THE Walsh family from Barryroe might be battered and bruised but they’re buoyed up by the support they’ve been getting in their bid to be crowned Ireland’s Fittest Family.

Amy and her three sons, Michael (22), Aidan (20), and 19-year-old Alphie, cleared another hurdle when they qualified in style for the semi-final of the hit RTÉ series, on Sunday night.

Their next outing will be screened on December 14th and in the meantime Amy and her boys are reflecting on the experience so far which has made edge-of-seat viewing, and has won them admirers from all over West Cork, and beyond.

‘The one thing that’s struck me so far is how lucky we are to be living in Barryroe,’ said Amy who works as a cancer rehabilitation physiotherapist with Cork ARC Cancer Support House in both Cork city and Bantry.

‘The boys have always been surrounded by so many activities, from the early days in Barryroe National School with its wide open spaces and being exposed and encouraged to so many sports there. They played badminton with Courtmacsherry Badminton club, GAA with Barryroe and Ibane and rowed with Courtmacsherry rowing club … there’s so much to choose from around here.

‘Everything is ran and supported by volunteers who give up their time for young people. They may not have been medal winners but being active has always been so normal for them, and that’s great,’ she said.

The lads immense strength and fitness was evident from Sunday’s show.

‘But what wasn’t shown, what was edited out, was when I started crying while we were in the bog,’
said Amy.

‘Alphie was shouting at me, and he just couldn’t understand why I wasn’t moving as fast as him but what he forgot was that he’s in his peak fitness and I’m a 50-year-old woman,’ said Amy, who can laugh at the situation now.

‘But the lads were brilliant to me, and never left me behind and it was really wonderful to do this as a family,’ she said.

Is the eliminator ramp as daunting as it looks?

‘It is huge and it’s the end of the day, you’re exhausted and wet so it’s hard to get a grip but I have to say the eliminator was probably my favourite part of it,’ she said.

Applications are now open for the next series and while not giving anything away about the final, Amy said she’d do it again in a heartbeat.

‘You just need grit, resilience … and a sense of humour!’ she said.