Ireland's Fittest Family grand final: Davy Fitz juggles three families for top prize

While Davy's coaching was as impressive as always, a teenager proved more effective in motivating her own family through tough challenges

Davy Fitzgerald coached an unprecedented trio of families into the Ireland's Fittest Family grand final

If you had Davy Fitzgerald’s voice in your ear, you know you’d go above and beyond in any task set before you. The same seems to be true for the multiple families he coached into the final of Ireland’s Fittest Family, aptly dubbed ‘Davy’s Army’ by Anna Geary.

Davy successfully brought an unprecedented three families into the final, facing off against Anna’s one clan, and he celebrated as the Cummins family was named the overall winner. However, at the start of the episode, all of his families knew it didn’t matter who he would be shouting at during the competition — they’d all feel the pressure from their coach.

“No matter who he’s shouting at, everyone’s going to think he’s shouting at them anyway. He’s very vocal. So unless you’re looking at him directly you won’t know who he’s shouting at,” said Paul Cummins.

Anna Geary with the Magner family from Cork.

Despite the constant glare of Davy as they ran and hauled tyres, it was Anna’s family, the Magners from Cork, who won the first race: the Burning Rubber tyre drag at Dublin’s Motocross Track. And that Davy Fitz disappointment was palpable.

“We weren’t brilliant but we did okay.” Ouch, Davy. Going into the Sole Survivor round, he doubled down on his disappointment: “I’m not happy with any of my families after the first round.” 

He might not have been happy, but it was an upbeat teenager who stole the coaching show from then onwards. 14-year-old Jamie from the Ferns family — who came last in the first round — had an upbeat outlook on the contest to be admired.

The Ferns family with Davy Fitzgerald, including Jamie, 14.

“I know we came last but I’m so happy,” she said, glowing. She was her family’s choice to stand on one foot on an overhead beam during the Sole Survivor challenge as her family raced to move sandbags before she lost her balance. 

Her technique — quietly singing Bonnie Tyler’s anthem ‘Holding Out For A Hero’ to herself — cemented her as the underdog hero of the series.

And she swiftly replaced Davy as her family’s coach during an elimination round against the O’Connell family from Waterford, as she talked her dad and siblings through the first-ever head-to-head Back Against the Wall challenge. It was her instantly iconic words of motivation before that contest that stood out most: “Don’t men die before women? Don’t women also last longer than men? Being realistic, I’m going to last longer than those three men on that wall sit.” 

Davy Fitz with the O'Connell family, who were eliminated during the Back Against The wall challenge.

Not all heroes wear capes, some wear Ireland’s Fittest Family jerseys and deserve a Miss Congeniality title at the very least. Unfortunately, Jamie and the Ferns family dropped out — literally — during the Hanging Tough challenge, losing their grip and plunging into the icy depths of Dublin Port faster than the other contestants.

Another teenager who shone in the contest was Hallie Cummins, who stood on one leg atop a narrow beam above her family for the maximum time possible during Sole Survivor, allowing them to move an astonishing 177 bags of sand along the course and outperforming their rivals by a very wide margin. It was a jaw-dropping performance from Hallie, and certainly helped her family to win the overall competition after the Cummins came second-to-last in the opening race.

Ireland's Fittest Family 2024 winners, the Cummins family with Davy Fitzgerald

The Cummins faced off against the Magners in the Grand Final Race in the Flour Mill at Dublin Port, with a thrilling spectacle keeping viewers on the edge of their seats throughout. The Magners and Anna found themselves in second place, with the title of Ireland’s Fittest Family going to the Cummins family from Kilkenny, who also won a €15,000 prize, with Davy Fitz enjoying his fourth overall win as coach.

Ireland’s Fittest Family is in its 12th year and this season was originally scheduled to air in November but was postponed following the death of a contestant in October.

RTÉ said the series was postponed after 15-year-old Cillian Flaherty from Dublin died suddenly at home on October 21, 2024. A statement said: "The Flaherty family have watched the series and given their full support for it to go ahead.”