A bit of the auld craic!

I intend to use this blog to write about things I hope will grab your attention.  There will be stuff about Belfast, where I live, Northern Ireland and some of the people who make it unique.  Places to go and things to do. Where to eat, although it will only be places that my long suffering wife and I have been.  The environment is important to us so there will be bits about that and by that I don’t mean Global warming stuff but your local environment.

Due to time constraints and the fact that some of the stuff I am working on are quite involved I will update my blog once a week

As of the 9/9/09 I will be redundant. The company I worked for has been hit by the recession and have made fifteen people redundant, unfortunately I am one of them. So most of my time has been and will be spent  looking for a job. I will post as and when I get time so keep checking as I may turn this into a journal.

David Toney

David Toney is one of those guys who you see in the street and you really don’t give him a second glance. Average height and build, smartly dressed, clean cut just like a lot of guys out there.
Except he isn’t average. At the age of 16 he took up a martial art and that was just the beginning.
He progressed through his belts quickly and finally achieved his 1st Black Belt. Now David is the Chief Instructor for World Ju-Jitsu Federation Ireland (WJJFI). He has clubs all over Ireland and a team of dedicated Black Belts looking after them.
He is kept very busy with the day to day running of such a large organization but he still found time to publish a book.
JU-Jitsu
A Path For Beginners
So I decided to find out a bit more about what make him tick and why he is held in such high esteem by all his students.

Q. ” How long have you been doing Ju-Jitsu & what made you take up a Martial Art? “

A. ” I was 19 and hadn’t done much in the way of physical activity since I’d left school and wanted to find a way to keep fit. I wasn’t much into football or team sports and was looking for something that would give me something at the end of it. Four years of going to a gym would make me stronger but 4 years of a Martial Art would give me a Black Belt.

Q. “Why Ju-Jitsu? “

A. “I went to the wrong room!  I thought I was going to a Judo class but ended up in the Ju-Jitsu class next door. It was a crazy class and the coach was a complete nutter – an English guy called Roly Beattle. He threw me over his head in the first class and I thought my back was broken. For whatever reason, I couldn’t wait to go back the next week! “

Q. “How long did it take to reach your first Black belt and how did it feel? “

A. ” Four years. I transferred clubs and trained under several instructors. Through that time, the people I’d started with all fell by the wayside, but I just kept going. “

Q. ” When  and how did you become involved in the administration of the NI Ju-Jitsu Association? “

A. ” I started helping in classes 6 months into my training and running my own class after 18 months (something that is just not heard of nowadays!) I didn’t start doing the whole admin role until the year 2000. “

Q. ” When you actually started running the association did you think it would be as big as it is? “

A. ” When I started training there was about 200 people training and it was based mostly in Belfast. The big growth was when we introduced structured Coaching Programmes. This meant that everyone was treated well from day one in the organization and every instructor had a set of guidelines to work to. The organization mushroomed after that. “

Q. ” You have become well-known in the Martial Arts circles. Who would  you say has been your role model and why? “

A. ” I don’t really have one person who I could say was my role model and I wouldn’t want to leave anyone out. I would say my big sister Linda and you in my early life. Most, but not all, of my coaches throughout the years and of course Prof Clark, the head of WJJF Worldwide. I read a lot and I would be inspired by a lot of leaders, both dead and alive. “

Q. ” Over the years can you think of any particular reason Ju-Jitsu has been so successful? “

A. ” We teach the basics well. The instructors work as a team and don’t let egos get in the way. Success is built one step at a time and it has taken us 25 years to get to this point. “

Q. ” What would you say are the benefits of learning a Martial Art & Ju-Jitsu in particular? “

A. ” For me it has been life-changing, but for most it is simply that you can train in a friendly environment and not only keep fit, but learn to defend yourself to a high standard. I don’t know of any other activity that gives you the confidence and fitness that training in a Martial Art does. Why Ju-Jitsu? I believe it has it all: kicks, punches, throws, locks and groundwork. “

Q. ” If Ju-Jitsu wasn’t your full-time vocation, what do you think you would be doing today? “

A. ” I don’t honestly know. I would like to be in the property game (although it’s probably not that great at the minute.) I like the thought of buying something and fixing it up. I enjoy the process of seeing something improve – much like I see my students improve in my classes. “

