MasterBates Where did he go!!!

Millionaire

Oh Where oh where did Masterbates go?

Oh I can hear the young ones on the site a shrieking, has the man got mad. MAd??? He cannot be what he already is!!!!!

Masterbates was a big noise in MA in the 1980s in ireland.

Master Murray T BAtes of Fire Dragon Kung Fu and Pai lum style. (white dragon)

I think he was like a Mcdonalds of MA in Ireland in that he had a club in every county!

Who on hear trainied in Fire Dragon.

Me I did for a year or 2 in Fire Dragon Dundalk when a mere green teen. How cool where the kung fu suits, the dragons and yin yang things on the walls. great forms like the 3 short forms of the tiger and dragon dance, and you also go to learn shotokan at the same time mixed in.

Only thing was me and cousin who had a few years kickboxing in before in fire dragoned it, when it came to sparring bate (sorry excuse the pun) all the other senior grades (our age and weight) to kingdom come! LOL


anyway I think poor ol masterbates feel from grace or something ?????


Memories anyone???

dlofnep

My first year head in school was called Master Bates. As you can imagine, us being the bunch of 12 year olds that we were made the most out of it.

paddyc

I'd say dave joyce will know of him. I dont but i know paul kelly and brian cullen, 2 of irelands first thai boxers fought under him for a while, but me thinks it all ended in tears and he headed back state side as far as I know...


paddy

Dave Joyce

Okay first of all the man's name was Murray BEATTS not Bates!! And while we had our falling out with him before he returned to the States, I am not willing to run the man down or go into detail about what happened, just mainly personal problems on his part.
However a lot of people slag him and the organisation (that was) off, he certainly changed the face of tournaments in Ireland and was the first person to bring Master Toddy and Thaiboxing to Ireland. For all of the organisations faults and problems, as Paddy posted look at the caliber of some of the people who trained there... Paul Kelly, Brian Cullen, Mick O'Hanlon etc etc.

Millionaire

Ah Dave no one is slagging him. no one is looking dirt on him.

I was just wondering how his whole organisation disappeared, and as I said he had people teaching all over ireland.

As Is said I spend 2 ish there , was only a kid, we went up one sunday for training and the place was on more, (dundalk club) all gone, door locked. I was just a teenager at time and often wonder what happened him???

anyway, the style had some cool moves I though!

Don Wilson PKA middle weight kickboxing champ in 80s and B movie star was a Pai Lum man too.

Why did they teach kung fu and karate forms at the same time, what was the idea of that.???

Le Rack

dlofnep wrote:

My first year head in school was called Master Bates. As you can imagine, us being the bunch of 12 year olds that we were made the most out of it.

Did you go to school in New Ross by any chance?

paul moran

Well I was a member of the Pai Lum school in Blackrock (Dublin). I had only started my training there at the end of the associations existance. My Sifu had already built up a relationship with Dr Yang the president of YMAA International. Then YMAA Ireland came into existance just as I passed my Blue grade. I did learn 3 Short Forms of Tiger and Tension form and I particularly liked the fact that the system was very much a "Fighting" system and was very open to learning from all styles and in a way were one of the first groups of people to cross train many styles in Ireland.

Dare I say the first Mixed Martial Artists??? :eek:

Millionaire

Yes I was think same, Ireland first MMA, cause u had Pai Lum which was learned side by side with shotokan, so ya got grades in both as u went up ladder.

Then he brought Thai in too.

I was only a yellow belt, and when whatever happened, there was no one to grade us in Dundalk, and soon after we went down one day and shop shut.. ???!!!!??

Dave Joyce

Why did they teach kung fu and karate forms at the same time, what was the idea of that.???

Because one supposed instructor from the States hadn't a clue about Kung Fu and came up with this "brilliant" idea. Also because of a lot of political **** going on in the organisation (like any big organisation), I guess some of the guys drifted and a lot of the clubs closed. Some of the instructors also moved away and you were left with just a couple of clubs. However, from that whole era, some excellant clubs whose roots were in Fire Dragon are now running stronger than ever.

Millionaire

What about the Master St Charles guy? I never met him . but I remember he used to be in the evening now and again.

He was a karte guy that did kung Fu too? Or am I getting wires crossed?

Yeah it was a fun time for me back then, I enjoyed my own very short fire dragon experienced, it was everything a bruce lee obsessed teen in the mid 80s in ireland, could have wished for!

Paulistanos

Sifu was a decent man and I was glad to have the experience training at the club.

Unless my memory is totally gone I remember Paul Kelly and Brian Cullen, did they take the trophies from an event in Gorey? One of them was great to spar with, the other, well, it was best to practice your technique than try to fight...all good fun.

There was a good atmosphere and spirit at the club that I didn´t get at other places.

I remember Declan Chellar from Dublin and American Kate from Kerry. There was big guy with a beard. Malachi Brazil is another name I remember, top man.

The trip to Kerry was a good laugh though I expect the video of the demonstration was probably burned.

Master St. Charles hosted a big event at UCD and some workshops, I guess that was about 1981. I remember Declan Chellar did a form with Burmese ring knives which would have been a lot more spectacular if St. Charles hadn´t interrupted him to show that there was a hole in the handles.

Good look to you Sifu Murray wherever you are.

Being on the wrong side of 50, I was delighted with my infinite stupidity a few weeks ago when I slapped and kneed two young lads who tried to mug myself and the missus as we were walking late at night. Next time I´ll hand over my wallet but it is good to know that one time I didn´t.