to make use of any of these swords at all and at any time. For any legal advise or further clarification, please contact your legal advisor or the ministry of justice.

Thanks and regards,
Björn

President, Iaido Association of Ireland

As previously discussed and requested, today the IAI has published its constitution on the website. The Iaido Association of Ireland Constitution and Rules (as amended on the 14/02/2009) explains in detail the aim of the organisation. We invite all members of the association to review the constitution and send their feedback to the President as well as any requests for clarification.