Ireland's Fittest Family returned to our screens in a flurry of sweat, stamina and mucky knees on Sunday night, with host Mairead Ronan and coaches Davy Fitzgerald, Anna Geary, Derval O'Rourke, and Donncha O'Callaghan once again guiding the newest crop of fearless families through challenging physical and mental tasks.
Each year, the competition begins with a group of 15-20 families, all of whom will be put through extreme endurance challenges in new locations around the country, from Hang Tough to new challenge, High Nelly, all for the chance of winning €15,000 and the title of Ireland's Fittest Family.
And there's even more at stake between them, as Davy comes with the glory of being crowned last year's winner, while Anna vows not to be eliminated before the final, unlike in the last season. Filmed in our hub at Hell & Back in Kilruddery, Co Wicklow, it's sure to be another nail-biting season.
Meet the families taking on these daring challenges below:
The Bissets from Co. Dublin
- Nadine (20) is a world MMA Silver medalist U21 and World Gold medalist in jiu jitsu.
- Jamie (21) is also a five-time All Ireland winner. With only a year between him and Nadine, they're both fiercely competitive.
- Courtney (23) is their big sister and focuses exclusively on gym work.
- Dad David (45) introduced the kids to jiu jitsu by taking them to karate at a young age. Having gotten the taste for it himself, he competes now, too.
The Greenans from Co. Tipperary
- Niamh (24) is a personal trainer.
- Sinead (28) loves to cycle and is very competitive.
- Dad Mark (60) is a former World Champion in Tug of War.
The Lehanes from Co. Cork
- Mum Ann Marie is a frontline nurse. Her sister from the O'Brien Devine family won in 2015. She likes to do a lot of nothing but does 'walk every day', and loves horse riding.
- Luke and Donncha (14) are twins and play Gaelic football. Even though they're young, they think they can give the O'Brien Devines a run for their money.
- Their sister Nancy (17) is their secret weapon. She plays GAA and camogie at a Junior level, as well as basketball.
The McCarthys from Co. Cork
- Paul (27) is a personal Trainer and nutritionist - probably the team's strongest member.
- Tara (19) played Junior county camogie for Cork, and also loves to train in the gym.
- Dad Paul (49) loves walking with his wife in the evening.
- Both Colin (22) and Paul played soccer for clubs in Cork under age. They love doing activities together.
The Mooneys from Co. Dublin
- Dad Stephen (56) is a publican, and works with his son Andrew in the pub.
- Andrew (26) has become interested in acrobatics recently, and loves yoga.
- Kayleigh (28) plays hockey but has become more interested in crossfit recently.
- They would have preferred to have their sister involved but she can't due to work commitments so according to the family, Graham (30) is the weakest link. He's big into figuring out strategies for the show and watched old episodes to plan.
The O'Brien's from Co. Cork
- The O'Briens are big fans, they have done some of the challenges at home while watching the show. They did the back against the wall for 12 minutes only to realise they were doing it wrong.
- Peter (27)only walks his dogs and doesn’t exercise, the family make fun of him for this but they think he’ll be handy "for throwing them over walls". His main sport is darts.
- Kevin (34) does endurance running which involves getting no or very little sleep so he is eager to challenge himself.
- Mum Marie (61) does yoga while Claire (25) plays camogie.
The O'Sheas from Co. Clare
- Susan (19) plays camogie, and thought she has taken a few years off she's making her come back this year.
- Maurice (56) is a part time farmer and is very easy going, does a "few bits and bobs" but mostly puking the ball on the farm.
- Both David (22) and Michael (24) play hurling with the local club and train three days a week. Michael played on the U21 team for Clare but didn’t make it to the senior team.
- All the family are very passionate about badminton. There are seven in the family, which required them to "work as a team" during lockdowns when they were all at home.
The Sextons from Co. Kildare
- They arrived back in Ireland in February 2020 after seven years in Australia just at the start of the pandemic.
- They were fans of the show while living in Australia, and said it would be a life dream to be part of the show.
- Adrian (42) has lost a huge amount of weight in the last few years and has been bitten by the training bug. His motto is "if he can do it anyone can".
