WTKO Ireland Instructors
Stephen Collins, 5th Dan
Steve is the senior instructor in “The Karate Dojo”, a successful Dojo he runs in Douglas, Cork. He started his training in Karate in 1979 in a rusty parish hall in his local village. He took his Kyu grades up to 3rd Kyu with Tomita sensei of the JKA. His final 2 Kyu grades were with Enoeda sensei and a very young Ohta Sensei .
Achieving shodan in 1983. Later that same year he became the youngest Grand Champion of the JKA group in Ireland. Steve has trained with and graded under some of the most famous and respected Karate instructors in the world, Receiving Shodan from Ohta Sensei in 1983, Nidan from Enoeda Sensei in 1986, Sandan from Kawasoe Sensei in 1998, Yondan from Trimble Sensei in 2004 and Godan from Amos sensei in 2014. A “Who’s Who” list of Shotokan Karate instructors.
Shortly after attaining Nidan he moved to London. He trained with various clubs while there. Spending some years under the instruction of Michael Randall sensei, Steve was also a member for some years of the infamous Martial St dojo and spent many years training under Enoeda Sensei there.
Steve has competed both nationally and internationally and has won numerous National titles over the years both with Kata and Kumite. He has represented his country on many occasions and was National team Captain while with the ITKF.
In 2012 he brought his Dojo into the JKS and followed Scott Langley into the WTKO.
Kevin Collins, 4th Dan
Kevin started training in 1979 and graded to 3rd kyu under Tomita Sensei, 2nd & 1st under Enoeda & Ohta Sensei, Shodan in '83 under Ohta, Nidan in '86 under Enoeda, Sandan in 2010 under Ohta and Yondan in 2014 under Sawada.
He stopped training in 1992 for 15 years due to work & raising his family. Working on a oil rig makes getting to the dojo difficult.
He has won numerous junior & senior All Ireland titles in JKA and open competitions in both Kata & Kumite and represented Ireland in 5 European championships.
He considers his best title was coming out of retirement at 43 & winning the over 21 JKA Kumite All Ireland.
He runs his club in Crosshaven & regularly referees competitions.
Steve Collins, 3rd Dan
Steve began training at the age of 10 in 2004 under Richard Curtain Sensei as part of the JKA group in Ireland, progressing through to the end of the KYU ranks in 2010. Shortly after attaining 1st KYU, his father Kevin Collins Sensei opened his first dojo.
In 2011 he graded to Shodan under Ohta Sensei, and nearly 3 years later he graded to Nidan again under Ohta Sensei. In late 2015, Kevin Sensei left the JKA group in Ireland, bringing his students, including Steve, to the WTKO. He graded to Sandan at the March 2017 WTKO Winter Camp in New York’s Honbu Dojo under the WTKO Executive Committee, Richard Amos Sensei, John Mullen Sensei and Scott Middleton Sensei.
Steve regularly takes part in competition local and abroad, including numerous JKA Europeans as well as the SKDUN Europeans in April 2016. In September 2016, he secured bronze in team kumite at the WTKO European championships in Amsterdam.
He is a full time karate instructor, managing his own dojo, Zenshin Karate Dojo, as well as teaching at the Crosshaven Karate Dojo with his father.
Jonny Collins, 2nd Dan
Jonny Collins is the Juniors instructor in "The Karate Dojo" Located in Douglas Cork.
Jonny started his training in London in 1993 under the instruction of Vic Charles sensei.
Upon moving to Ireland he trained in different clubs with his father Stephen Collins Sensei until Collins Sensei set up his own Dojo.
Jonny achieved his 1st Dan in 2001 grading under Kawasoe Sensei. Not long after, he achieve his first of numerous Munster open titles. Coming first in Kumite and Kata in the ISKU 2001 competition.
In 2003 at 14 y/o he achieved his 2nd Dan under the late Paul Allen Sensei.
From this point Jonny would help in his Father's Dojos helping teach the junior grades when he was needed. It is from here he found a passion for teaching. Jonny attended coaching courses and began teaching kids Karate.
Jonny furthered his coaching education in 2013 getting his Coaching degree.
Jonny now strives to take traditional karate and make it more enjoyable for his Junior students while keeping the traditions intact.
Damien Hurley, 2nd Dan
Damien started his Karate training in September 2001 and the age of 32 with Eddie Burns sensei 4th Dan JKA, taking most of his Kyu grades under Ohta sensei, Chief instructor of JKA England. He passed Shodan with Ochi Sensei in November 2006 and achieved Nidan with Gneo Sensei in June 2013.
Damien has attended many courses while with the JKA under the likes of Ohta, Bura, Gnoe, Ochi and Aoki Sensei's and more recently with Scott Langley Sensei and Stephen Collins Sensei with the WTKO.
He took over the club in Wilton from his instructor Burns Sensei when he sadly passed away in 2005 while Damien was still a 1st Kyu and he has been very successful in running the club since then.
He decided to open a second dojo on the North side of the city in Gurranabraher in 2014 and this dojo has gone from strength to strength.
Damien is very active with competitions and his students have been very successful in the arena both Nationally and internationally, attending various European Championships. In 2015 he was appointed assistant Coach to JKA Ireland and he now brings his wealth of talent and experience to the WTKO.