As with last year this time is mixed with success and sadness.
Its been one year since Peter Sherriff, founder of kendo in Ireland and Cork; leader, friend and teacher has passed away.
I was, and still am, greatly affected by his passing. I don’t think I started kendo, as a beginner wanting to learn to fight; I came to UCC kendo club pretty much looking for help (I didn’t see it that way at the time however). I’ll never forget those first few months, when I was physically sick before every single class. I could barely function in a social setting let alone talk to strangers. Peter pulled me out of myself and straightened my posture and mind through the application of the sword. This is real kendo. You are taught kendo, how to cut with a sword, but you learn how to overcome your demons, and how to live, even if it seems hard: espcially when it seems hard.
Over the next few months I got to know Peter better and he started to push me harder in kendo and life. We eventually became friends over the years, he was so annoying, but he was essentially a good guy. There was not a single person in the club, in the street or anywhere that he wouldn’t help wherever he could. He was all heart. But he called things as he saw them, if you live by the sword you die by the sword, there was no room for nonsense.
I was fortunate enough to travel to Japan and Taiwan with him. I learned a lot from him there and I saw him in a few different lights some good some bad. I also saw how other people saw him, also some good and some bad. There are many stories from this trip but that’s for another time.
He could be a tough teacher also. He had a mountain of kendo knowledge, unfortunately I did not train with him long enough to learn more from him but I can see some of his teaching methods been forgotten, whilst a scant few remain. He should have written a book 
In any situation he could create a suitable lesson just off his head. I do try to remember some, like the bunny hop etc. but I just don’t know enough of them. At the end of some of his sessions you would be physically tired, maybe even in pain, others you were still fresh but at the end of every single class you were mentally drained. One of his great attributes was that he could teach, not just practice. We heard so many times that he was only a third dan but if he had continued to grade he would have been a 6th dan He did have about 30 years kendo experience, maybe he could have been!
Peter wasn’t a saint, and he would not appreciate people thinking he was. He was overweight, rude, he had no problems farting or belching in public (espcially on the trains in Japan 
). He was what he was. He didn’t have money,he drank a lot, maybe as much as he ate, but he was the most empathetic person I ever knew. He could put himself in anyone’s situation in a split second and advise them or just say to them what they need to hear even, if it annoyed them (which it usually did).
Recalling stories of Peter recently I was informed by a friend who was told by Peter a long time ago to give up kendo altogether. Thankfully my friend did not and he became one of the best kendoka I know! Peter used to like to test people to see how strong their resolve was. If he pushed you and you left well you were not for kendo anyway, if he pushed you and you stayed, then it helped you to learn how badly you want kendo.
It saddened me to know that despite all Peters work he never saw an Irish team win a prize internationally. We are his students, we practice his kendo and he would have gotten a kick out of seeing us do something correctly and successfully. I honestly do not think he would have been bothered about a club team winning anything, but an Irish team, I think he would have liked.
He never saw our success last year (he died the night of the taikai), but he probably would have said “Jammy Twats”. Following from our success again this year we may have gotten some nod in the form of “Hmmm, not bad, but your seme was crap”
Deep down he would have been brimming with pride.
I’d like to think that somewhere he is pissing off some religious icon, some buddha or the like with kendo stories of old. I hope that he was watching us at Kurasawa, no doubt he is telling aforementioned icon that he was using Qigong to control us and win from where ever he is.
Last year we fought as Ireland, this year I wore my Cork zekken and my first UCC tenegui. I fought with Peter in my mind and heart and I didn’t lose a single point, despite 5 kendoka’s best attempts. I hope to to continue following his way.
Tonight I am going to remember Peter with a bottle of really good french red wine. If you have the time or inclination please do something similiar, raise a glass of anything to Peter wherever he is. Thank him for all he has done and remind him that he lives on in the dojo and within us. Wether you knew him or not as long as there are a few of his students around to share a few jokes about him, rest assured you are still learning from him.
Rob
PS here are a few pics of Peter in action,
Tags: Peter Sherriff