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Limerick’s karate mom, Dace Irbe returns from Hollands, ‘Tang Soo Do Championships’ with 2nd and 3rd place trophies 

Karate mom Dace Irbe pictured with instructor, Master Pat Forde and son, Ralf at the championships in Holland.

Limerick’s karate mom, Dace Irbe returns from Hollands, ‘Tang Soo Do Championships’ with 2nd and 3rd place trophies 

Dace Irbe, student of Pat Forde at Munster Martial Arts has returned to Limerick this week having placed 2nd and 3rd against competitors from Holland, Greece, and Belgium at the New Generation Tang Soo Do Holland Championships. 

Dace was accompanied to the tournament by her husband Valdis, her instructor Pat Forde and her son Ralf, who was also competing and tested for his second Dan Black Belt. 


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Karate mom Dace Irbe

Dace pictured receiving her trophy in Holland earlier this week.

It was actually because of Ralf that Dace got into Martial Arts. Just as many parents do, Dace was bringing Ralf to Munster Martial Arts for years before finally deciding to give it a go herself. 

Only two years on and she has brought home trophies for third place for forms and second place sparring. 

Munster Martial Arts were also busy this week with Master Pat Forde 5th Dan Black belt and Master Dominick Giacobbe 9th Dan Black belt, testing students for their first and second Dan Black belts. 

Pierse O Neill, Scott Miller, and 12-year-old Robert O Grady were amongst those tested for their first Dan Black belts and Calen Martin, Victoria Buckley Jamie Tyrrell, Siobhan Rogers, as well as Ralf were all tested for their second Dan Black belts. 

Master Pat Forde is the main instructor for Munster Martial Arts and is a valued asset to both the Munster Martial Arts community, with over 22 years-experience but also the community at large as his approach to anti-bullying, as seen on RTE’s ‘Bullyproof’ is well respected in Limerick. 

Grandmaster Dominick Giacobbe is a 9th-degree black-belt and is one of the leading personalities in Tang Soo Do Karate.  

Speaking of Dace’s win, Master Pat Forde said, “As an instructor I am very proud of Dace for this amazing achievement. I think Dace has shown every adult what is possible if you put your mind to it, balancing work, family and her own training. She has done all of this with a positive attitude, friendliness and continues to want to learn more and keep improving”. 

For more stories on Munster Martial Arts click here. 

For more information on Munster Martial Arts click here. 

Karate mom Dace Irbe

The competitors pictured in Holland at the New Generation Tang Soo Do Championships.

Richard is a presenter, producer, songwriter and actor. He was named the Limerick Person of the Year (2011) and won an online award at the Metro Éireann Media and Multicultural Awards (2011) for promoting multi-culturalism online. Richard says that the ilovelimerick.com concept is very much a community driven project that aims to document life in Limerick. So, that in 20 years time people can look back and remember the events that were making the headlines.