All Ireland winning Galway GAA star dad challenging for RTE Fittest Family title
Another hurling great Davy Fitzgerald will be the man to rally the family as they compete against three other families on the day in the hope of progressing to the next round
An All Ireland winning Galway GAA star dad is hoping to add the champion of RTE’s Fittest Family to his list of achievements.
Stephen Treacy played hurling for Portumna for over 20 years and was on the 2006 team that beat Newtownshandrum by five points clinching the All Ireland Senior Hurling club title.
Despite playing for Portumna, 55-year-old Stephen and his family live in Tipperary where he trains the local senior camogie team alongside his love for running which has seen him compete in five marathons in his 40s.
Another hurling great Davy Fitzgerald will be the man to rally the Treacys as they compete against three other families on the day in the hope of progressing to the next round.
Daughter Ailbhe is 17 and in 5th year in St Mary’s Secondary School in Nenagh. She also works part time in a local nursing home. She plays camogie and soccer and is on the Minor Tipperary Camogie panel. She recently won a Schools All-Ireland Soccer title and is a Munster Schools Camogie Championship winner.
Son Darragh is 19 and studies general engineering in UL. He plays hurling for his club Silvermines and has won U19 and U21 titles. He recently won a Freshers All-Ireland Hurling title with UL. Outside of sport he milk cows “for a lad he knows” and goes to the gym as much as possible.
Cathal is 20 and studies civil engineering in UL. He plays hurling, soccer, rugby and GAA and has won many titles at club and college level.
An RTE spokesman said: “Taking place in the historic Haulbowline Navy Base, the Heats will unfold over three weeks. Each week, two coaches will go head-to-head, each with two families.
“This year the events are demonstrated by members of the Irish Navy. The families must each take on a new twist to Raft Rage. Starting in the cold naval basin, this is a head-to-head race finishing with a rope climb from the sea onto an enormous Naval Patrol Ship.
“The four families then have their stamina tested by our new event Buoyzone. The four family members have to transport buoys from one side of the basin to the other using a paddle board.
“With the scores of the first two events are combined, the two highest-scoring families go through to the next round, and the two families at the bottom have to face off in the Navy Eliminator.”