Aoife Lowery

2. Birthplace (and other places you have lived)

Galway – a proud Galway woman and very much a homebird!

However, medical training means a fair bit of moving around, so I’ve also lived in Mayo, Dublin, Marseille in France, a brief stint in Essen in Germany, Limerick, and finally back to Galway since 2017.

3. When did you join GTC and why?

I joined for a short period back in 2008 and did the aquathon series and a couple of triathlons. I actually met my husband Lorcán at the Athlone Triathlon that year!

But then work and life got in the way, so it wasn’t until September 2025 that I rejoined.

The reason for joining this time was a forced end to my running. I had been training for the Dublin City Marathon last year, which I was doing to support the breast cancer charity NBCRI, but my dodgy knee had other ideas unfortunately.

Having been told that running was off the cards for the foreseeable future, I figured I’d better get in the pool and/or on the bike and needed some structured training.

A friend recommended the coached swim sessions with GTC, so I signed up!

4. Occupation

Consultant Surgeon.

I work predominantly with BreastCheck, the National Breast Cancer Screening Service, treating patients who need surgery for breast cancer.

In addition to clinical work, I also work on the breast cancer research programme at the University of Galway.

5. This week, GTC is celebrating Swim in Pink Week. As someone directly involved in breast cancer research, can you tell us a little about the work funded by the National Breast Cancer Research Institute (NBCRI) and how money raised through events like Swim in Pink helps patients?

Swim in Pink is a fantastic event which raises funds for the National Breast Cancer Research Institute (NBCRI).

NBCRI is a national charity based in Galway that funds breast cancer research at the University of Galway. Its mission is to fund research that leads to better treatments and outcomes for people with breast cancer.

My research team receives support from NBCRI, which we have used to fund research staff such as nurses, along with equipment and infrastructure.

This helps us open more breast cancer clinical trials at University Hospital Galway, giving patients local access to promising new diagnostic and treatment approaches, as well as studies investigating how to improve quality of life during and after cancer treatment.

Every euro raised for NBCRI goes directly towards research that makes a real difference to patients in the West of Ireland and beyond, so it is really great to see GTC support this charity.

For more information on the research, visit breastcancerresearch.ie.

6. Previous sports

Running, swimming and a bit of basketball.

7. Favourite event

Has to be the Heskin League!

I’ve done it for the past few years and really enjoy the buzz at Blackrock on a Thursday evening. It’s a fun and friendly event, with enough competition to keep things interesting, even if it’s mostly my own time from the previous Thursday that I’m competing with!

8. Sporting claim to fame

I have no sporting claim to fame, but I have learned this year that there are loads of brilliant open water swimming events!

The frustration of not being able to do the marathon motivated me to sign myself up, and recruit some teammates, for a few swims this year, including:

• The Colonia Classic 5K at BestFest in Mallorca.
• The Galway Bay Swim as a relay with my sister.
• The Castle-to-Castle Swim as a relay with two of my oldest friends.
• The GSC Prom Swim for the first time since I was 13!

Although swimming is often considered a solo sport, it is most definitely a social sport when you can drag family and friends along to do it with you!

9. Three music tracks that power your training sessions

Depends on the mood – often rock, sometimes pop, and if it’s a longer, slower training session, then a podcast does the trick.

10. Your all-time sporting heroes and why?

For sport as entertainment and bringing people together, this has to be the Irish soccer team of Italia ’90!

They gave those of us who were kids at the time the best summer of soccer matches, eating ice cream, fizzy drinks, and the whole country cheering them on.

From Packie Bonner’s penalty save to David O’Leary’s goal, Jackie’s Army, Olé Olé Olé – magic times!!

11. Who are your GTC heroes and why?

The Friday morning 6am Ocean Fitness swim crew kept me going all through the winter with those early morning starts – Laura’s brilliant and sometimes killer sessions!

1.⁠ ⁠FULL NAME:

Sean Rooney

2.⁠ ⁠BIRTHPLACE:

Born in Cork (2 weeks), Galway (1984–2007), Dublin (2007–2023), Galway (2023–present).

3.WHEN DID YOU JOIN GTC AND WHY?

