The list below records some of the events and achievements in the Martial Arts career of Professor Edward Downey the Instructor of the International Kenpo Karate Academy in Celbridge, County Kildare, Ireland.
| 1973 |
Started Kenpo training in Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin with Professor John Conway and joins the International Kenpo Karate Association. Studies the 32 technique Kenpo Syllabus.
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| 1974 |
First contact with Ed Parker when he visits Ireland with Tom Kelly.
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| 1975 |
Visits USA for the first time.
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| 1976 |
Member of the winning team in the All Ireland Open Karate Championships.
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| 1977 |
Member of the winning team in the All Ireland Kenpo Karate Championships.
Member of the Irish delegation at the European Karate Championships in Germany.
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| 1978 |
Successfully tests for 3rd degree brown belt.
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| 1979 |
Successfully tests for 2nd degree brown belt.
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| 1980 |
Successfully tests for 1st degree brown belt.
Attend the World Karate Championships in Germany.
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| 1981 |
Successfully tests for 1st Degree Black Belt and opens his first Kenpo club in Dublin.
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| 1982 |
Member of the Irish team at the first European Kenpo Championship in Jersey.
Attends the first European Kenpo Instructors Camp with Grand Master Ed Parker in Jersey.
Lee Wedlake, Denis Conatser and Skip Hancock are on the camps teaching staff.
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| 1983 |
Member of the Irish team in the second European Kenpo Championship in Germany.
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| 1984 |
Grand Master Ed Parker tests Martina Downey (wife) in Jersey, UK, for her 3rd Degree Brown Belt.
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| 1985 |
Successfully tests for 2nd Degree Black Belt in Jersey Channel Islands.
Member of the Kenpo demonstration team at Irish Martial Arts Aid funding event in aid of the Third World in National Boxing Arena, Dublin.
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| 1986 |
Captain of the Irish Team at Ed Parker’s Long Beach International Karate Championships
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| 1987 |
Member of Kenpo demonstration team which was featured on BBC Television with Ed Parker.
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| 1988 |
Successfully tests for 3rd Degree Black Belt with Ed Parker in Pasadena California, USA.
Opens the International Kenpo Karate Academy in Celbridge, Co. Kildare, Ireland.
Grand Master Ed Parker visits Celbridge and officially opens Edward Downey’s new Kenpo Karate Academy.
Edward Downey hosts a European Kenpo instructor’s camp in Celbridge, which is instructed by Senior Grand Master Ed Parker 10th Degree Black Belt.
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| 1989 |
Organised the first visit of Grand Master Ed Parker to Greece and teaches classes in the Greek Air force Academy in Athens with Grand Master Parker. The event is televises by Greek Television.
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| 1990 |
Hosts Grand Master Ed Parker in Ireland and performs a Kenpo demonstration on the Irish National Television program "The Late Late Show" with Grand Master Parker.
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| 1991 |
Member of the Irish demonstration team at the Ed Parker Memorial International Karate Championships in Long Beach, California.
Professor John Sepulveda visits Ireland to instruct Edward Downey and his students
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| 1992 |
Successfully tests for 4th degree black belt in Long Beach California, USA
Hosts International Martial Arts Championships in Dublin, over 700 competitors and teams from across Europe, United States, Canada and Mexico participate in the event..
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| 1993 |
Hosts International Martial Arts Show in Burlington Hotel, Dublin.
Visits Madrid, Spain and teach Kenpo seminars for the Spanish Kenpo Association
Visits Belgium and teaches Kenpo classes for the Belgium Kenpo Association
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| 1994 |
Participated in the American Kenpo Homecoming Camp in Austin, Texas, USA, where the American Kenpo Senior Council is founded.
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| 1995 |
Hosts International Martial Arts Training camp in the Tain Holiday Village, County Louth, and bring Jeff Speakman to Ireland for the first time.
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| 1996 |
Successfully tests for 5th Degree Black Belt in front of the American Kenpo Senior Council. The testing board included one tenth degree black belt and four ninth degree black belts.
Camp instructor at the first Jeff Speakman International Kenpo camp in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Camp Instructor at European Kenpo Camp in Sweden.
Camp Instructor at the first International Kenpo Styles Camp in Paris, France.
Appointed as the European Director of the American Kenpo Karate Systems (A.K.K.S.).
Hosts Kenpo Camp in Celbridge with John Sepulveda and Jeff Speakman.
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| 1997 |
Host the European Open Kenpo Karate Championships in Dublin.
Visits Milan, Italy and teaches Kenpo seminars for the Italian Kenpo Association
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| 1998 |
Tournament Director at European Kenpo Championships in Jersey, Channel Islands.
Camp Instructor at the Viking Spirit Camp in Sweden.
Organised and promoted the first "Irish Martial Arts Exhibition" in the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght, County Dublin. 25 demonstration teams from all over Ireland take part in the event.
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| 1999 |
Camp Instructor at European Kenpo Camp in Denmark.
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| 2000 |
Successfully tests for 6th Degree Black Belt in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
Camp Instructor at European Kenpo Camp in Plymouth, England.
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| 2001 |
Visits Belgium and teach Kenpo seminars for the Belgium Kenpo Association.
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| 2002 |
Conducts nationwide teaching tour of Australia to promote the Kenpo system
Visits five Australian cities teaching both adult and children’s Kenpo seminars.
Visits New Zealand for to teach and test New Zealand Kenpo students.
Member of Demonstration Team which featured American Kenpo for the first time at the world famous Festival of Martial Arts in Bercy, Paris, France.
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