BY EMMA CONNOLLY
A WEST Cork family have made memories for life by taking part in RTÉ’s Ireland’s Fittest Family – even if they picked up a few bruises along the way!
Renowned Irish and international long distance runners Claire and Martin McCarthy and their two soccer-mad sons Hayden (19) and Jordan (16) took on the challenge in an episode that aired last Sunday night.
From Halfway in Ballinhassig, the McCarthys are a very sporty family and had always considered taking part in the popular programme.
Claire, originally from Glasheen Road in Cork city, has been a member of Leevale Athletics Club from a young age, encouraged by her dad Jerry Gibbons, a former teacher in Bandon’s Hamilton High. She spent four years in the US on an athletics scholarship in the late 90s, as did Martin.
Between 2011 and 2018, Claire competed in the European Cross Country, World Half Marathon Championships and European Half Marathon Championships.
Martin is also a member of Leevale Athletics Club and was the national Inter-Club Cross Country champion in 2003, and ran many European and World cross country championships. As a physiotherapist, he is very well known throughout West Cork for his work with GAA clubs.
Meanwhile, Hayden is currently completing an FAI ETB course with a view to becoming a PE teacher and he plays soccer with Midleton senior club.
Jordan is in fifth year in Coláiste an Spioraid Naomh in Bishopstown and plays soccer with College Corinthians youth premier team.
The boys also credit their local club Ballinhassig AFC for further developing their love of sport.
Martin and Claire are also parents to Adam (12) and Alex (8) who attend Goggins Hill NS, and who, unfortunately were too young to enter the show – this time around!
‘We’ve always been huge fans of Ireland’s Fittest Family,’ said Claire. ‘Over the years we’ve had a sort of dare going on between us about entering! Well, I decided to finally go for it this year – just without telling anyone! I half-filled out the form one day and then abandoned it, but within two days, the producers got in touch asking me to complete it so I had to come clean to the rest of the family. Luckily they were on for it!’
That was last May, and by July the McCarthy’s were on site, with the cameras on standby, and fellow Cork man Donncha O’Callaghan as their coach.
Claire, who works as a personal trainer and coach, described the course as ‘horrendous’.
‘In no way does it do it justice, looking at it at home! It’s all about strength and tactics and once the hooter blows, you’re off and fighting for your life!’
The first challenge didn’t go quite their way, which meant the McCarthy’s ended up in the eliminator and unfortunately it didn’t go their way there, either.
‘It comes down to seconds,’ said Claire. ‘A lot of it comes down to luck, but a few things went wrong for us on the day. You only have one shot at it, and hindsight is a great thing, but still, it was great experience. I definitely don’t take myself seriously, and I knew it would be good for a laugh. I also thought it would be good life experience for the lads to see how they’d cope under pressure, and being interviewed.’
Claire encouraged anyone considering applying, to go for it – with one warning: ‘It’s definitely not for the faint-hearted or delicate – Martin tore his hamstring and I ended up with cuts and bruises, but we lived to tell the tale!
‘We were very proud to be on the show and represent our county and we were so disappointed to have been knocked out so early. We had so much more to give, but as a close family we loved sharing this experience with our older kids and have made memories for life.’
