The K.U.I. have been practising, teaching and grading J.K.A. Shotokan Karate in Ireland for the last 30 years. In the late sixties early seventies the main body of Shotokan Karate in Ireland was the Irish Karate Union (LKU.) of which Mr. Tommy McGrane and his clubs were members and only Japanese instructors visited Ireland, the late Sensei Eneoda and his assistant instructors at the time.

In 1977 The Irish Karate Union joined Shotokan Karate International (S.K.I.) and the Dublin Clubs under Mr. Tommy McGrane joined The Karate Union of Great Britain (K.U.G.B.) to maintain training and grading J.K.A. Karate, through Sensei Eneoda who was the Chief Instructor of the K.U.G.B. In 1982 The Karate Union of Ireland (K.U.I.) was founded of which Mr. Tommy McGrane was appointed Chief Instructor, The K.U.I. had clubs throughout Ireland.

In Crystal Palace 6/5/1983 Mr. Tommy McGrane passed his Yon Dan under Sensei Eneoda. In 1984 the K.U.I. hosted the E.A.K.F. Junior and Senior Championships in Dublin, Mr. Tommy McGrane was second Vice President of the E.A.K.F. at the time.

In 1985 the K.U.I. under Mr. Tommy McGrane headed to Japan to compete in The World Shotokan Championships and the highlight of the trip was to have his photograph taken with Sensei Nakayama.

The K.U.I. competed in the 1986 E.A.K.F. Championships in Sunderland, England when they hosted the first All Shotokan Karate Championships. The E.S.K.O. stands for the recently formed European Shotokan Karate Organisation and this was its first Congress and Championships.

The E.A.K.F. was disbanded in 1986 and this new body was formed to represent only the Shotokan stylists. The E.A.K.F. though largely Shotokan also included some other style karate groups. As such E.S.K.O. has stated that it is a non-political organisation intent only on the preservation and development of traditional Shotokan Karate. It was also decided over this Championship Weekend to change Organisation to Association so now the body is what we know as E.S.K.A.

Also in 1986 the K.U.I, held a special Japanese course in Dublin, Ireland under Sensei Eneoda and special instructors from Japan.

In 1988 the K.U.I. headed to Brisbane, Australia for the World Shotokan Cup in that year the K.U.I. held the first Open Shotokan Course under Sensei Eneoda, Sensei Kase (France) Sensei Yahara (Japan).

On the 13/5/1988 in Crystal Palace Mr. Tommy McGrane passed his grade for Go Dan under Sensei Eneoda. The K.U.I. employed Sensei Eneoda for courses and J.K.A. gradings. The K.U.I. also employed the Japanese that assisted Sensei Eneoda at the time Sensei Kato, Sensei Tomita, Sensei Kawasoe and Sensei Ohta. The K.U.I. also employed instructors of the K.U.G.B. to learn and develop a better understanding in J.K.A. Shotokan karate.

The K.U.I. trained very hard but felt that there was a lot lost from misunderstanding the meaning of Japanese Karate as practised by the Japanese by not understanding their way of life. The K.U.I. trained with different Shotokan Instructors to gain and learn as much knowledge about Shotokan Karate - Do.

Mr. Tommy McGrane was honoured in December 1998 to receive his Roko Dan by Sensei Eneoda. He remained Chief Instructor of the K.U.I. until February 2003. At the tender age of 77, Mr. Tommy McGrane retired as Chief Instructor of the K. U. 1. and handed over the role to his long time student Mr. Paul Hickey.

Paul Hickey was first graded under Sensei Eneoda 14/2/1975 as a beginner and has practised and dedicated himself to the art of Shotokan Karate. In Crystal Palace, England 4/5/1995 he was graded Go Dan by a panel of Japanese Instructors Sensei Eneoda, Sensei Tabata and Sensei Osaka. Paul Hickey has represented Ireland in World and European Shotokan Championships since 1980 and is now also the K.U.I. coach.

Mr. Tommy McGrane is still active in the K.U.I. and will be remaining as Technical Advisor to the Organisation as well as continuing in his role as Grading and Class Instructor and still trains regularly with his senior students in the local park twice a week.