Holohan members make World team

HOLOHAN Martial Arts is one of the finest MMA gyms in the country, situated in Sitecast Industrial Estate off Greenhills Road the gym is dedicated to churning out top level talent and providing a valuable resource to all members of the local community.

Five young members have been selected from the gym to represent Ireland at the IMMAF World Championships.

The chosen athletes include Constantin, Nicolai and Anastasia Tabacaru, Ben Elder and Mason Long.

The IMMAF championships are among the most prestigious in amateur MMA.

Yet despite the opportunity, the cost of travel etc falls to the parents which has led to former MMA fighter and current Gym owner and Councillor Paddy Holohan to call for government funding to be provided.

“The [IMMAFS] are a really good place for young athletes to show their skillset on a world stage. It could work out at €1500 per kid and that’s only one championship.

If there are Europeans then the coach might have to pay for it. There’s no funding in Mixed Martial Arts at all for kids at that level so they have to rely on small businesses and sponsors to get in behind them.”

While MMA was once considered by some to be a blood sport, the continuous popularity of organisations like the UFC have seen the sport transition into the mainstream with Holohan agreeing that it has outgrown its previous reputation.

“MMA has broken through many barriers in many countries and people know the benefits of it.

‘I have people come to my gym and maybe their son got in trouble or something like that and a youth program is sending them to the gym. I’ve had guards recommend the gym for their kids to come.

‘I think anyone with a brain in their heads knows that martial arts and what we do is about respect and honour.

Holohan doubled down on the positive effects gyms like his have on the local community.

“I can’t put a price on what it does for communities, especially communities like where I came up in. Jobstown and working class communities.

‘There’s a lot of energy in the kids, there’s a lot of passion and drive to do well. We just need to give them a place to do it.”