About Us

The Galway Zen Dojo was founded by Alain Liebmann, who was born in Paris in 1945 and, in 1970, met Taisen Deshimaru, a Zen master who had arrived in Paris to teach zazen and the Japanese Soto Zen tradition.

Master Deshimaru’s mission was a success and led to the founding of the Association Zen International which unites thousands of members and many temples, zen centres and dojos all over Europe.

Alain Tainan Liebmann was ordained as a monk by Master Deshimaru in 1976 and practiced with perseverance in the AZI Paris dojo until 1991 when he set off for Ireland, founding dojos in Dublin, Cork and Galway.

In 2013, Alain received final dharma transmission from the late Kōshū Itabashi Zenji, abbot of Gotanjoji and former 23rd abbot of Sojiji.

Tainan Liebmann now lives in the foothills of the Pyrenees at his most recently founded dojo.

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The Galway Zen Dojo, founded in 1993, was first located in the Bridge Mills before moving to its present location at Áras na nGael.

In addition to the regular weekly schedule of zazen, GZD holds monthly days of zazen, with an opportunity for a more sustained experience of zazen along with a vegetarian lunch and afternoon shiatsu, lecture or discussion.

The GZD community also organises two and three-day sesshins (retreats) at Esker Monastery near Athenry, Co. Galway, two or three times a year together with our friends at Earth & Sky Dojo in Dublin.

Galway Zen Dojo and Earth & Sky have also continued the tradition of annual week-long summer camps on Árann begun by Tainan Liebmann