*The O’Halloran family.
Two Clare families are flying the county flag in the latest series of Ireland’s Fittest Family.
Created by Clare men, James Sexton and Davy Fitzgerald, the popular RTÉ show returned for its eighth series on Sunday evening.
Eagle-eyed viewers would have noticed mention of two Clare families that have made the shortlist of sixteen that are vying to take home the title and the €15,000 cash prize.
Two time European Cup winner with Munster, Donncha O’Callaghan is the mentor for the O’Halloran family from Kilkishen. James (54) works as a plumber and formerly represented his county in both soccer and hurling, he continues to play five-a-side soccer. Clodagh (24) is a teacher who currently lines out with UL Bohs and Munster in rugby and Newmarket-on-Fergus in camogie.
Jamie (23) works alongside his father as a plumber, he formerly played soccer at underage level but more recently began training in Muay Thai. Leanne (18) won the title of Munster’s Young Leading Rider, horse-racing has become the priority for the childcare worker who played camogie and ladies football growing up.
Clarecastle’s Kulczynskis are under the watchful eye of former Irish Olympian, Derval O’Rourke. Originally from England, Leroy (49) started training for obstacle races last September despite never running in his life, he now runs a minimum of 40km every seven days and works as a cycling instructor. Nicola (47) takes part in fitness programmes and likes to run, hike, swim and cycle, she describes herself as a yoga and Pilates enthusiast.
An elite junior triathlete, Sabian (18) has multiple national titles in triathlons, aquathons and duathlons and has represented his country across Europe. He is a swimmer, mountain biker, road biker and used to run cross country, during quarantine he built his own gym out of pallets to maintain his training. Luca (15) is an Enduromountain biker and skateboarder. Described as a “science lunatic” by his family, he has a pet ant farm and his motto is “if it don’t burn it goes bang”.
