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IRELAND’S FITTEST FAMILY ***NEW SERIES***

Kathryn Thomas Irelands Fittest Family 28th July 2018 _32 Image Name: Kathryn Thomas Irelands Fittest Family 28th July 2018 _32
Kathryn Thomas Irelands Fittest Family 28th July 2018 _22 Image Name: Kathryn Thomas Irelands Fittest Family 28th July 2018 _22
Kathryn Thomas Irelands Fittest Family 28th July 2018 _21 Image Name: Kathryn Thomas Irelands Fittest Family 28th July 2018 _21
Kathryn Thomas Irelands Fittest Family 28th July 2018 _32 (2) Image Name: Kathryn Thomas Irelands Fittest Family 28th July 2018 _32 (2)
Kathryn Thomas Irelands Fittest Family 28th July 2018 _26 (2) Image Name: Kathryn Thomas Irelands Fittest Family 28th July 2018 _26 (2)
Kathryn Thomas Irelands Fittest Family 28th July 2018 _23 (2) Image Name: Kathryn Thomas Irelands Fittest Family 28th July 2018 _23 (2)
Ireland's Fittest Family Donncha O'Callaghan  Donncha 2 Image Name: Ireland's Fittest Family Donncha O'Callaghan Donncha 2
Ireland's Fittest Family Donncha O'Callaghan 1 Image Name: Ireland's Fittest Family Donncha O'Callaghan 1
Ireland's Fittest Family Derval O'Rourke Derval 3 Image Name: Ireland's Fittest Family Derval O'Rourke Derval 3
Ireland's Fittest Family Derval O'Rourke 1 Image Name: Ireland's Fittest Family Derval O'Rourke 1
Ireland's Fittest Family Davy Fitzgerald 1 Image Name: Ireland's Fittest Family Davy Fitzgerald 1
Ireland's Fittest Family Anna Geary Anna 3 Image Name: Ireland's Fittest Family Anna Geary Anna 3
Ireland's Fittest Family Anna Geary Anna 2 Image Name: Ireland's Fittest Family Anna Geary Anna 2
Ireland's Fittest Family Anna Geary 1 Image Name: Ireland's Fittest Family Anna Geary 1
Ireland's Fittest Family Sinnotts Image Name: Ireland's Fittest Family Sinnotts
Ireland's Fittest Family Ryans Image Name: Ireland's Fittest Family Ryans
Ireland's Fittest Family Rooney Image Name: Ireland's Fittest Family Rooney
Ireland's Fittest Family Pierses Image Name: Ireland's Fittest Family Pierses
Ireland's Fittest Family McLoughlins Image Name: Ireland's Fittest Family McLoughlins
Ireland's Fittest Family McDonnells Image Name: Ireland's Fittest Family McDonnells
Ireland's Fittest Family McDonalds Image Name: Ireland's Fittest Family McDonalds
Ireland's Fittest Family McCarthy Image Name: Ireland's Fittest Family McCarthy
Ireland's Fittest Family Lipinskis Image Name: Ireland's Fittest Family Lipinskis
Ireland's Fittest Family Leonards Image Name: Ireland's Fittest Family Leonards
Ireland's Fittest Family Lawlor Image Name: Ireland's Fittest Family Lawlor
Ireland's Fittest Family Lallys Image Name: Ireland's Fittest Family Lallys
Ireland's Fittest Family Jones Image Name: Ireland's Fittest Family Jones
Ireland's Fittest Family Furlongs Image Name: Ireland's Fittest Family Furlongs
Ireland's Fittest Family Flynns Image Name: Ireland's Fittest Family Flynns
Ireland's Fittest Family Finnegans Image Name: Ireland's Fittest Family Finnegans
Ireland's Fittest Family Finnegan Hogans Image Name: Ireland's Fittest Family Finnegan Hogans
Ireland's Fittest Family Dunnes Image Name: Ireland's Fittest Family Dunnes
Ireland's Fittest Family Coneys Image Name: Ireland's Fittest Family Coneys
Ireland's Fittest Family Cartys Image Name: Ireland's Fittest Family Cartys

Kathryn Thomas joins coaches Anna Geary, Davy Fitzgerald, Donncha O’Callaghan and Derval O’Rourke as the show becomes more ambitious this year.

