An athletics club in south Kilkenny has embarked on a quest to find Ireland's fittest person, with people of all ages from around the country invited to take part from their back gardens.
The idea came from members of St Senan's AC in Kilmacow, who have been forced to stay away from their training facilities in the local sports complex since mid-March, like all clubs nationwide.
However, there will be some easing of restrictions from next Monday.
"The concept of Ireland's fittest person is really about rebuilding our community, that's what we want to do," George Carpendale of St Senan's told RTÉ News.
"The concept is very simple, we're all kind of locked down in our back gardens really and it's about looking and seeing what can we do in that confined space.
"What we looked at is the beep test as a way of doing a national challenge.
"So it's something that everybody can do, from eight years up to 65 years of age, and we've got people from Enniskillen to County Kerry."
The beep test is a way of measuring fitness, involving a person trying to keep up with beeps [in shuttle runs] for as long as possible.
Anyone who signs up to the challenge can submit their best beep test every week until the end of the initial phase on 30 May.
As well as keeping people active, the project is also raising funds for a number of worthy causes, such as the Irish Cancer Society, Alone, Barretstown Castle, the Jack & Jill Foundation, and Feed the Heroes.
"For ourselves here in Kilmacow, the important thing is that we're starting to rebuild a bit of community spirit through this event," Mr Carpendale added.
After 30 May, the event will move into an inter-county phase, when people from different categories, depending on age and ability, will be pitted against others from across the country.
However, as Patsy Foskin of the club points out, the main thing is the personal challenge.
"It's for mental health and a physical test and for young people right up to older people," she said.
The club said the concept has been backed by elite track athletes such as Sonia O'Sullivan and Derval O'Rourke, as well as top hurlers such as former Kilkenny stars Henry Shefflin, Eddie Brennan, Tommy Walsh and Jackie Tyrrell and Tipperary All-Ireland winner Donagh Maher.
"But the local community are fantastic, they're all enjoying it and it's lovely to see the young people, the families doing it," Ms Foskin added.
"What we really wanted to get together was families, that old and young could do it together and the competition is against yourself.
"If you did bad one day, you could do better the next day and just enjoy it. It's just for the craic, to get people involved, that's the main thing."
Ms Foskin said that it has been difficult for club members since the Covid-19 restrictions began.
She added: "You can't meet anybody, you're doing your run on your own and you can only do the 5k circuit.
"Everybody is missing all their friends, that's why this is so important, as you can see people put it up on Facebook, they can see what other people have done.
"And we're getting the community involved.
"Please God, when it comes back people will still have that bit of fitness there and can just continue on.
"And hopefully this will end and we'll get to the other side of it."
