26 Facts About Alan Ruddock

Alan Ruddock was an Irish Martial Arts pioneer, teacher and writer.

Alan Ruddock built a makiwara in the garden and practised on concrete paths.

Alan Ruddock was one of Ireland's first Karate practitioners and formally introduced the martial art to that country with his forming of the Irish Karate-Do Society.

Alan Ruddock subsequently became the representative in Ireland for the Japan Karate Association.

Alan Ruddock discovered Aikido with Murakami on his initial Karate course in England.

Alan Ruddock got Koichi Tohei's book, and started to teach himself.

Morihei Ueshiba wasn't present on that occasion but Alan Ruddock witnessed some other Sensei including Saotome.

Alan Ruddock was determined to return to learn Aikido at the source.

Alan Ruddock went back to Japan in 1966 specifically to learn Aikido, travelling six weeks by sea.

Alan Ruddock first saw Ueshiba about four days after he started regular training.

Alan Ruddock trained every day of the week at the Hombo Dojo.

Alan Ruddock always included some live blade defence work in his demonstration of Aikido.

Alan Ruddock returned to Dublin and started an Aikido group which had a number of the people with whom he had originally learned Karate with as members.

Alan Ruddock taught a small Aikido group at the college where he studied to become a schoolteacher.

Alan Ruddock subsequently moved to the Isle of Man and started an Aikido group in 1975.

Alan Ruddock left and set up his own group called Aiki no Michi.

In 1995 Alan Ruddock reconnected with Henry Kono and the latter subsequently travelled to Europe many times to jointly instruct at various Aikido seminars.

Via his instruction, Alan Ruddock helped guide the development of numerous Aikido organisations across several countries until his death.

Alan Ruddock graded to 4th dan with the Aikikai but then decided to part company with that organisation.

Alan Ruddock subsequently graded sixth dan within the Butokukai, an organisation which includes all Japanese martial arts.

Alan Ruddock is on record as saying the only certificate he really valued was his shodan taken in the original old Hombu Dojo in Tokyo, he usually never mentioned his grade.

In recent years Alan Ruddock travelled extensively to give seminars in Ireland, UK, Poland, Germany, Italy, the Basque Country, Portugal and the Netherlands.

From his length of practice and time with Morihei Ueshiba, Alan Ruddock was one of the most experienced Aikidoka in Europe but it's widely acknowledged in Aikido circles that he was very discreet about it, which was in keeping with his teaching style: humble, kind and not aggressive but yet very focused and relaxed when he moved and most of all, very effective.

Alan Ruddock was a teacher rather than a politician and tended to avoid such parsing while focusing on conveying his own understanding of Aikido.

Alan Ruddock was taken ill while returning home from a weekend of Aikido training in Midleton, County Cork and died peacefully on 2 April 2012 in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin.

Alan Ruddock is survived by his wife and three children.