I joined GTC in 2023. I was already a seasoned triathlete and had been a member of 3D Triathlon Club in Dublin for about 10 years. I knew the benefits of being part of a club in terms of training, support and camaraderie, so when I moved back to Galway, joining GTC was an obvious choice.

4.⁠ ⁠OCCUPATION

Director of Product Management

5.⁠ ⁠PREVIOUS SPORTS

I played Gaelic football and soccer growing up, but it all fell away in my mid-teens. I picked up soccer again in my late 20s while living in Dublin, playing at a fairly low level in the UCFL. I somehow kept both soccer and triathlon going for about five years before eventually packing in the soccer.

6.⁠ ⁠SWIM / BIKE / RUN – which do you prefer and why?

Probably the run. It’s the last leg and I’m not the worst runner, so I can usually hold my own or move up a place or two.

I don’t really have a strongest discipline. Swimming used to be my weakest, but I’ve improved a lot since joining GTC and it’s now on par with the bike and run. We have great swim coaches and a lot of strong swimmers who have really brought me on.

7.⁠ ⁠FAVOURITE EVENT (CAN BE A SWIM/BIKE/RUN EVENT OR A TRIATHLON EVENT) OR FAVOURITE PLACE TO TRAIN?

The Heskin League swims. They’re so well run, everyone can compete regardless of level, there’s great banter and the odd pint of Guinness afterwards tastes extra nice after a few gulps of seawater. I also love that I can just walk down to Blackrock and race every Thursday over the summer.

8.⁠ ⁠SPORTING CLAIM TO FAME (Name any sporting achievement you are most proud of)

Competing in the amateur ETU Championships in Austria. Closely followed by an 8^th place age group finish in Youghal in 2022, which qualified me for the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Finland. The less said about how I actually performed at the Worlds, the better.

9.⁠ ⁠3 MUSIC TRACKS THAT POWER YOUR TRAINING SESSIONS…

The Spotify algorithm is working overtime for me. My taste in music is all over the place, it could go from Otis Redding’s Mr. Pitiful, to The Killers’ Mr. Brightside, to Thin Lizzy’s The Boys Are Back in Town.

10. YOUR ALL-TIME SPORTING HERO(ES) AND WHY?

You have to say Katie Taylor, don’t you? An obvious Irish sporting hero. Incredible work ethic, resilience and longevity, but what stands out most is her humility despite everything she’s achieved. She transformed women’s boxing while never seeming to lose sight of who she is or where she came from.

Ernest Shackleton is stretching the definition of sporting hero, maybe more of an endurance hero. His resilience, endurance and leadership when things went spectacularly off-plan are inspirational. And he was born and raised in Ireland until he was 10, so we can claim him as one of our own!

11.⁠ ⁠YOUR GTC HERO – AND WHY?

All the coaches. They’re not coaching a group of kids with similar abilities and goals; they’re working with adults across a huge range of abilities, ambitions and reasons for being there, and somehow finding a way to help each of us improve.

12. NAME A SONG OR FILM TITLE THAT SUMS YOU  UP / OR YOUR APPROACH TO LIFE…

I watched Planes, Trains and Automobiles recently with my eldest. When I was younger, I thought Steve Martin’s character was a complete dick. Now I’m in my 40s, I see an uncomfortable amount of myself in him, aside from the shared resting bitch face. Driven, organised, impatient and frustrated when reality refuses to cooperate with the plan. But I can also relate to John Candy’s character’s ability to roll with the chaos. Between work travel, family life and still trying to do a bit of triathlon, that film feels pretty fitting these days.

Sinéad Carroll

2. Birthplace

A proud Galwegian through and through, with every fibre of my being!

I’ve also lived in Scotland, the States, Greece, Nepal, Japan and Australia, in that order.

My globetrotting has been put on hold for a while due to family commitments, but I’m looking forward to living abroad again during the winters in the future.

3. When did you join GTC and why?

I initially joined in 2017, I think.

I rocked up to a swim session down in Blackrock and landed in a group of elite swimmers, all guns blazing!

I was so out of my depth, both physically and metaphorically. At the time, I could barely swim 100m. I was absolutely mortified and ran away…

Then, a couple of years later, I met a buddy in the club who told me about all the beginner sessions and encouraged me to give it another go.