The series is set to be even more challenging as the world renowned ATS Team, who have designed stunt experiences for television shows such as The Amazing Race, American Ninja Warrior and The Biggest Loser, have designed daring new challenges for Ireland’s fittest families.

Episode 1: 

Battle of the Beach

20 families begin with an epic 2km race with all family members tied together as they navigate the course on Dollymount Strand in Dublin. The first four across the finish line go straight to coaches selection and avoid the second challenge Vertigo.

Vertigo

Eight families compete against eight families – everyone has a 50/50 chance of survival. All four members of each family must go out on a beam 33ft above ground and collect a flag from a rope that hangs below the beam. The family who win the race go through to coaches’ selection.

Coaches’ Selection

They’ve seen all the families compete and now the coaches,  Anna Geary, Davy Fitzgerald, Donncha O’Callaghan and Derval O’Rourke, face their own competition to get the best the families on their team.

 

The Families: 

The Cartys

The Carty’s are the first ever Sligo family to take part in Ireland’s Fittest Family. They are the youngest family in the competition this year.
● Bill, 47 (father): Played Gaelic football and soccer up to two years ago. Captained Sligo minor and u21 teams in the past. Then took up running. 1/2 marathon 1.28.43, 10K pb 39.01 and 5k 18.25. Part of Sligo u16 and minor development panel management. Does a bit of farming alongside N.S. teaching (sheep and cattle). Chairman of Cloonacool GAA club and Sligo GAA CCC.
● Tara, 17 (daughter): Plays basketball, football and athletics.
● Eoin, 16 (son): Football, soccer, athletics. Member of Sligo U16 development panel.
● Liam, 14 (son): Football, soccer. Member of Sligo U15 development panel

 

The Coneys

The Coney’s are the first ever family from Tyrone to take part in Ireland’s Fittest Family. They are the
oldest family in the competition this year.
● Colette, 59 (mother): Working as a shop assistant, Colette keeps active by running two-three
times a week, taking part in 5k park runs. She is also kept busy looking after her eleven
grandchildren.
● Shane, 39 (son): Works as a welder and is married with three children. Has completed both the
Belfast and Derry marathons in under three hours.
● Gary, 37 (son): Works as a mortgage adviser and plays for his local Gaelic and soccer teams.
● Paul, 28 (son): Works in a factory and is engaged with two children, Paul plays Gaelic and soccer
on the same teams as Gary.

 

The Dunnes

The Dunnes from Louth have a different family dynamic then the norm, the mostly-female team are
made up of Mam, Dolores and her two children Melissa and Chris and Chris’ daughter, Abbie.
● Dolores, 56 (mother): Trains in the gym every day with Chris, her son.
● Melissa, 36 (daughter): Used to be overweight but has lost a lot of weight in the last four
years. Has really taken to training too since Chris opened the gym.
● Chris, 33 (son): Owns his own gym in Duleek. The gym is a real family affair with everyone
getting involved. Chris also does Brazilian Jiu Jitsu with his daughter, Abbie. He is getting
married to Abbie’s Mam on August 31st.
● Abbie, 14 (granddaughter): Plays GAA and does Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

 

The Finnegans

The Finnegans are one of two families from Cork taking part this year. Their relatives the Finnegan
Hogans are also competing.
● John, 41 (father): John is a keen adventure racer with his wife. He loves cycling and running. I
do adventure races with my wife.
● Nicola, 38 (daughter): She loves cycling, running and love doing adventure races and training
to keep fit.
● Adam, 21 (son): Currently in CIT studying pharmaceutical engineering. Was playing with cork
football from under 14 to Minor.
● Aaron, 15 (son): Going into Transition Year. He loves playing football for my local club
Ballyclough and is best friends with his cousin, Dylan on the opposing team.

