Back in the 1990s, I worked at a gym based in Chelsea, London as a body pump PT, ahead of becoming a studio manager. During this time, I suffered a back injury, and I was encouraged to take a Pilates class. The impact was incredible; after just two sessions, my back was better, and my abs started to become toned as well. From that moment I was hooked and decided to become a qualified Pilates teacher.

Returning to Galway in 1999, there were only three gyms in the city, none of which offered Pilates. There was little knowledge of its benefits, or even what it was, but soon that changed. I started to run classes of my own and the exercise, after a couple of years, started to really catch on, with many other Personal Trainers starting to train in Pilates as well. Now, over 20 years later, Pilates is an established exercise for men and women across Galway, and it always brings me joy seeing others get the same benefits I experienced when I was younger and continue to enjoy now.