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Gaelic footballers can learn from Goodyear Tyres 

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By Brian Foley from Activate Fitness

In the early 1980s, Goodyear tyres were responsible for fitting tyres to a few high-performance cars, mostly, the Chevrolet Corvette.

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The tyre’s roots were based on Formula One racing - the elite of the elite in racing car performance. The tyre’s design was very different from most passenger car tyres and it was an overnight victory with devotees of performance cars. The tyre featured a low profile side wall, large tread blocks for good dry traction grip, a very stiff sidewall and a nylon cap over the steel belts to hold the tyre together at high speeds. The tyre received a unique sidewall rating and it was designated with a 'V' which meant the tyre had been safely tested in the laboratory to stay together at speeds as high as 149mph. This is the first time the high-performance tyre was made in America.

This tyre was an instant hit even though it was costly - even by today’s standards. It was not uncommon for them to cost over $200 each when generic, average tyres weren’t ever more than $50 each. Since then, however, the high-performance tyre has made its way onto almost every modern car. This is because automobile manufacturers found that high-performance tyres helped cars handle better, corner better, stop better, steer better, were safer and worked well with anti-lock brake technology. During this time tyre manufacturers began to produce a multitude of intermediate high-performance tyres known as “touring” tyres which were designed to accede to high-performance demands and lessen ride and wear issues. Within a few years, there was an entire list of high-performance tyre categories which include ultra-high performance, performance, touring, cosmetic performance, touring performance, etc. As technology advanced, automobile manufacturers began to equip nearly everything with a performance tyre - even on work vans - because of one simple reason: they help sell cars because they are attractive and because of the benefits they add to the steering and braking of the car.

In the same way performance tyres slowly made their way from F1 performance cars to the everyday driver, strength and conditioning has made its way down from Olympians and elite athletes to the amateur and emerging athlete. More than ever before, young, emerging and amateur athletes are buying into the idea of a high-performance training programme, even if they aren’t yet at an elite level of competition. Over time, emerging athletes realised that:

“What got me here, won’t get me there”

This fundamental shift in thinking has meant that a choice and habit - to take strength and conditioning training seriously - that used to be exclusive to Olympians and elite athletes, is now becoming the norm.

For you as an athlete, that means that your competition is getting better too. They are running faster, feeling stronger, and expressing more power when they throw, shoot, kick, run and jump. If you aren’t taking your gym training seriously, it’s the equivalent of riding on bald tyres… it’s only a matter of time before you crash.

So, no matter what type of athlete you are - there is almost always a place for a quality strength and conditioning programme to keep you injury-free, feeling strong and demonstrating power and athleticism.

You could always ignore the warning signs - but ignore them long enough, and your dreams will be stopped dead in their tracks when you’ve run out of tread and crashed on the side of the road.

Activate’s annual pre-season programme is about to get underway and starts in the coming weeks. If you are an athlete and are looking to improve over the winter, this is the programme for you. It's designed by a master in S&C, a qualified coach who has also competed at high level themselves. It is overseen by a masters qualified S&C coach who has over 15 years experience in the field and who has worked in professional sports.

To find out more visit our website www.activate.ie or email us at hello@activate.ie.

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Community College TY students become qualified baristas

School Dayz Transition Year students at Killarney Community College spent last Tuesday learning the skills to become baristas. They completed a full-day training course and are now qualified to make […]

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School Dayz

Transition Year students at Killarney Community College spent last Tuesday learning the skills to become baristas.

They completed a full-day training course and are now qualified to make coffee, which could make them very employable in local cafes and restaurants this summer.
Their teachers, who are described as the school’s “resident coffee experts,” were impressed with the students’ hard work and enjoyed the lattes, cappuccinos, and Americanos the students made throughout the day.
In addition to their barista training, the TY students also took a trip to Mallow. There, they learned about the rules of the road, practiced the driver theory test, and many got behind the wheel of a car for the first time. They also learned about the dangers of speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

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Rising stars Amano and Lillie Foley to share stage in ANAM

Two of Killarney’s rising musical talents, Amano and Lillie Foley, are set to perform their first ever joint headline concert at the ANAM Cultural Centre. Singer-songwriter and sean nós singer […]

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Two of Killarney’s rising musical talents, Amano and Lillie Foley, are set to perform their first ever joint headline concert at the ANAM Cultural Centre.

Singer-songwriter and sean nós singer Amano will bring her ‘Mythilligocial Meitheal Tour’ home for a special live performance of both her contemporary and traditional music.

Joining her on the night is local rising star Lillie Foley, making it a special event to celebrate two young Killarney songwriters making their mark on the Irish music scene. The event is supported by Kerry County Council Arts Office.

Amano, described by Hot Press in 2024 as an “idiosyncratic talent” is comfortable performing in both English and Irish, draws influences from alt-folk, R&B, and traditional sean-nós singing.

Her project THREAD was nominated for Irish language Album and Song of the year at the Gradaim Nós in 2024.

Her recent singles, ‘Burn’ and ‘The Birthing House’, have received airplay on RTÉ Radio 1, Radio Kerry, and Raidió na Life.

Lillie Foley, a 22-year-old singer who recently graduated from the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance with a BA in Voice, has released two debut singles in 2025, ‘Someday’ and ‘That’s Life’, which blend pop, soul, and folk genres.

The event is supported by Kerry County Council Arts Office.

The concert will take place on May 23, at the ANAM Cultural Centre in Killarney, starting at 7:00pm. Tickets are available from €15 plus a booking fee on Ticketpass.org.

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