After eight weeks of qualifiers, it was hurling manager Davy Fitzgerald's competitors, The Nugents, who took the crown of Ireland's Fittest Family 2022 in RTÉ One's 90-minute special.
The Louth family were up against fierce competition in the final: Donncha O'Callaghan's Finnegan family from Cork, and Anna Geary's two teams - the Gallagher's from Donegal, and the Fitzsimons from Wicklow.
The super-fit Nugent family is made up of father Donal, mum Margaret, and sons Danny (17), and Finn (15), and their main fitness interests include rugby, basketball, pilates, and athletics.
This year's finale took place in extremely wet conditions on The Mountain in Kilruddery, in a 90-minute TV special, culminating in The Nugent's walking away with the coveted title of Ireland's Fittest Family 2022, and €15,000.
Speaking before the final, Davy admitted that he felt The Nugents had the edge, saying: "The Nugents are going into the final as underdogs, but we'll fight with everything we have and take it from there, we want the title of Ireland’s Fittest Family going to Louth and we can make that happen."
Speaking on Sunday's show to presenter Mairead Ronan, Davy said: "We got there by half a second even, and I'm so proud of them, absolutely thrilled, ten years into it, it still feels every bit as good."
Dad Donal added: "He [Davy] was the fifth part of our team, he was feckin' brilliant. Definitely proud, the Wee County is not wee here, getting to put Louth on the map."
Mags Nugent added: "It's an unbelievable feeling, to do this with your family, I'm at a loss for words to describe it," telling Davy, "we wouldn't have done it without you, Davy."
