My name is Ailbhe and I have been doing karate for nearly 26 years now. My instructor is my dad- Paul Dowling, 10th degree black belt. He is an excellent role model; apart from the fact that his knowledge of the Kenpo Karate system is second to none, he is also an extremely patient, kind and positive teacher.
I got my black belt in 2018 and since then have been focusing a lot on teaching and refereeing. In 2024 I had the wonderful opportunity to travel over to Maarssen in the Netherlands to teach a class on the Two Person Set.
The last number of years I have been helping out with the running of the IKKA Europe tournaments by refereeing, announcing ring assignments and juggling queries and complaints as they come in to the best of my abilities.
Throughout the stresses that go hand in hand with these jobs, I always try to remain focused on promoting a positive and inclusive environment as my dad has always shown me throughout the many years he has taught and influenced me.