I did, and I’ve never looked back since!

4. Occupation

Primary school teacher.

I tell ya, a day in the classroom is so much more of a workout, both physically and mentally, than any Ironman could ever be!

5. Previous sports

Irish dancing… I was amazing!

I won a trophy at every Feis. Come to think of it, so did everybody else!

6. Swim, bike, or run. Which do you prefer and why?

Run — less baggage!

All I need is a pair of Asics.

7. Favourite event or favourite place to train

I’m presently training for Sea to Summit this November, so I’m trying really hard to make this my favourite event at the moment!

8. Sporting claim to fame

I won a slippery pole competition, don’t ask, during Rag Week in my second year of college.

I won a keg of Guinness and, all of a sudden, everyone was my best friend…

That was the start of my sporting career!

Since then, I’ve done a few half marathons, Olympic-distance events and relays at Lough Cutra, the Bay Swim in a relay, GTC summer aquathons and surviving the crossover town to the East Side Eagles Long Slow Runs.

Crossing over that Quincentennial Bridge brought on the threat of nosebleeds and feeling light-headed! Only kidding…

And finally, totally hardcore: sprinting to the top of Threadneedle Road x6 non-stop and having close to a cardiac arrest at the finish.

And lest I forget, I was runner-up in the GTC Bake Off this summer. I’m very proud of that one!

9. Music track that powers your training sessions

It has to be AC/DC – Thunderstruck, with a few air guitar moves thrown in for good measure!

10. Your all-time sporting hero and why?

I’m not really into boxing, but you can’t look past Katie Taylor.

11. Your GTC hero and why?

All the Strider Babes… you know who you are!

There are so many heroes I’ve met through the club, and I absolutely love all the friends I’ve made along the way.

I love the Long Slow Run on a Saturday, especially with the option of dips and breakfast at the finish. The chats we have keep me going as we clock up the kilometres. They range from heartwarming to hilarious, to thought provoking, to educational, to informative and, at times, totally outrageous and utterly bizarre!

I’ve genuinely met some of the most amazing and interesting people on my journey with GTC. It doesn’t matter what level you’re at, people are so accepting, helpful and encouraging. I really mean that.

I feel like a superhero after every event I do. Thanks to all you wonderful GTC members for cheering me on, and especially the volunteers, without whom none of this club would be possible.

Screenshot

I woke to a flat, calm bay, sun shining, nerves pumping. A quick swim to test the water, then I lined up for the rolling start with the voice of Joanne Murphy pumping up the crowd. Music blaring, a quick fist pump from Joanne and everyone around me, the nerves settled and I was in the water. What a swim — so clear and flat that the distance and time, although a bit of a slog, flew by. I was just delighted to have gotten this far.

Out of the water and off to T1, a quick change, then onto the bike as the day heated up. No matter what way you look at it, the bike leg is going to be long, and I just enjoyed my time, slogging it out until I faced the one really big hill I knew was coming. Low in the gears, watching everyone work hard, I got over it, and the last aid station came into sight. Knowing the worst of the bike was behind me, I forced myself into T2 and onto the run.

The run was two and a half loops of the prom, sun beaming in what felt like 30 degrees — it was fantastic. Crowds and music pumping, great refreshments at the aid stations, it was all about enjoying the day. Not to say it was easy — I found myself in the trenches, cramping, having to walk — but it was all worth it when you see that red carpet and get the lift to cross the line. Huge thanks again to Joanne, who met me over the line and got that great picture.

I couldn’t have done it without the support of the whole club — on each of those Saturday-long runs, I was asking loads of questions and banking every answer. I also want to thank my wife Rebecca, daughter Grace (2.5 years) and son Tom (7 weeks) for putting up with me these last few months, and my sister Helena for doing the support on the day.

Would highly recommend Ironman 70.3 to anyone thinking of doing one.

Enda Noel Conneely

2. Birthplace, and other places you have lived

Born and reared in Barna, Galway.

I spent five years studying and teaching in Edinburgh and three years in Dublin. I moved back to Galway in 2014.

3. When did you join GTC and why?

(Checks Strava) I joined in January 2024.

