Our Coaching Team
Claire McGlynn
Owner & Head Coach
Born and raised in Terenure, Claire studied French and German at Trinity College Dublin, where she was heavily involved in sports, captaining the Athletics Club for two years and coaching core and circuit training. Following her studies, she worked in sports marketing while continuing to coach in both Trinity and Dublin schools.
Over the years Claire qualified as a personal trainer, CrossFit, athletics and weightlifting coach. She tutored other students studying personal training through Image Fitness Training and coached CrossFit in CrossFit 353 gym in Ballsbridge from 2014-2019. She partnered with the Retired Teachers Association of Ireland (RTAI) in 2014 – a relationship she continues to this day 🙂
Claire opened her own gym, Unit 1 Training Facility, on her 30th birthday in March 2017. The gym has been going strong since; a lovely community of members and clients has grown and flourished. Claire leads with a hands-on approach, managing the gym, coaching group classes and conducting personal 1-1 training with her lovely clients, from the beginner to business professionals to competitive athletes.
With a true passion for teaching, Claire is committed to training, educating, and inspiring people of all skill levels to improve their quality of life through exercise and nutrition—all while enjoying the journey.
Dedicated to “practicing what she preaches,” Claire joins a class daily alongside her members, exemplifying the commitment shared by her team of like-minded coaches.
Claire has transformed her lifelong passion for fitness into a thriving career. With a background in competitive athletics, she was the Junior and Under-23 Irish Champion in the 400m sprint. After a severe hamstring injury in her early 20s ended her sprinting career, she pivoted to weightlifting, where she has continued to excel. Claire holds multiple Irish records, has won numerous national titles, and has competed at the highest levels in athletics, Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, CrossFit, and Hyrox, both in Ireland and across Europe. Notably, Claire was the first woman in Ireland to officially clean and jerk 100kg.
Ian Kelly
Coach, Personal Trainer & Manager
Ian, another Terenure native, has been a fellow head coach since the gym opened in March 2017. He is a strength and conditioning coach who specialises in technique and movement. Ian played elite underage football for Shamrock Rovers and rugby for St. Marys College Cssp, amongst others.
Ian’s professional career in the health and fitness industry started in the sports massage and physical therapist arena. After 6 years of working as a therapist and understanding that many peoples’ injuries were coming from lack of strength, conditioning and poor form, he decided to move his expertise towards the weights room. Specialising in weight training for sport and life became his full time career.
Ian joined the coaching team in Unit 1 Training Facility when it opened in March 2017. He is based from here, coaching classes and personally training clients of all abilities 1-1.
Ian coaches S&C to both junior and senior elite athletes in a variety of sports. Some high profile athletes he has worked with include Ireland’s former number one badminton player, Scott Evans. He also works with Ireland’s highest ranked tennis player Dave O’Hare. Dave was ranked 117 in the world in doubles and is often seen in the gym with Ian, working on all aspects of his fitness and movement.
Ian continues to coach young elite athletes who are striving to achieve NCAA scholarships in America. He provides them with the physical and mental skills needed to thrive in these high profile and competitive programs.
Ian is also coaching and competing in Hyrox at the highest level. Most recently taking Dave Kelly and Dean Power to the Hyrox World championships in Nice, 2024.
He is continuing to build his reputation coaching many athletes online and travelling to different Hyrox events around Europe.
Ian brings his experience, personality and passion when coaching each class while always focusing on solid technique. Whether it be strength training, Olympic Lifting or high intensity training (conditioning), Ian, like Claire, ensures that each person is moving correctly and maximising their time in the session, whilst also having the craic 😉
Catherine Harris
Coach & Personal Trainer
Catherine, another local from Terenure, first joined Unit 1 in 2018 at the age of 18 to train as a member. At the time, she was studying Business, French, and Spanish, but after a few months of training up to 6 times a week in Unit 1 and seeing significant results, she realised she was on the wrong path. Catherine then switched to Health and Performance Science at UCD. After completing her Undergraduate with first-class honours, she continued her studies at the University of Groningen, earning a Master’s Degree in Sports Science.
During her undergraduate studies, Catherine completed an internship at Unit 1, gaining valuable knowledge and experience in strength and conditioning, as well as an appreciation for the unique environment at Unit 1. Whilst in the Netherlands, she also undertook a year-long internship with the Royal Dutch Football Association, working closely with elite injured athletes in biomechanical analysis and training load management.
After her masters in Groningen in 2022, Catherine started working full time with the team in Unit 1. She coaches classes in the gym, organises events and competitions, and takes clients 1-1 for personal and online training. Her clients range from kids, to those who want to just get fit to long distance runners, to open water swimmers, to team sport athletes.
As a coach, Catherine brings a unique perspective, blending her personal experience as a member of Unit 1 with the in-depth knowledge and insights from her academic background. She is passionate about helping others unlock their potential, using her expertise to create meaningful, results-driven training experiences.
A sports fanatic since childhood, Catherine has competed at the provincial level in hockey, badminton, and cross-country. In the last three years, she has competed in many CrossFit competitions and has trained for and completed two marathons—one in Rotterdam and another in Barcelona— and is currently preparing for her third!
Catherine is also strength and conditioning coach for Wanderers Rugby Club Under 20s, J2s and the women’s senior squad.
Will Geraghty
Coach & Personal Trainer
Will, homegrown in Terenure, first joined Unit 1 as a tween, partaking in personal training with Ian Kelly in 2018 after stopping rugby due to injury and later becoming a full-time member of the gym.
Will kept up his training until finishing school in St. Mary’s Rathmines in 2022. His passion for the gym continued into his college life where he switched from studying International Relations in DCU to completing a personal training course in UCD. After this, he also qualified as a strength and conditioning coach through the Elite Performance Institute, as well as achieving his CrossFit Level 1.
Will coaches classes in Unit 1 as well as taking clients on a 1-1 basis. He also coaches like minded members in Project Fit, a similar functional fitness gym, in Mount Venus, Rathfarnham.
He loves competing in the CrossFit Open every year and partaking in functional fitness/CrossFit type competitions like the Poseidon Games alongside members, helping them build camaraderie and achieving personal goals.
Will loves all things CrossFit but his favourite aspect of the gym is Olympic Weightlifting, leading a class every Wednesday evening in Unit 1, detailing the complex movements of the barbell Snatch and Clean and Jerk. These lifts are notorious for helping build stronger neurological patterns, developing the central nervous system, and developing strength, power and agility.
Will is happy to chat and have the craic but also tries to get the most out of the people he coaches, helping them strive to reach their fitness goals.
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