Galway teacher heads to European Gymnastics Championships

A Galway teacher is to represent Ireland in the European Gymnastics Championships next month. Molly Nightingale from Gort has been training with Renmore Gymnastics Club since she was ten.

From an early age, Molly was a real star in the discipline of tumbling and travelled all around the country and abroad to compete nationally and on the world stage.

Tumbling is the execution of acrobatic movements such as rolls, twists, handsprings or somersaults down a 25 metres long sprung track. Unlike most other disciplines in gymnastics, tumbling does not involve the use of apparatuses.

It dates back to Ancient China, Egypt, and Greece when it was performed by travelling bands of entertainers.

Molly’s best results saw her take bronze in 2018 and 2019 in the internationally regarded Scalabis Cup competition where gymnasts from all over the world compete, including Olympic gymnasts.

At age 28, this is the first time she will compete at senior level, which is a massive achievement for herself and her club, as well long-time coach Elaine Ryan.

She qualified for the contest by hitting a particular score at trials held by Gymnastics Ireland.

She is the only senior female in the country competing in Tumbling. There are two other boys from Renmore Gymnastics also going – Cian Hayes and Hugo Kinehan – who are from Limerick but go to college in Galway.

“The three of us are at senior level. Ireland has very few at our level. A lot of the time we’re competing against ourselves here,” she explains, on a break from her school sports weeks.

She will be up against gymnasts as young as 17 – but this doesn’t faze the consummate professional.

“I’m not considered old. I’m actually peaking,” she enthuses.

The European Championships take place in Rimini, Italy, from June 1 to 5, which she also must cough up for out of her own coffers”.

The gymnast spent six years in college to qualify as a PE teacher and has a Masters in Physical Education from the University of Limerick.

For over two years Molly has been a PE and learning support teacher for students with additional needs at Merlin Woods College in Doughiska.

She enjoys teaching pupils gymnastics during PE class, as it is traditionally a module that teachers shy away from due to concerns about safety.

“They’re always asking me ‘Miss, can you do this, can you do that?’ They put a video on Instagram of me tumbling. I love showing them how to do gymnastics correctly. It is such a technical sport.”

Praising the support of her secondary school, Molly is also grateful to Renmore Gynastics which has such an impressive track record in producing top class gymnasts.

“The enthusiasm and determination of the coaches, their dedication to us is amazing. They put so much time into it.”

She currently spends twelve hours training in the club and a further three hours in the gym, so it’s a real commitment.

“Yeah, it is a big commitment. But I absolutely love it. I would have to still love it to be still doing it at 28,” she laughs.

She hopes to make the final eight in the European Championships.

“It will depend on the standard when I get over there,” she reflects.

“I’ve competed at world championships when I was 16. But it’s taken a long time to get to seniors. I had to put my career first. Now, it’s a good time for me. I’m financially stable. I’m able to focus rather than worry about college, paying bills.

“Now I can support myself to get the strength and conditioning and nutritional support. I fund it all myself. Of course, I’d love a sponsor – that would be amazing.”