The Irish economy experienced a severe downturn in 2008 affecting many families across County Clare and throughout Ireland. During this challenging period, James Ferns was employed as a painter and decorator helping to provide for his young family, wife Tracey and daughter Kaitlyn. Work became sporadic and scarce. By 2012 the future of the building trade was extremely uncertain. With two new additions to the family, Bobby and Jaime, the couple agreed something had to change.
After a thirteen-year break, James made the brave decision to return to full-time education, driven by his passion for sports, particularly soccer, and his interest in personal training. “It was a challenging time for us,” he remembers, “the kids were in preschool and Tracey was working in the Ennis National School”. “I was studying in college all day and working as a FAI Referee then in the evenings. Like many hardworking parents at the time, we barely saw each other but we made it work”. His dedication paid off, and he graduated with distinction, earning a diploma in Sports and Community Development.
Immediately after graduating, James wasted no time in finding employment at Educo Gym in Ennis, where he honed his training skills even further. However, the desire to establish his own venture eventually grew, leading to the birth of Ferns Fitness.
On a chilly February morning, James held his first Ferns Fitness class in the Fair Green in Ennis. To this day, almost 10 years later, it remains a testament to his abilities that many of the people who attended that inaugural class are still loyal clients. James offers a wide range of training services, including strength and conditioning, rehabilitation after injury, weight management, Garda Fitness Test Preparation, Thump Boxing, Post-Partum exercises, TRX band workouts, as well as classes for kids and teenagers.
Passionate about helping individuals achieve their goals, James works with people of all ages and abilities. His dedication extends beyond his clients, as he actively engages with the community. James collaborates with organizations such as Clare COPD Support Group, The Irish Heart Association, COPD Ireland and Eire Og making a positive impact on individuals with various fitness and health needs. James has contributed to many local sports groups and schools. Recently, he enjoyed working with Ennis Community College students as part of their Wellness week initiative. He volunteers as a coach with Ennis Town FC where his son Bobby plays and with Avenue United Girls FC where Jaime plays.
In November 2023, James and Tracey opened Ferns Wellness Health Store in Francis Street in Ennis to further enable people to meet their health and wellbeing needs. “I leave James classes energised, motivated and happy”, explains one of his clients, “James is always in great form no matter the hour and you just know he genuinely wants the best for you. His classes are great fun and I have made friends for life there”. If you would like to know more about any of the classes, groups or organisations that James works with, you can contact him on 0877709307 or on Instagram/Facebook @ferns.fitness