 

The Finnegan Hogans

The Finnegan Hogans make Ireland’s Fittest Family history with their team-dynamics with 63-year-old,
Martin teaming up with his son, Paul, Paul’s wife, Louise and Louise’s son, Dylan. Their relatives the
Finnegans are also competing.
● Martin, 63 (grandfather): Tug-o-war competitor with his son, Paul.
● Paul, 41 (father): Builder by trade. Does tug-o-war with his father. He’s also into cycling and
kayaking.
● Louise, 36 (mother): Works as a hairdresser. Her brother, John has also applied for the show with
his family, ‘the Finnegans’.
● Dylan, 17 (son): Just finished Transition Year. Plays GAA for his local team.

 

The Flynns

The Flynns from Galway are only the second every family from the county to take part.
● Julien, 44 (father): Lover of CrossFit and any kind of weight training with the ability for cardio
too, never sits still.
● Emma, 43 (mother): CrossFit and gym lover that loves all sorts of fitness and exercise, fit
mother-of-five.
● Laura, 16 (daughter): Club and county footballer for the Galway U16s, love to go to the gym
when not training.
● Jonathon, 15 (son): Rugby and hurling enthusiast who spends his life practicing his pucking
and kicking.

 

The Furlongs

The fun-loving Furlongs are used to racing together as a family so they’re aiming to cross the line
first in this competition.
● Alan, 56 (father): Alan enjoys running and gardening, he’s now retired but he used to play
hurling. He also enjoys riding his motorbike.
● Kate, 56 (mother): She enjoys running, walking and practicing Reiki.
● Leonie, 26 (daughter): Leonie lives in Galway and works as a Chartered Accountant. She’s a
keen runner and also plays football.
● Orlaith, 25 (daughter): Orlaith is in her final year of her PhD studying to be a nutritionist. She’s
a gym junkie and loves water sports.

 

The Jones

The Jones family from Tallaght in Dublin boasts a body-building son and a MMA-fighting son.
They’re not here take part…

● Paul, 42 (father): Paul owns his own car valeting business (A team valeting), coaches an U16
football club (Broadford Rovers FC) and sings in a band. He mainly keeps fit by running.
● Simone, 38 (mother): Simone is an educational psychologist supporting children with
disability. She enjoys going to the gym and sings in a choir. She played football in schoolgirls
league during her teens and any other sport she could before becoming pregnant. She injured
a pelvic condition during her second pregnancy which took ten years to recover from. It is
really only the last two years that she believes her body is getting stronger and engages in
exercise for enjoyment now rather than for recovering.
● Dylan, 20 (son): Dylan is a second-year computer science student in Maynooth. He is an avid
gym goer (twice a day at the moment!), he is a body builder and has an interest in fixing
motorbikes.
● Owen, 16 (son): Owen has just finished transition year in post primary school. He plays
football with Broadford Rovers (managed by Paul) and trains in MMA with Paddy Holahan in
SBG Dublin 24.

 

The Lallys

The soccer-mad, Lallys from Baldoyle in North Dublin have three sons who all work as postmen,
here’s hoping they can deliver!
● Susan, 55 (mother): She works as a bookkeeper and is extremely active in the community. She
attends boxercise 3-4 per week and cycles or jogs on alternative days.
● Keith, 27 (son): Has worked as a postman for nine years. Just back from a year travelling. Plays
soccer for his local club.
● Stephen, 21 (son): Currently a student in Bradford Uni studying pharmacy just started 4th year.
Plays soccer for the local club too.
● David, 18 (son): He has just finished the Leaving Cert and has recently taken up rugby

 

