After spending a year in Sweden working with horses and travelling for two years in America and Canada Anne Quirke’s inspiration for all things health related came from working on an organic farm in the Selkirk Mountains in Nelson, British Columbia in 1999. Her career in the health industry then began in Ireland in 2001 when she qualified as a massage therapist and soon after in 2002 she completed her diploma as a fitness instructor.
From a young age, Anne always had a passion to work for herself. In 2008 she developed a partnership with an Irish Dietician, David McDonagh, after which time she opened a successful weight loss clinic in Roscommon Town. During this period Anne Quirke became more and more interested in food and the therapeutic effects nutrition was having on her clients health and not just from a weight loss perspective. Anne says “the results were incredible from improved bowel health to increased energy levels and reduced blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetic clients”. This inspired Anne to explore Nutritional Medicine Colleges in Ireland. After some research she discovered the Institute of Health Sciences in Dublin were offering a clinical nutrition course based on functional medicine. It was in September 2012 that Anne’s 4 year educational journey in Nutrition began. Anne has spent the last two years working for Global Nutraceutical Company, Pharma Nord and Viridian Nutrition.
“I am passionate about nutrition and I love all things fitness and health related. I also love research and education so my goal with this website is create a platform of science based nutritional education. I grew up on a farm in Killimor, Co. Galway and I was a super active child always helping on the farm and playing sports at a young age from camogie to soccer to cross-county running. I started horse riding at age 9 and just fell in love with it and spent every Saturday on my neighbour’s farm, Flowerhill Equestrian Centre, hacking through the woods, galloping across acres of fields and then into the river for a wash! After finishing school and travelling I continued playing soccer and was voted Galway Premier League Player of the Year Award in 2002. When I moved to Roscommon there wasn’t much choice for soccer teams locally so I took up golf. Within two years of playing and with plenty of coaching and practice I won the Captains and Presidents prize at the Roscommon Golf Club in 2010 and received Roscommon Sports Personality of the Year Award for Ladies Golf in the same year. More recently during my college years, although I had been an avid runner, a recurring hamstring injury prevented me from competing so I turned to strength training to heal the injury and from there I developed an interest in powerlifting. My love for this sport turned into competing and to date I have four national powerlifting records. My newest sport is handball – let’s see how that goes!
I am a competitive person by nature but I am also a determined character so if I start something new, be it a sport or a project, I have to give it my all – quitting is not an option for me!
I apply the same principles to my business and helping my clients. I understand that making dietary and lifestyle changes may not be easy – but it is achievable with the right vision, mindset and support. If you make one change a week for a month that’s four changes in a month or if you are up for more of a challenge and make two per week that’s eight changes and so on and so forth. Can you see how progress starts at a pace that suits you? Making dietary and lifestyle changes to improve your quality of life is a journey of self discovery and not a road race!”
I have worked with a wide variety of clients, international athletes and I am the Nutritionist for the Strokestown Cycling Club and for Corporate Wellness Ireland. I have done various radio interviews with Dublin South FM, Dublin City Radio and our local Ros FM. I am an experienced public speaker and I enjoy doing health and sports nutrition talks, writing health blogs and articles.
When I’m not helping clients I enjoy road cycling, mountain biking, handball, yoga, volunteering at the local RSPCA, culture and travelling, live music, good food and wine and relaxing with family and friends.
