Waterford family to feature on RTÉ TV as Ireland's Fittest Family returns for 12th season

A Waterford family will be hoping for success in the new series of Ireland's Fittest Family which returns to RTÉ television over the bank holiday weekend.

The 12th season of the popular show will see coaches Davy Fitzgerald, Anna Geary, Donncha O’Callaghan and Sonia O’Sullivan all vying to bring home the title this year. 

Camogie star and uber competitive Anna Geary is back on the show and will go head-to-head with fellow Cork sporting legends Sonia and rugby star Donncha, as well as Clare hurling legend Davy. Olympian Sonia will be sprinting back into action for her second season, bringing her world-class experience and determination.  

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Presented by Laura Fox, the upcoming series of Ireland’s Fittest Family features brand-new challenges including The Drop Zone, and Raft Rage: The Rivals. 16 families from all over Ireland will be put to the test with rugged courses, and high-intensity heart pounding obstacle races. 

In the first episode viewers will meet the first four families as they dive right into the season’s gruelling first challenges: 

Davy’s O’Connell Family from Waterford: The O’Connell family lives and breathes sports. With the boys playing football, hurling, and rugby, and Mam Michelle active in Mothers & Others, they’re used to competing on and off the field. Add in some friendly farm rivalry, and this family is a force to be reckoned with! 

Donncha’s Parsons Family from Dublin: The Parsons family are fiercely competitive, with parents Lariche and Gary racing each other to make dinner fastest (though Lariche claims victory in house cleaning!). Viewers may recognise the Parsons family from their appearances on Gogglebox, but they’re an active bunch involved in athletics, soccer and cycling. 

Anna’s Magner Family from Cork: The Magner family is close-knit and competitive, with parents Ciara and John leading the way in fitness. Ciara took up running at 30 to join the action, while John, a former soccer player, transitioned to triathlons for a gentler challenge. Their sons are equally active playing gaelic, soccer, swimming, cycling and running. 

Sonia’s O’Neill Family from Meath: While based in a footballing heartland, the O’Neill’s have deep hurling roots. Anthony, a former county hurler, hopes to relive the thrill of championship victory alongside his son, who also excels in hurling. The two O'Neill daughters play for their local club and bring their Irish dancing and camogie skills to the family competition. 

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The families must each take on a brand-new event, The Drop Zone. This is a race against time to fill a giant water tank. A family member suspended above the water will be dropped into the lake and must climb a rope, ring the bell and stop the clock! 

The four families will then have their stamina tested by Fittest Family favourite Slingshot.  Strapped to a bungee with two levels of resistance, family members must get as many balls as possible from one side of the bog bath to the other and into a bucket. Miss a shot and they must go back for another ball, battling against the pull of the bungee cord. 

The scores of the first two events are combined, the winning family goes through to the next round, and the family at the bottom are sent home. Then the other two face Ireland’s Fittest Family’s Water Eliminator.  

Ireland’s Fittest Family is returning to the beautiful Rathbeggan Lakes in County Meath to film this year’s Heats. The quarter finals take place in the treacherous bog of Hell & Back in Kilruddery, Co. Wicklow. The semi-finals will see the families take on the first ever Forest challenges. This year’s Ireland’s Fittest Family Grand Final will be held in and around Dublin Port and its old Flour Mill, with epic events designed to push the finalist families to their limits. 

It’s family pride on the line, legendary coaches in the mix, and Ireland’s toughest families battling it out one heart-stopping challenge at a time.  

Ireland’s Fittest Family season 12 starts on RTÉ One and the RTÉ Player on Sunday, October 27 at 6.30pm.