Intro to Irish Stick Fighting -- Workshop & Fundraiser!

Sun Aug 14 2022 at 02:00 pm to 04:15 pm

TBD Park! Updating soon; map does not reflect actual location | Washington

Bmore Bata
Publisher/HostBmore Bata
Intro to Irish Stick Fighting -- Workshop & Fundraiser!
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Come learn the foundational techniques and social history of Irish stick fighting -a community martial art- in a fun & queer as heck setting
About this Event


Bataireacht is a practical self defense form from Ireland where folks use a cane or walking stick (called a shillelagh) for combat. It’s also a traditional form of community defense with deep and complicated roots in Irish colonial resistance and social movements.

In this workshop, you’ll get to know a bit of this history alongside the basic elements of Doyle style stick fighting -- a two handed style kept alive within the Irish diaspora. You'll learn foundational offensive and defensive techniques and footwork. Plus, you'll get to practice with other newbies in a joyful and exceedingly queer environment.

Although there's plenty more to learn about this art, after even a couple hours, you'll leave with some self defense skills you can put to use immediately, with or without a cane.

This workshop is part of a fundraiser series. Cuán, the coach for this workshop, is asking for community support as he journeys to Ireland to deepen his training and establish a regular practice in the mid-atlantic. More info below!

**To register: nab your ticket here and venmo or cashapp us @bmorebata, or paypal via [email protected].**


DETAILS

?Open to all!

⚔️Sticks provided!

?Masks required!

?No martial arts/self defense experience necessary!

?What to wear/bring:

  • clothes fit to the weather that you can mooove in
  • close-toe shoes!
  • your mask (ideally N95 or equivalent)
  • WATER?
  • sun protection/sunscreen
  • a blanket to sit on

Questions? Scroll for our FAQ or drop us a note -- [email protected]


INSTRUCTOR & FUNDRAISER BACKGROUND

Intro to Irish Stick Fighting is taught by Cuán McCann (he/him, ey/em). Cu is a disabled trans genderqueer white person of Irish and Southern Italian descent, a Doyle, and a Level 4 certified coach in the Doyle family stick fighting system. Cu is part of the Fighting Hares Faction and a student of Bernie Leddy's, the head of the Doyle family system and the Hares.

This workshop is part of a fundraiser series as Cu prepares to go to Ireland at the end of October 2022 for his formal initiation as a coach and for more in person training with his teacher, Bernie. Although Cu has been training for 2 years and is permitted to teach (and gosh is he hype for it), he is working to become a Level 5 fully licensed instructor, the highest ranked teacher in Doyle style.

As an instructor, Cu will be able to fully share the knowledge of the Doyle family system, including offering online classes, training for those seeking to become coaches and instructors themselves, and much more. Cu is dedicated to sharing his ancestral martial art with his trans and queer kin, and the ability to fully direct these teachings and support others in carrying and sharing this community defense knowledge is vital. This trip and the training he'll receive is a huge step towards realizing this calling, and sharing this ancestral community defense practice.

Funds from this workshop and the others in this series will be used for Cu's tuition and travel expenses. Anything over his budget will be devoted to building up equipment & scholarships for future classes and workshops in the mid-atlantic.

Your support makes this great work possible. Thank you for chipping in, sharing this event with friends and family, and for all your support!


Event Photos
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

I'm not Irish, can I still learn Irish stick fighting?

  • Yes! Doyle style bataireacht is an explicitly open system -- that means, folks of all backgrounds are welcomed and warmly invited to participate.

I'm not queer or trans, can I take these classes?

  • This class is a trans and queer centered space. Anyone and everyone who celebrates that and is down with that is welcome here.

I've never done a martial art or self defense class before...

  • No sweat! No experience necessary. We teach from with a very beginner friendly place.

Do I need to bring my own stick?

  • Nope. Sticks are provided. For your safety and the safety of other participants, we ask that you use our bataí (sticks). You just bring yourself, close-toed shoes, WATER, and your mask.

I can't make this class!! Will there be other chances to learn?

  • Yes! Weekly classes in Baltimore start this summer. Sign up for our newsletter here to stay in the loop.

Have a question that's not answered here? Email us: bmorebata@gmailcom


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Event Venue & Nearby Stays

TBD Park! Updating soon; map does not reflect actual location, A park in DC!, Washington, United States

Tickets

USD 0.00

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