The YMCA sports grounds used to have little more than an overgrown hockey pitch with grass growing up to one's shins. Nowadays, there's a football/hockey pitch, cricket field, and a modern sports complex with a small gym, changing rooms for the outdoor sports, and a hall upstairs which hosts aerobics classes, yoga, tai chi and a whole host of other weekly activities.
The gym membership is much cheaper than most, and they also offer a substantial student discount. There's a drop-in rate of just €5, which is great if you don't want to commit to the full year or are realistic enough to admit that you probably won't be going four times a week come the end of January.
The range of equipment is limited, but there's rarely more than four or five people in the gym at a time - less people to be embarrassingly red and sweaty around! read more