Edenderry Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu club creating ‘a backyard brotherhood'

By Rebekah O'Reilly

The 'Anonymous Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu' club in Edenderry started from humble beginnings when local man John Paul Judge opened the club in his backyard shed.

John Paul, who has trained in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for thirteen years, founded the club after returning from New Zealand during the Covid-19 pandemic to care for his elderly parents.

It was the first club of its kind to open in the Offaly town. “I moved home because I needed to care for my elderly parents. I’m their full-time carer,” John Paul told the Offaly Independent..

“Then I thought I could bring something valuable to the area, so I decided to open a studio in my back garden.”

Anonymous Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu now operates out of a purpose-built shed measuring just 16 by 32 feet. The club grew quickly, and before long John Paul found himself having to turn people away.

“Currently, we have 20 children and about 30 adults. I can’t accept any more than that at the moment — from a safety point of view, there’s just not enough space.”

Beyond sport, the club has taken on a deeper meaning for the Edenderry community.

“It’s something special — more like a brotherhood,” John Paul said. “There’s not much for young people in Edenderry to do, and it can be easy for them to get in with the wrong crowd.

“The Jiu-Jitsu club here gives them a space to be part of a family.

“Even if they don’t train, it’s somewhere they can come and talk about how they’re feeling. That’s needed in our community.”

Earlier this year, Anonymous Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu held a series of free self-defence classes for local women after an incident in the town.

“I didn’t charge a penny for those classes because it was about our mothers and local women feeling safe,” John Paul explained.

Now, he is hoping to expand. A GoFundMe, launched on August 5, aims to raise €4,500 to move the club to a new premises.

“We’re not the richest people in the world, but we have the best community and the biggest hearts,” John Paul said.

“I want a little something more for our town. It means a lot to me to give back to them. I want to move out of that backyard shed and build a proper gym where we can bring in more kids, create jobs, and give men and women in our town a safe place to train, heal, and find purpose.”

To support the expansion of Anonymous Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Edenderry, visit its GoFundMe page at: www.gofundme.com/f/to-give-kids-a-future-and-help-them-get-off-the-streets