[4] This style has had significant competition success over the years and continues to be practised at a number of UK clubs, as well as in Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

[4] On 28 March 2009, Karate England held a testimonial evening for Donovan, with many senior karateka present, including Steve Arneil, Dave Hazard, Tyrone Whyte, and Aiden Trimble.

[6] Ticky Donovan attended his first Karate lesson aged eighteen in 1965, at Tatsuo Suzuki's Clapham Common club.

To make matters worse, Donovan broke a bone in his hand at the selections for the European Championships and decided to give up karate completely.

Donovan found the atmosphere electric, changed to Kyokushinkai and trained in the style for nearly four years, taking his second Dan with Mas Oyama.

Donovan remembers that he wanted a name that meant "open mind" but when translated it came out as "empty head" and the idea was quickly scrapped.

Administration in the early days of Ishinryu was taken care of by Fred Kidd, a well-respected friend of Ticky's who had previously trained with him in Kyokushinkai.