The Irish National Taekwon-Do Association held its Annual General Meeting in the Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa in Little Island, Co. Cork on 2 December. Grandmaster O'Toole, President of the INTA, welcomed everyone and opened the meeting at noon sharp.

The Secretary, Mr Curran, quickly reviewed this year's agenda and last year's minutes.

Grandmaster O'Toole gave a year-end review, in which he welcomed the instructors who joined the INTA in 2018. The INTA has now dojangs in Waterford (Master Franks), Tallow, Graiguecullen, Portlaoise, Bweeng, Hollyhill, Ovens, Cherry Orchard, and Fettercairn; 47 clubs in total. He also remarked on the promotion of three new 7th Dan Masters in 2018.

After this various reports were discussed, and extensive calendar of events was handed out. The items in the calendar will appear on this website shortly.

At the end, Grandmaster O'Toole wished everyone a good holiday season and a happy new year, and closed the meeting.

On 1 December the INTA held it's winter black belt grading. The prestigious Radisson Blu Hotel in Cork was chosen to reflect the importance of welcoming new black belt to the Taekwon-Do family. The hotel's Great Island Ballroom was divided in two sections, and each section had tasteful festive Christmas Decorations.

For the first time in the INTA's history, the grading panel for the first Dan consisted of five 7th Degree Masters; Master Donnelly lead the panel further consisting of Master Franks, Master Fagan, Master Stobie, and the recently promoted Master Troy. Registration for the 28 candidates for first degree started bright and early at 08:15 a.m. Master Donnelly held a short welcoming speech for all black tag students at 9 o'clock, and put them at ease, for as far as that was possible. The grading started soon thereafter, with candidates presenting themself in groups of four, for movements up and down the floor, patterns, step sparring and self defence. Thereafter was a short break in which students could put on their gear, and prepare for sparring. After some intense rounds, all students were tested individually for their theoretic knowledge of Taekwon-Do, followed by the dreaded power test.

Many congratulations to INTA Instructors Master Nicolae Mesina and Master Alan Troy on their promotion yesterday to 7th Dan. Both men tested under INTA's Grandmaster Brendan O'Toole and Grandmaster Frank Vanbergen of ITF Belgium in the Harold's Cross Club in Dublin on the 24th of November.