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In her ongoing quest for a hobby, audio-visual journalist Chloë McPolin from the Irish Independent dropped in for a visit to try her hand at the martial art of Aikido
Chloë is an audio-visual journalist based in Dublin. Chloë joined Mediahuis as a video and audio journalist in September 2023 working on the Irish Independent digital channels as a videographer and across its podcast slate as a researcher. Chloë recently launched a mini-series with the Irish Independent all about her quest to find a new hobby. Now each week Chloë embarkes on discovering the strangest (to her) hobbies she can find to do in order to see if it could be something she might take up as her pasttime. From coffee brewing to bog snorkelling she is determined to give it a go and maybe convince you to join with her. Take four of the podcast features Chloë exploring Aikido.
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"Any time I thought of martial arts, it always conjured up images of Conor McGregor for me. Something I desperately hate to admit now. But if I am being totally honest, I knew nothing about the sport and didn’t realise there were so many different forms. So when I Googled ‘Women’s martial arts Dublin’ in my quest to find a hobby, I expected to find a cool, new way of getting fit. Instead I was hit with a barrage of websites offering to equip me with the skills to stay safe on Dublin’s streets at night. Naturally, I clicked on the first one: Dublin Tomiki Aikido. I dialled the number on the Aikido website tomikiaikido.ie, and Sensei Keith picked up. He told me: “Yes, absolutely, come along,” and assured me they would have me “flipping people upside down” in no time. I didn’t think too much of it at the time – I think I was in denial about actually going through with it. I never loved sports as a child and have always dreaded public humiliation. As my Aikido class drew nearer, my palms grew sweatier........." |
