Operation Transformation, the GAA and Get Ireland Walking team up to light up the Nation for ‘Ireland Lights up’

The GAA’s popular Ireland Lights Up walking initiative returns, beginning tomorrow night, Wednesday 12 January, in partnership with RTE’s Operation Transformation and Get Ireland Walking. Operation Transformation prides itself on bringing communities together and getting them up and out in order to improve both their physical and mental health. The programme has evolved considerably over the years, and this initiative will be launched tomorrow night at 9.35pm on RTÉ One as part of its holistic approach to adopting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle as well as losing weight.

Ireland Lights Up encourages GAA clubs across the 32 counties to turn on their floodlights and open their walking tracks to enable their local communities to come together to walk and talk in a safe environment during the long dark evenings of winter. As ever, Operation Transformation will shine a light on this great initiative by showcasing each week on the show GAA clubs that are participating in Ireland Lights Up.

With over 500 GAA clubs already signed-up, participating clubs will be asked open their gates on any or all evenings for the duration of the campaign from tomorrow, Wednesday 12th January, to Wednesday 2nd March 2022.

Get Ireland Walking is a national initiative of Sport Ireland, funded by Healthy Ireland, supported by Mountaineering Ireland, Irish Heart, HSE Health Promotion and Improvement, Age and Opportunity, the GAA, Ireland Active, Arthritis Ireland and others that aims to maximise the number of people participating in walking – for health, wellbeing, and fitness – throughout Ireland.

Operation Transformation 2022

Operation Transformation returned to screens on Wednesday 5th January on RTÉ One. Five brand new leaders from all over the country are taking on a health and wellness plan with the aim of resetting and kick starting a new chapter in their lives. Presented by Kathryn Thomas, she will be on hand to encourage the leaders every step of the way.

Over the course of eight weeks the audience will see what transformation means to each leader. All of them are looking to the experts for guidance and information that can help them to begin and sustain a healthy lifestyle. Some are seeking work/life balance, while others want to find the energy to keep up with their kids. No matter what their motivation the five leaders are here to inspire the nation to find their own transformation and start the year as they mean to go on.

Devising the health and wellness plan and guiding the new leaders are fitness coach Karl Henry, principal clinical psychologist Dr. Eddie Murphy, dietitian Aoife Hearne, and general practitioner Dr. Sumi Dunne.

The five leaders began their transformation back in November when they were fully assessed by the experts. They also underwent the minimum fitness test with Prof Niall Moyna of DCU and his team. All the information from this stage will assist the experts in charting the safest way for each leader to become healthier.

Operation Transformation is delighted to announce that this year it will be based in Mullagh in Co Cavan. Each week the leaders will meet the experts here as they chart their weekly progress. In partnership with Cavan County Council, the county will host the weekly ad break challenges where Karl Henry gets a group of Cavan people moving as well as the audience at home.

During the series Dr Eddie Murphy will also highlight some useful tips to help with mental wellness. As we all navigate our way through these difficult times Eddie will offer simple, practical advice that we can all use in our everyday lives.

Also back for 2022, is Ireland Lights Up. This popular initiative by the GAA encourages clubs from the 32 counties to open their grounds and allow people to safely walk under their lights with public health advice adhered to at all times. After a tough couple of years, the GAA and Get Ireland Walking are delighted to invite communities back into the safe outdoor spaces where everyone can get moving at their own pace.

RTÉ and Operation Transformation are delighted that Healthy Ireland will sponsor the series again this year.

Having had to postpone some outdoor events last year, Sport Ireland, The Local Sports Partnerships and Operation Transformation are happy to say they will again work to bring communities safely together for events. They aim to bring Nationwide Walks back on 16th January 2022 as well as the 5K in The Phoenix Park.

This year Operation Transformation will encourage the leaders and the nation to improve their wellbeing and look after themselves now and in the months ahead.