- Janet (41) is a midwife, and 2020 was a very emotional year landing back into Ireland and into a new job.
- Harry (16) has just taken out his amateur licence as a jockey. The family, including sister Clara (19) ride and train horses.
The Corcorans from Co. Meath
- Saoirse (17) and Aoibheann (17) are identical twins, and are very passionate about Gaelic football. Aoibheann is on the county team.
- Love playing rounders together as a family, as they are very competitive.
- Paul (18) keeps fit and busy by playing county football, also.
- John (47) works in building, which keeps him active and gets his 25,000 steps in a day.
The Cuddys from Co. Roscommon
- James (31) is in the reserve defence forces. After he failed a fitness test for a promotion, he became dedicated to his fitness goals.
- Bernie (58) bought a wet suit six years ago and never looked back. Loves open water swimming "long before it became trendy", she jokes. She has done adventure racing with James, ‘Sea to Summit’ to name just one. Has done a virtual half Iron Man.
- Lisa (25) is a newly qualified PT so she is involved in every aspect of fitness. Her and her sister both did ballet for several years.
- Emma (20) and Lisa never graced a gym until 2018 as ballet was their passion, but now they are very involved in all aspects of health.
The McDonalds from Co. Antrim
- Lyndsey and dad Terry (57) are very close and watch the show together to come up with tactics for when they'd get their chance.
- Lyndsey (25) has had a baby during the pandemic and keeps fit by playing netball with her dad.
- Terry teaches salsa dancing in the evenings, which keeps him active.
- The family are enthusiastic for all the challenges and had started training as soon as they sent in the application. If Terry had to choose between £100,000 and winning Ireland's Fittest Family, he'd pick winning the show. That’s how much it means to him.
- Anthony (18) is a boxer and shares the family's passion for fitness, as does brother Terrance (27).
The McIntyres from Co. Tipperary
- Niall (24) is a sports journalist for joe.ie, so fitness is right through his life.
- Aiden the dad is 59 next month, he is really passionate to be on the show. He loves golf and they have a big dairy farm. They work all together on the farm at the weekends so Aiden thinks they would work well as a team.
- Clodagh (20) plays Camogie for Tipperary senior panel.
- All four, including brother Eoin (26), did athletics in the past, as well as gold matches together.
- Aiden has been the manager of the team they all have played in.
The Farrells from Co. Dublin
- Robert (58) is a builder, while Aston (30) and Adam (19) are carpenters so 'They are tough as nails'.
- Chloe (25) works as a health care assistant and does fitness classes in a nursing home. She lost a remarkable 10 and a half stone, a journey she started by just walking and then progressing to hill walking since 2019. She's a big believer in a slow and steady approach. She is only starting her fitness journey but...
- Aston is their secret weapon as the house is covered in medals for running, dad is into running too.
The Fordes from Co. Kildare
- Fans of the show, they've been talking about it on and off for years. Dad Padraig (53) – a former P.E. teacher – sits in the corner of the room watching it coming up with tactics for the show. Kids enjoy making fun of the dad for using the word "strategise" in relation to the show.
- Tadhg (25) is scared of heights so will have to build himself up for that.
- Cian (27) and Tadhg have played hurling together for years and their dad has trained them, so think they work together well as as team.
- Sister Roisin (22) plays camogie so she's well able to keep up with the lads.
The Kinsellas from Co. Wexford
- Dad Patrick (49) is adamant that he does no sport but the kids – Michael (21), David (18) and Caoimhe (15) – suspect he goes to the gym seven days a week – he’d rather stick to the story that he's naturally this fit.
- They have been watching the show since season 1 but had to wait for Caoimhe to get to 15 to be able to apply.
- All the children have won awards for underage boxing – Caoimhe is the secret weapon. However, she has a fear of heights so needs to practice overcoming that.
The Roches from Co. Clare
- Mum Mary (48) is from Mayo and dad Peter (51) is from Limerick, so they met in the middle. The whole family – including Enda (21) and Alan (17) – loves the show, and watch it every year.
- Peter is a former professional rugby referee – he even reffed Donncha O'Callaghan once!
- Mary built her own gym to stop herself going mad during the pandemic.
- Both parents are leaders and the family is big into watersports.