The Lawlors

The Limerick Lawlors have a passion for hunting, they hope that their outdoor skills will stand to
them in Ireland’s Fittest Family.
● Dympna, 46 (mother): Dympna does a lot running and works as a health and safety officer
including marathons, half-marathons and 10k runs.
● Jonah, 26 (son): The eldest son, Jonah works for a medical device company who make implants
like knees hips bone cement, etc. He’s a keen gym-goer loves fishing, shooting and anything to
do with the wild.
● Matthew, 22 (son): Matthew is the college man currently studying Product Design in U.L.
● Darren, 21 (son): Darren is a qualified barber and also is doing an apprenticeship in metal
fabrication. He plays soccer, goes to the gym and loves fishing and mostly hunting/shooting.

 

The Leonards

The Leonards from Limerick are hurling and camogie-crazy and are aiming to bring this All-Ireland
home too!
● John, 57 (father): Plasterer by trade, John is also a local firefighter and has a family business as
a licensed driving instructor. Stays fit by running and going to the gym.
● Ben, 20 (son): Senior Cappamore hurler and Limerick county footballer, Ben is studying
accountancy in LIT and is currently working for a statistics company that works on the World
Cup.
● Jack, 19 (son): Described as “the messer” in the family, Jack is just finished his leaving cert.
Also a senior hurler with Cappamore, he is soccer-mad.
● Amy, 17 (daughter): 5th Year student and senior camogie star with Cappamore.

 

The Lipinskis

The Lipinskis from Tipperary are the first ever Polish family to take part in Ireland’s Fittest Family.
● Darek, 43 (father): Originally from Poland, moved to Ireland 15 years ago. Described as being
naturally strong and fast.
● Justyna, 40 (mother): Originally from Poland. Work in their local hospital in Tipperary. Likes to
keep fit by going to the gym.
● Daria, 19: Did athletics in school and now goes to the gym a couple of times a week to stay fit.
● Oskar, 17: Instagram fitness influencer with over 15k followers. Goes to the gym every day and
recently dropped out of school to pursue his dream of being a PT.

 

The McCarthys

The McCarthys from Coolock in Dublin are led by Mam, Emer, who works as a P.E. teacher, no doubt
she’ll be keeping them in check.
● Emer, 48 (mother): Emer is a P.E. teacher. She used to play hockey, badminton and softball.
She stays fit now by going to the gym. She coaches Gaelic football and teaches swimming.
● Seán, 20 (son): Seán played a number of sports growing up but only plays Gaelic football now
for Raheny. He is studying languages in DCU and is a qualified lifeguard.
● Caoimhe, 17 (daughter): Caoimhe plays Gaelic football, camogie, cricket and is doing a course
lifesaving. She is also a member of a theatre stage school and has performed in the Helix, Bord
Gais and the Three Arena.
● Aoibhín, 14 (daughter): Aoibhín plays all the same sports as her older sister but she is also on
the Dublin U15 development team for Gaelic football.

 

The McDonalds

The McDonalds from Co. Laois are a multi-medal winning cross-country and road-racing family.
● Martin, 61 (father): Athlete, Represented Ireland many times, 2nd in World Mountain Running
Championships O/60 twice, farmer, won several All Ireland Medals at Track, Cross country, and
road
● Kate, 23 (daughter): Studied Psychology, represented Ireland at Mountain running.
● Breda, 25 (daughter): Secondary school teacher, Represented Ireland at Mountain running
● Cian, 17 (son): 5th Year Student, Represented Ireland several times at mountain running, Runs
Cross country, track, road and mountain running.

 

The McDonnells

The McDonnells from Mayo are a farming family hoping that all the work on the yard will stand to
them in the thick of the competition.
● Marcella, 51 (mother): Marcella loves the outdoors. She loves to run, cycle and swim. She
recently ran the Cork marathon alongside her daughter, Ciara.
● Ciara, 25 (daughter): Works for the Young Farmers Association and regularly runs and goes to
the gym to keep fit.
● Stephen, 24 (son): He works for Irish Water and plays for Kiltimagh football team.
● Patrick, 20 (son): Currently studying Pharmacy in college, Patrick plays for Kitimagh too.

