Our Instructors

Eimear (Cavanagh) McDaid

Known mainly as Eimear Cavanagh locally, and Eimear McDaid outside of Inishowen, I answer to just about anything!

I work remotely full time in a Finance role in Tech, but jump onto the Reformer any chance I get!

I found Pilates over a decade ago (!) while working long hours in Dublin, and a physio recommended I try Pilates to continue my recovery from an injury.

To be honest, the first time I tried it, I didn’t like it! I was at the back of a school gym, with around 30-40 people in the class. I couldn’t see or hear the instructor and didn’t get much out of it! I persevered, eventually finding ‘The One’ - the instructor that explained it so clearly, that everything just clicked. I felt all those muscles I hadn’t known existed and I was blown away.

I asked question after question, trying to understand WHY I hadn’t understood it before, and eventually, she convinced me to go for my teacher training.

The rest, as they say, is history! I started teaching mat classes at lunchtimes in work, over zoom when the pandemic hit, and when I moved home I saw an opportunity to bring everything I’d learned to family, friends and the wider community. Hopefully, I can be ‘The One’ for you!

Sally Cavanagh

As Eimear’s Mum, Sally got stuck in when Excel Pilates was formed. Without her, we would never have been able to deliver as many classes as we did. From messaging, bookings, preparing for equipment for classes, putting our ‘Luxury Bundles’ together and testing out class designs - she has always played a key part in the team!

After retiring in 2022, Sally embarked on a pilates teacher training course in early 2023, aced all of her exams and is now a fully qualified teacher herself! She started delivering mat and reformer classes that summer, and now focuses exclusively on delivering reformer classes; or the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of exercise as she calls them! Her popularity has soared and she is now our main instructor and the face of Excel Pilates - delivering 90%-100% of our classes!

Practicing what she preaches, you’ll find Sally on the reformer most days and is in the best shape of her life!