The search for Ireland’s fittest school has come to a close after Gilson National School picked up this year’s title.

The winning prize, presented to the Meath school on 15 May, was a cheque for €5,000 worth of sports equipment.

In addition, the young pupils and their teachers received a visit from well-known Irish Olympians Phil Healy and David Gillick, who delivered a fitness workout to the 250 students in the school, along with giving talks on nutrition and healthy eating.

About the programme

‘Ireland’s Fittest Schools’ is an initiative aimed at promoting healthy eating and encouraging exercise among primary school students from junior infants up to sixth class.

A central feature of the competition, now in its second year, was a series of exercise routines devised and recorded online by Healy and Gillick. Competing schools could adopt these examples as part of their PE curriculum and classes.

The teachers taking part logged photos and videos on to the competition website showcasing their school’s participation in exchange for points. The virtual leader board allowed schools to log their exercises and keep track of how they were doing against competitors.

The school’s points were measured and scored based on the number of points they received for their level of participation in the programme.

Interactive and inclusive exercise programmes

With 150 schools around the country logging their experience and taking part, there was huge interest in this year’s programme.

Speaking to Irish Country Living, Fyffes head of marketing Emma Hunt-Duffy said: “As part of the Fyffes Fit squad, we wanted to get out there and talk to children about healthy eating, nutrition and exercise.”

After talking to parents and teachers already involved in the Fyffes Fit squad, Emma found schools were crying out for a competition like this.

“We found it was important to give students the opportunity to hear about the importance of nutrition from a different voice,” she said.

“When we went down the route of the competition, it was to add another element of fun and to get the competitive spirit going. Really, it seems to have hit a chord, which is brilliant.”

No special equipment or big spaces are needed to carry out the exercises outlined in the programme, as Emma highlights: “We really wanted it to be very inclusive, for all abilities and even with children with additional needs, anyone can get involved.”

The winning school

The award went to Gilson National School in recognition of what adjudicators called “a real love for fitness and exercise evident throughout”.

Accepting the prize, along with colleagues and pupils, was school principal Mark Carey, who thanked Fyffes for “supporting an initiative that proved to be a very positive, rewarding and inclusive experience for the pupils and staff alike”.

“The exercise routines provided us with a means to being active and staying fit in an enjoyable way. I would like to thank and congratulate the pupils, staff and parents for their enthusiasm, commitment and support,” he added.

The €5,000 worth of sports equipment received by last year’s winners Scoil Na Croise Naofa, Dunfanaghy, Co Donegal, made a huge difference to the school, as they were a small, two-classroom rural school.

For more information on the competition, visit https://www.fyffesfitsquad.ie.