Ireland's Reality Based Personal Protection & Self Defence Experts

Due to increased demand as a result of the recent spate of Dublin City attacks all Training Slots are currently filled. Please contact us to join the waiting list for when we take in new clients.  

Real World Effective Self Defence only takes days to learn!


It’s controversial, I know. Hundreds of martial artists will swear that it’s just not true. They’ll tell you that you have to spend years dedicated to a martial art, spend thousands of euros and thousands of hours on training. They are wrong.


The best real world combat specialists don’t spend years mastering complicated patterns of movement, or fancy aerial techniques. They learn what works and they learn it in days.  That’s why the experts in Personal Protection learn from us, and so can you. 

As featured in Irish Fighter Magazine

Learn more about your training options...

11+ Specialist Courses - 
Learn everything from  Hand-2-Hand Combat to Terrorism Survival

At Reality Based Ireland we offer a range of specialized courses including: 

- Defensive Tactics

- Ground Combat Survival 

- Knife Violence Survival 

- Crime Survival

- Handgun Survival

- Terrorism Survival 

- Improvised Weapons

- Conflict Conditioning

- Children's Protection

- Women's Personal Protection

- Advanced Defensive Tactics

Each Course offer's detailed and comprehensive training to prepare you for the reality of violence. Click below to learn more about each course offered and what would be most suitable for you.

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Our Products - 
Study Spec-Ops Strength Training to Knife Survival and more

Reality Based Ireland are one of the oldest providers of realistic training for real world violence and our chief instructor, Paul 'Batman' O'Brien is a leading expert and author on the topic, with articles and books published since 2005. 

In addition to the courses we offer, Mr. O'Brien has series of detailed training manuals covering a wide range of reality based personal protection topics, including: 

- The Use of Force, the Law and Self Defence

- Defensive Tactics: The Foundations of Combat

- Samurai Strength: Special Forces Strength and Conditioning

- Samurai Strength: Knife Combat & Defence

- Samurai Strength: Living the Warrior's Way, The Secrets of Samurai Philosophy

Click here to learn more...

Corporate Services -
Bespoke Seminars &
In-House Training for your needs

The reality of violence in today's world is changing in Ireland. The drug and gang warfare escalation has introduced a higher level of gun and knife crime into our country. 

The increased spotlight on excessive force in international policing and Covid restrictions has seen an increase in the amount of violent protests and riots. 

Reality Based Ireland is equipped and qualified to meet the needs of our corporate clients to address these challenges while still meeting their traditional needs. In fact, we've been providing riot training and civil unrest survival since 2005. 

We are always happy to provide a personalised program to suit the individual needs of our clients from door security to kidnapping survival.

Click below to learn more about our bespoke corporate training programs and seminars. 

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Develop Confidence

When you know how to defend yourself from both social and asocial violence with the same proven methods used by elite LEO and Special Forces units around the world you'll be able to walk the streets with confidence, secure in your knowledge and skill. 

Learn The Theory & Court Survival

No martial arts schools address these crucial elements of real world violence. Learn how and why conflict and violence occur. Understand these common cues and you can diffuse a situation before it happens - and should the unthinkable occur, we educate all our clients on the legal implications and crucial courtroom survival. 

Pressure Test for Real World Results

Pressure testing is essential to real world success. Street violence is not like dojo with smooth floors, and bowing. It is not like an octagon where sport fighting and rules keep people safe. Every element of our training is pressure tested in our unique scenario simulation training. This is as real as it gets. Simulated injury, tearaway clothes, realistic environments. No other schools provide this level of reality based pressure testing. When you're done training with us, you will KNOW these methods will work, because you will have done them in full-on pressure tested situations against resisting non-compliant partners. 

Preparation not Panic

Reality Based Personal Protection is not about fear and paranoia, it’s about Preparation. You’re not going to be violently attacked everyday – but if it does happen you’ll be prepared. That said, personal protection is about every day. The techniques taught in our seminars are more than just training for that “one horrible moment”, it's real advice that you can use daily. It’s the small simple forgotten things that can make the difference between being an easy target or a hard one.

Check out some of our Videos!


The following are some recent clips from our seminars and public demonstrations. 

Lesson: The Jim Wagner Knife Disarm Rule

An except from a private presentation for a tech group on proven reality based techniques. This was one of the most important lessons covered - The Jim Wagner Knife Disarm Rule, which I have taught to LEO and military officers for over 15 years. 

How to Train the Bag

Some advice for solo training on a heavy bag for the reality based personal protection student during solo training with lockdown. 

Check Our Media Section for Articles & Videos 

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Click Below to Learn More About Each Course

Copyright © 2005 - 2023 All Material on this website is copyright Reality Based Ireland, and licenced under the CC-BY Licence.

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