Q. “What do you do to relax? “

A. “My wife would say I don’t relax! I would walk my dogs, go for a meal with my wife and my step-daughter, or play some pool with my sons. “

Q. ” Finally David, what’s next? “

A. ” I have just finished the photo shoot for my second book and hope to have it out by Christmas. I am also working on some DVD’s. We have a number of new clubs opening and the day to day running of the organisation keeps me very busy. “

Butterflies in Belfast

Saturday 17th October was a great day. We caught the bus into the city and dandered round to the City Hall. There was a few people there in the grounds waiting to see the Big Butterfly unfurl it’s wings. At first we thought ” Poor turn out”  even though there was a stage set up in the grounds not many people there. Then the MC announced the Caterpillar Parade would start at 2:30pm and we realised we were a tad early.
What to do, ah, nip round to the Open Mike event in St Georges market to publicize the new Fringe at the Queens Festival./ Well we got there but it was packed the gills so we left. Still had the problem of what to do for an hour or so. Then my ever reliable good lady said the magic words “ Fancy a fry at the Windmill? ” . ” Try and stop me ” I said and so we had a nice bit of grub there which just filled the time in very nicely thank you very much.

The Caterpillar Parade was just starting to head down Royal Avenue by the time we got there so we picked a good spot behind the barriers and the place was jumpin’. In the distance we see lots of brightly coloured banners and all the kids were pointing and yelling with anticipation. The atmosphere was brilliant.

Then we heard the drums playing a calypso beat and the toes started to tap. Eventually slowly but surely, if not a bit erratically. the Caterpillar came into view. Winding it’s way down Royal Avenue and winding the kids up too

Kids were reaching out to touch it and they weren’t disappointed, Caterpillar stopped at every opportunity and let the kids touch it.

But that was only the beginning, behind the caterpillar came brightly dressed dancers, dancing to the beat of the very loud drums of the Beat Initiative.Believe me it was impossible to keep still, you just had to ‘Shake Yer Ass’ . They were followed lots of little butterflies adorned with brightly coloured wings, absolutely brill. More drums followed then some very ugly people indeed, god they were really gruesome  ‘ I know there’s a joke there but I will resist ‘.  

The parade wound it’s way to the City Hall and by now the place was packed and we had trouble getting a good spot. There was a stage set up where we were treated to salsa dancing and gymnastics, but the real spectacle was unfolding above our heads. On the parapets at the top of the City Hall were four large Butterflies lining the edge of the roof and in the centre was an enormous beautiful Butterfly just waiting to be born.

As we watched with anticipation two caterpillars scaled up the side of the building, at the same time two larvae climbed down to meet them. Then we were treated to, an aerial ballet is the best way to describe it, halfway up the building.

Coloured smoke was released and that signaled the birth of The Butterfly which then opened it’s multi- coloured wings to signify the birth of the new City Hall after the refurbishment. All in all A GREAT day, well done all the organisors

Redundant still :)

Signed on today.

Must admit it was easier than I thought. That’s not to say it was easy, just easier. I arrived ten minutes early which is advisable as they are quite busy and if you are late you may loose your place.
My appointment was for 2:00pm and I was called at five  past so not too long to wait. A charming young lady took my forms to see if I had filled them out properly. There were some bits I wasn’t quite sure about and she filled them out for me.
After that I had to take a seat again, as the young lady was only there to enter all the details on the computer, and wait to be called, again. Oh, here we go I thought now the waiting starts, but I was wrong. Within ten minutes a guy called me over, asked me to take a seat and proceeded to introduce himself, friendly guy. He had been passed the forms by the young lady so he took time to make me feel at my ease then went through the whole procedure from start to finish explaining every thing as he went.
It didn’t make the fact that there were still more forms to fill in and sign, any less tedious.
I had to laugh at one point, I was filling in one of the countless form when I came to a question that made us both smile.
Are you willing to work? Tick yes or no.
He spoke in English and not government speak which was refreshing. All in all I was there about forty five minutes and I came away thinking “Why were you so worked up? “
Then I realised why, I was there to sign on and get the meager hand out from HM Government, grateful as I am, it still gets me worked up when I have no job.

Ah well, the search goes on.