From gutter to the gym to Kinsale for health guru Kelly Berry

Born to a drug-addicted mother, a one time gym instructor to the stars told Conor Power how she is bringing her inspiring life story to bear at a groundbreaking new fitness project in Kinsale, Co Cork.

A traumatic upbringing saw Kelly Berry homeless and living on the streets of London at the age of 15, with no qualifications and no obvious prospects. Her life had fallen apart spectacularly following the death of her Kinsale-born grandmother who had been the one functioning adult in her life.

Within a few years, however, she had dragged herself from the gutter to a position where she was personal trainer to A-list celebrities and international royalty, commanding fees of up to £100 (€140) per hour and sharing her expertise on national radio, TV, and newspapers in the UK.