My football career ground to a halt in my twenties after multiple knee and ankle surgeries, and I got into cycling around that time. But I was looking for something new to motivate me.

I could barely swim, so I started in the beginners’ sessions and went from there. I also started track and absolutely loved the training.

I did the Tribesman that summer and completed my first 70.3 in Cascais, Portugal, in October 2025!

4. Occupation

English and History teacher.

5. Previous sports

Gaelic football, hurling and soccer.

6. Swim, bike, or run. Which do you prefer and why?

I have been cycling casually for about 15 years and really enjoy it.

Since taking up triathlon, I’ve really enjoyed progressing with my swimming and love the swim classes with Laura, Miriam and Patrick, despite the occasional brutality of the sessions!

Taking part in the Heskin League last year was great craic.

7. Favourite event, or favourite place to train

I did the Tribesman in 2024 and 2025 and absolutely loved both races.

We were blessed with the weather on both days, and it’s a beautiful, flat course with that very forgiving downriver swim for us novices!

I love to train in Dangan as well. The riverside, wooded setting is lovely and peaceful, and the gravel paths are easy on the ageing joints.

8. Sporting claim to fame

I was lucky enough to play Gaelic football for Galway at minor and U21 level.

9. Three music tracks that power your training sessions

I’m more of a podcast guy while training and like to listen to The Rest is History and Second Captains, but I also enjoy running and cycling without music or audio.

It’s one of the rare occasions these days when the brain gets a bit of quiet time.

10. Your all-time sporting hero, and why?

Probably Jarlath Fallon.

He was such a stylish, dynamic footballer and crucial to Galway’s All-Ireland victory in 1998. As a fellow citóg, I really admired his beautiful left foot too!

11. Your GTC hero, and why?

Very difficult to narrow it down.

I’ve had so many great coaches and training partners over the last couple of years, but I would have to go for Morgan McHugh and Jane Walsh.

Morgan gave me the nudge to get into triathlon and has been a great source of advice, encouragement and gear!

Likewise, Jane was a great training partner during my 70.3 build-up, always coming up with great sessions on the bike or on the Dangan trails.

Watching herself and her girls in the lane next to me on Friday morning swim sessions has been an inspiring and humbling experience!

Special mention for Trish Strelioff for all of her excellent advice and hands on help in Cascais for my 70.3

12. Name a song or film title that sums you up, or your approach to life

A lyric rather than a song title, but maybe, “I get knocked down, but I get up again”, after my run-in with a Land Rover a few years ago!

Cara Gleeson

2. Birthplace, and other places you have lived

Galway, and briefly Dublin.

3. When did you join GTC and why?

2012.

My sister Aoife convinced me to sign up for a triathlon in Spiddal. I naively thought that being able to swim a whopping 750m in a pool was more than enough preparation.

Race day arrived, and the first clue that I may have underestimated the challenge was the safety boat overturning while we were waiting to start!

Needless to say, I didn’t make it through the swim, but the organisers let me carry on and do the rest of the race. And that was it. I was hooked!

I was also very determined to come back and actually finish the next one.

Fourteen years and hundreds of races later, I’m still at it, and still trying to get the hang of the swimming part!

4. Occupation

Design Assurance Director for a small medical device company.

5. Previous sports

Cycled everywhere for years, mainly because I didn’t drive until my mid-thirties.

A bit of tag rugby for a few years, and took up running in my late thirties.

6. Swim, bike, or run. Which do you prefer and why?

Ironically, the sport I like best is probably the one I’m least good at.

It took me a long time to not be anxious in deep water, but now I find a unique kind of peace swimming in open water. I’m also very lucky to have a great bunch of friends to swim with regularly.

7. Favourite event, or favourite place to train

Hell of the West.

I’ve done it ten times. Tough race, but always a great day out!

8. Sporting claim to fame

My first Ironman in Barcelona in 2017.

I trained hard, sort of followed a plan, and somehow ended up doing way better than I ever expected!

I’ll never forget the feeling of running that final 100m to the finish line, completely exhausted but absolutely buzzing with a huge sense of elation and pride.