 

The McLoughlins

The McLoughlins from Kildare are made up of Mam, Orla and three (of her eight sons).
● Orla, 43 (mother): Orla is a mother-of-eight boys. She trains in her local gym.
● Ryan, 24 (son): Ryan is a big into his fitness. Ryan is a singer/songwriter who was once a
member of Louis Walsh’s boyband HomeTown. They scored two number 1 singles in Ireland.
● Conor, 22 (son): Described as a 6’4” gentle giant. He works with people with disabilities has
great strength but is extremely laid back.
● Danny, 16 (son): Still in school, Danny is big into soccer and GAA.

 

The Pierses

Hoping to bring the title back to the Kingdom, it’s the Pierse family!
● Riobard, 50 (father): Works as a solicitor. He’s a keen runner, focusing on the 5k distances. In
2017 he was a founding member of Listowel parkrun, where he regularly takes the position of
run director. He is also manager of Cliona’s Listowel Emmets u16 ladies team.
● Oran, 20 (son): Became the U18 Munster Cycling Champion in 2016. Has also won the Senior
Kerry Road Race League and several other cycling races along with racing internationally for
the Munster Team.
● Ciarán, 18 (son): Plays Gaelic football with UL freshers team and Listowel Emmets seniors. He
previously captained Listowel to victory in the minor county league in 2017. He has played in
two All-Ireland finals in the community games.
● Cliona, 15 (daughter): Has the unique distinction of taking part in the All-Ireland community
games finals five years in a row in athletics, Gaelic football, soccer and futsal twice. She
currently plays midfield for Listowel Emmets U16’s football team. She plays soccer with the
Listowel Celtic team that reached the semifinal stage of the FAI ladies U16 national cup in
2018.

 

The Rooneys

The All-rounder Rooneys enjoy every kind of sport from kayaking to football. Can the Donegal
family bring this title home though?
● Eleanor, 53 (mother): Eleanor is an ultra-cyclist and has traveled the world taking on different
courses.
● Oisin, 20 (son): He is a county footballer and hurler with 3 All Ireland Medals.
● Méabh, 19 (daughter): She is a lifeguard, triathlete and Gaelic footballer
● Senan, 16 (son): Very accomplished all-rounder. County Minor Footballer and Hurler

 

The Ryans

From Knocklyon in Dublin, the Ryans certainly have height on their side, but it will be enough to
take them over the top to victory?
● Laura, 51 (mother): Laura is mother of four. Her three sons that make up the team and an
eleven-year-old daughter, Rebecca. Laura is an avid walker and takes part in park runs. She
often takes part in boot camps as well to stay fit.
● Luke, 20 (son): Luke used to play football but gave it up. He works as an engineer.
● Adam, 17 (son): Gym fanatic who has just finished up 5th Year in school. He is a soccer and
GAA addict. He also works as a life guard.
● Daniel, 16 (son): Daniel is a total all-rounder, He does everything, he has great stamina and
would be regarded as the leader of the team.

 

The Sinnotts

Coming from Wexford, gymnastics and parkour-loving family, the Sinnotts are in it to win it!
● James, 45 (father): Runs his own printing company. Stays fit by going to the gym and regularly.
● Lyndsey, 35 (mother): Mother of six children. She says running around after the kids all day
keeps her fit. She also loves walking and going to fitness classes to stay in shape.
● Jordan, 16 (son): Transition Year student who trains in gymnastics and loves to do parkour.
● Nile, 15 (son): Just finished his Junior Cert, he also loves parkour and going to the gym.

 

Ireland’s Fittest Family on RTÉ One is sponsored by Mitsubishi Motors