Training at HQ dojo (Dublin)

Trinity Technology and Enterprise Campus, UNIT 25, (1st Floor) Macken Street is open for training. Please register online.

  Training Schedule

Please note dojo is closed on National holidays.

This is the general schedule and there may be some changes from time to time according to circumstances, particularly around Christmas and the Summer course in August. Please check the Noticeboard or call ahead.

• Monday  18:30

• Tuesday  

• Wednesday 18:30

• Thursday  13:00 

• Friday 18:30

• Saturday 

• NB: Evening and Sat class all 90 mins, Thurs 13:00 class 50 mins.

Aikido general training: Essential skills and techniques for all members.

Irish Aikido Federation membership required. Classes may be split for grade training/beginners.

Saturdays may also include seminars and additional training.

Registration and Class Information for Macken Street Dojo only

(Please contact other dojos for their particular registration details.)

Prospective members must observe at a class in advance of registration - ( nb closed Bank Holidays).

Registration for beginners and general classes is open.

Trial Classes are not allowed as it is intrusive on the regular members, the instructors and the traditional teaching process. 

To register please arrive 20 minutes before the scheduled class time. For beginners, simple exercise clothes, eg T-shirt and sweat pants are fine, no footwear is required. 

Registration for beginners Tue/Thur 13:00 or 18:00, Mon/Wed 19:30, Sat 12:00

Prospective members from other Aikido organisations must observe at an Aikido Level 1 class. 

To become a dojo member on:-

i. a part time basis: book 10 classes and associate membership of the IrAF [150€, student 100€]

ii. Full Membership: book 3 months and full IrAF membership [230/250€ depending on time of year].

Members from other organisations with 6-4 kyu ranks may test for IrAF grades after 6 months, 3rd-1st kyu after 1 year at the annual summer course. Dan ranks may accrue necessary course points & training days from the time they join but must attend IrAF summer course in the year before any application for dan test is to be considered.

Visitors from overseas Aikikai who wish to visit should contact the dojo and may attend at general classes by arrangement, visitors registration/fee is payable at the dojo.

Booking methods:

10 Class booking

A fee of €150.00, payable in advance books 10 classes which may be taken over a period of 3 months. Any basic classes may be attended. 

Open booking

This is for any number of classes in a 3 month or 6 month period.

3 months €200.00: 6 months €350

IrAF Club (TCD, UCD, UL, NUIG, NUIMay.) student fee 5€ per class (or evening)

IrAF members from any dojo may attend classes without prior arrangement.

Over and Over, train in the Techniques with all your Heart.

This is the Path of a real practitioner.

M.Ueshiba, Aikido’s Founder

The dojo is located where Macken Street meets Pearse Street at the Canal (east) end of Pearse Street, near St Andrew's Resource Centre and KC Peaches restaurant. It is approx 15 minutes walking distance from the city centre, on the south of the river Liffey. 

How to get there-

Please note!

Pedestrian and cyclist access to the dojo is from Macken Street. The directions from the Grand Canal Quay side are: enter the campus passing the security barrier and proceed until you reach the Stone Craft Centre Building, where you turn right, then left into a carpark; follow a line of buildings on your left, turning right at the end of these buildings; you will then see numbered buildings on the right starting with number 20; you are looking for number 25, which should have an open door. Please bear this in mind when reading the directions below.

Nearest Dart stations:

Grand Canal Dock Dart station - approx 5 mins walking distance - or 2 blocks distance. Pearse Street and Tara Street Dart stations are approx 12 mins walking distance each. 

Dart timetables

Nearest bus routes:

Dublin Bus routes 1, 2 and 3 all stop on Pearse Street close to the Macken Street/Pearse Street junction. Routes 74 and 74A serve Rathfarnham to Grand Canal Dock nearby. 

Dublin Bus timetables

Driving directions are different to those for pedestrians because Pearse Street is partly a one way street heading west (towards city centre). See below for Driving directions. 

On foot 

1. On foot - Coming from College Green (where the old dojo used to be), travel east on Pearse Street, past Trinity College and on for a further 8 blocks, past St Andrew's Resource Centre. Turn right (south) at the next junction onto Macken Street. Dojo entrance is approx 20 yards on - on the left hand side of the street (East). It is the 2nd Doorway before the Dart bridge. 

2. On foot - from Grand Canal Dock Dart station - approx 7 mins walking - or 2 blocks distance. The dojo is right beside the Dart line, 2 blocks west of the Dart station. It can be approached from either side. (Directions from station to dojo - Exit station onto Barrow Street (the only exit), turn right, go under bridge, proceed to junction. Turn right at end of Barrow Street, onto Lower Grand Canal Street. Proceed past Grand Canal Quay and turn right onto Macken Street. The dojo entrance is just beyond the Dart bridge. This is a bit quicker than going the other direction! 

3. On foot - from Pearse Street Dart stations - approx 12 mins walking - or 3 blocks distance. (From Tara street, head south - away from the river towards Pearse Street / College Green. Turn left (east) to proceed along Pearse Street for about 5 mins, passing Trinity College buildings, various offices, shops, public library and St Andrew's Resource Centre. Turn right (south) at the next junction after the Resource Centre onto Macken Street. Dojo entrance is approx 20 yards on - on the left hand side of the street (East). 2nd Doorway before the Dart bridge.

Nearest taxi rank: It's usually easy to hail taxis on Pearse Street, 20 yards from dojo entrance. No official taxi rank nearby.

By car: 

From the Dublin city north and west: 

Travel east on the Quays to Macken Street (Ferryman pub and McCann FitzGerald are both at this junction). Turn right on to Macken Street. Proceed through traffic lights and cross Pearse Street. The dojo is just before Dart bridge on the left. 

From Dublin city south: 

Drive to the canal. Follow the canal to Clanwilliam Place. Turn left onto Lower Grand Canal Street. Proceed past Grand Canal Quay and turn right onto Macken Street. The dojo entrance is just beyond the Dart bridge.

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