9. Three music tracks that power your training sessions

• Sia — Unstoppable
• Imagine Dragons / Sia — Born to Fight
• The Script — Hall of Fame

10. Your all-time sporting hero, and why?

Ciara Mageean.

An inspirational woman who just never gives up.

11. Your GTC hero, and why?

I’ve met so many incredible people through GTC that this was a really difficult question! But I think it has to be Fiona Lyons.

We’ve trained and raced together for years, and you’ll never meet a more positive person. Nothing is ever impossible in Fiona’s world, and she’s always the first to motivate, encourage and believe in you.

She’s been “retiring” for years, but there’s still no sign of those golf clubs making an appearance, or that TT bike getting sold!

The excitement and fear in the air before the non-wetsuit swim in the Mediterranean set the tone for an unforgettableday. Warm, calm water with perfect visibility made for a beautiful swim. The nerves settled and I reminded myself that racing in Nice is such a privilege.  The sunrise over the bay made sighting difficult at times but added a touch of magic as athletes carved through the turquoise water towards T1.

Delighted to be back on dry land, it was onto the stoney beach and long transition, through the bag pick up and packed racks.  It was a time for efficiency and composure especially with the day’s biggest challenge waiting: the legendary Col de Vence.

The bike course was every bit as tough as promised – a real championship test, front loaded with all the elevation.  The climb to the Col de Vence stretched relentlessly upward for 10km with sharp, steep sections up to 14% that called for patience and steady pacing.  The views were spectacular which made the effort worthwhile with a great sense of relief on reaching the peak. All those days spent on Shannapheasteen and the Woodcock Hill paid off.

The technical descents were fast and fun but demanded focus while twisting sharply on tight hairpin turns, going through small villages and rough mountain roads.  It was a punishing course and conquering it felt like a genuine achievement especially after seeing a number of athletes walking on the way up and several crashes on the way down.

Back on the Promenade des Anglais, the two loop flat run course was full of energy. Crowds lined both sides of the road, and the blaring music lifted tired legs and spirits. The Mediterranean shimmered beside the course, the spectators, volunteers and especially the athletes encouraging each other made the kilometres pass by.

I could hear the finishing line before I could see it and having that hard earned medal around my neck brought a wave of emotion and pride.  To race among the world’s best females in such an iconic location is an honour. EPIC is the only way I could describe this one.

The World Championship hits different; it’s triathlon on another level and being there was a reminder why I love this sport. I can’t wait to do it all over again and hopefully I’ll stay fit and healthy to do it for years to come.  All the messages of support meant so much and thank you to Keith, Val, Mike and Conor for an amazing weekend of racing, supporting and celebrating. The last and one word has to go to our very own Joanne Murphy – legend xxx.

It all started on a warm June evening in Copenhagen. Colin and Andy; still riding high on the post 70.3 excitement, decided that now was the time to sign up for their next race. I; still in the depths of regret from having pulled out of the Denmark race months before, decided that I could, and would, get my act together and train for what would be my first race of the year. It was only a sprint after all…

The last weekend in August arrived and with two weeks to go before the City Of Derry Triathlon, I put on my wetsuit for the second time this year. Staring my Copenhagen delusions in the face, I decided the only way to make up for my lack of sea swims was to swim to Foudra. A sink or swim strategy – with a few support kayaks just in case. If I could survive Foudra, I could manage a 750m swim, surely? And survive I did. Wrecked. It took four days for my arms to stop hurting. Swim prep – tick!

Then came race week. A week for some light training, rest, recovery, carb loading. For making sure your gear is prepped and your bags are packed. I arrived back to Galway at 4am on Thursday morning from a work trip with several flight delays, many dodgy airport sandwiches and packed my car with so little motivation that I was actively hoping that I would forget something important, forcing me out of the race.

Arrivingin Derry, I was frankly raging when I discovered that Andy had brought an electric tire pump with him – that was my bike flat tire excuse out the window! I suggested to Aoife that we get up and do a long slow run instead, but she had done a LSR the day before. I went for one last desperate swing and suggested in the Whatsapp group that Orlaith Kilgannon, who was coming along to support, might at least do the swim for me. She laughed it off. I cried inside.

