Featured affiliated academy: FM BJJ Carrigaline Ireland
Where is the gym located?
FM BJJ Carrigaline Ireland is located at SOLAS Health & Fitness – Unit 6, Carrigaline Industrial Estate, Kilnagleary, Carrigaline, Cork, Ireland.
How many people train there?
10-15
Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year?
Numbers are slowly increasing by around 2-3 committed students each year.
What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?
The head coach of the affiliation is a 3rd degree black belt, and the head coach of the club is a 3-stripe brown belt. The newest student has 2 classes done!
When did the gym open?
2014
Some facts about you:
Name: Roy Noonan
Age: 35
Academy: FM BJJ Carrigaline Ireland
Belt: Brown
Profession: Military
Years in BJJ: 11
Other martial arts: Judo, MMA, boxing
Currently living in: Cork (2 minutes from the gym)
Originally from: Cork
Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence:
I started out by borrowing mats to train nearer to home, as my gym at the time was too far away, I eventually got 3 other people to train regularly, but had to give back the mats. So I just decided to buy my own mats and later got affiliated.
Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they?
Mostly college students and other military personnel.
Why do they train?
I try to make the classes as fun as possible, I believe in laughing while learning where possible! So I guess that they enjoy it while learning an effective art and getting fit.
What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general and in your location specifically?
It’s an almost unheard-of sport, and rent in my area is very expensive.
How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
Growing every year. I will hopefully run FM BJJ Carrigaline Ireland until I’m too old to move, and expect others to start over the years as more Jiu-Jitsu blackbelts come to be.
What’s the best thing about your gym?
The students are all good friends. No egos – they all just look to practice Jiu-Jitsu and have fun.
What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?
We have several beaches nearby (although Irish weather is mostly bad) and coastal towns. Carrigaline is just a few minutes walk away, and we have a hotel and B&Bs near the club. Plus airport and ferry ports just a few minutes drive from gym!
