FIRSTART PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND WELL-BEING
WE PROVIDE THE TOOLS TO KEEP KIDS ACTIVE FOR LIFE
MEET OUR TEAM
MARY MANNION
Founder of Firstart Fitness, Ltd and Author of the Firstart Fitness Programmes.
Chief Instructor, 6th Degree Blackbelt in Taekwondo and Founder of Athlone Taekwon-do Academy since 1999, Mary is currently training in a full-time training centre in Athlone, Ireland. World Champion, ITF South Korea, 2010, her focus has now changed to instructing and teaching, guiding seven of her students to win World Titles. PE Instructor for schools around the Midlands of Ireland for over 17 years. Before moving to Ireland in 1996, she worked as a corporate trainer for Fortune 500/200 companies, and responsible for designing and developing custom training programmes in USA.
LEON BRYDONE
Special Technique Advisor and Manager in Firstart Training Centre
Leon, formerly the Head of Fitness and Coaching for the Hodson Bay Hotel Group, he now works as an assistant designer for Firstart Fitness Programmes and is in charge of the video programming of all of our material. Leon is a 5th Degree Blackbelt with the ITF and holds multiple world titles in both individual sparring and team events.
GRAINNE WHITE
Animation and Design Intern at Firstart Fitness, Ltd.
Graduated in Animation from the Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology. Grainne is designing the board game for the Home App in our In-Active Teen Intervention Programme. The designs and animation of the characters will further complement the evolving product line. Grainne is currently an animation graduate trainee at Ligh
LILY MANNION
Curriculum Assessment and Advisor to Current Education Requirements
Graduated in PE and Maths from the University of Limerick. Lily’s knowledge and current education enable us to make sure that our Primary School programme fits the needs of the requirements for students entering second level education. Lily is currently employed as a secondary school teacher in Templeogue College Dublin. Lily spent the last semester of her school year designing a programme for special needs students in Limerick that was administered by herself and her peers. She is a 3rd degree blackbelt in Taekwondo.
MARK ED RAFFELLI
Chief Technology Officer
Graduated with a Masters in Software Engineering. His results were published in the IADIS conference under the title "STATE – Sentiment Tracking Architecture for Targeted Enterprise"
Mark has been responsible for the Firstart Fitness App developement which has come online this November 2018 and it is currently being implemented in schools in Canada.
DR EVAN MANNION
Medical Doctor Galway Clinic
Currently working in the Galway Clinic and studying a Masters in Cardiology from NUIG under the supervision of Dr. Gerard Flaherty. Dr Mannion acts as a special advisor to Firstart Fitness. He is responsible for reviewing all material and content related to health and nutrition of the Firstart Fitness Programmes.
MARY FITZPATRICK
Office Administrator and Training Call Centre
Mary is responsible for the administrative duties and implementation of the Firstart Call Centre. She has a background in teaching/personal assistant at Primary and Further Education & Training level. She has three children who have spent a collective 35 years training with Athlone Taekwondo Academy.
CIARAN MANNION
Director in Firstart Fitness, Ltd
Ciaran is a business graduate of AIT and DCU in 1989. He enjoys business ideas that can create positive social change. He is actively promoting Firstart Fitness as a leading healthcare solution strategy. He believes the current Global focus on healthcare is primarily concerned with creating new medical devices and medicines.
The market for prevention strategy products is just emerging and key initial customers are Health Insurers, Governments and school districts.