And so it was. 8am by the Foyle, wetsuited and race ready-ish. Goggles already in flitters but too late to turn back now. Thankfully Colin’s lovely family were there for distraction and with Orlaith, Aoife, Andy and Poppy in the crowd for support, I figured all that was left was to enjoy it. Plus it was the European Championships so after the incredible Juniors stepped up to represent their countries, I figured it was time to get over myself.

And guys, I actually enjoyed the swim! The wind had been blowing over the river making it look like we were about to face into a serious current but the tide was with us and with spectators alongside for the duration, it made for a fast and fun time.

Then onto the bike. Now, this is where the serious athletes would say that pre-race prep should always include a good understanding of the course – what is the elevation, does it have technical turns. At this stage it will surprise no one to learn that I had adopted an ignorance is bliss strategy which unfortunately meant that no one was more shocked than myself to learn, mid-way up an outrageously steep hill, that this was in fact, a very very hilly course. At least the out and back meant that I was able to cheer on Andy Ainley and Colin (Spaceballs) O’Donnell as they sped past me on their way back to the run.

It was on the cycle that I also discovered just how little running fitness applies to cycling fitness but after some very jelly legs off the bike ( and thanks to some actual jelly beans left beside my bed by our epic Airbnb hosts) for the first time in the entire race, I finally found some flow. The course was a lovely loop by the water that ended with a run across the peace bridge and into Ebrington Square for a short but steep hill finish.

So what have we learned? Honestly, very little. If anything, it proved that with very poor planning and training, races can still be great fun with the right people present. Special shout out to Aoife for superior Airbnb booking and Colin & Celine for being incredible hosts to what is a city that is more than worth the trip.

Coosan point and Lough Ree is a fantastic location, in terms of scenery but also it’s actually a great location for so many triathlon clubs and there were clubs from Longford, Cavan, Dublin, Offaly and GTC was well represented by the lads below:

Swim

First off, a big thank you to Trish, who maybe felt sorry for me being the (literal) butt of everyone’s jokes at Loughrea triathlon with a massive tear on the (as Trish would say, the technical term is…) gluteus maximus of my wetsuit. It really is impressive how much wetsuits seem to shrink in storage every winter! Anyway, tip for all triathlete’s – dental floss, a sewing needle and some wetsuit glue (or tec 7) -stitch it from the inside and cover the stitching in glue – job done. Not only did it survive the swim, it came through a dogged T1 unscathed!

Back to the swim, the swim was really sheltered and a good wide start gate made it one of the most enjoyable swims of the year (I still managed to get boxed in at the start but once I got a bit of room, I was up and moving!) and I got around in 15minutes. The lake itself still showed signs of low-water from the dry-spell and was about 3-4ft lower than normal but it didn’t really effect the swim apart from a few reeds to the face in the very shallow parts. Great swim for anyone looking to do a try-a-tri next year, the swim is shallow and the club really seems to look after the tri-a-tri participants.

Bike

The bike was a 3k out, followed by a ~4k loop 3 times and then the 3k back to T2. The loops were technical enough especially as other waves merged onto the course – if it was wet I wouldn’t have liked to see some of those turns on a shiny good road surface.

The bike course was fast though and its just a pity it was all over after 18k, I could have kept going out there but alas 28:51 and a 36.1km/h average and it was all over just that little bit too soon.

Run

The run was what I guess actual runners would call an honest course, I’d call it lumpy! There wasn’t 200m of flat road in it so I found it hard to get going. I met Ruaidhri and Martin on the way back claiming a nice 1-2 for GTC! Back to my own race, finally manged to get the legs pumping and negative splits all the way home (it was 4.7km) in 20:12. Slowest triathlon run pace of the year but enjoyable all the same.

After

It nice to hang around and again, credit to Athlone triathlon club for creating a friendly atmosphere (the marshals in transition were great craic). And I would recommend this as a great race to close out the triathlon season. Big shout out to the GTC lads who were there – always great craic and encouraging to everyone around. Finally, thanks to my wife Joanne who, not for the first time this year, took up the role of GTC photographer, hype-person and loudest supporter on-course!

Too early to start mentioning duathlon season? Miriam I promise I’ll turn up to at least some track session this winter!