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22nd Aug 2024

WATCH: David Clifford on dealing with pressure, nutrition and striving to be a ‘normal person’

Sarah McKenna Barry

Brought to you by Grenade

The second episode of Mic’d Up With Marty is back, and this time, it’s Grenade Ambassador David Clifford’s turn in the hot seat.

Grenade’s podcast Mic’d Up With Marty sees Marty Guilfoyle sit down with some of Ireland’s greatest sportspeople, and after a cracking first episode with rugby player Andrew Porter, it’s time for one of Ireland’s most exciting Gaelic footballers to swing by for a chat.

That’s right, in the latest episode of Mic’d Up With Marty, our host makes the journey to Fossa GAA Club in Co. Kerry to sit down with the legend that is David Clifford.

At just 25 years-old, David Clifford has reached All-Star status five times over, making him arguably the best Gaelic Footballer in Ireland. To kick things off, David took a trip down memory lane, and recalled his first time on the pitch, and how he overcame his first roadblock – being a “bit of a crier as a kid”. Eventually, those tears subsided, and with the support of his family and community, David’s love for the sport grew, and at 16, he was called to play for Kerry Minors.

Years later, with numerous titles to his name, that sense of community remains a hugely motivating factor for David. As he tells Marty, his family and community rally around him, in good times and bad. They’re ready to lift him up through losses, but when he’s successful, that sense of pride he feels is elevated thanks to his community.

This attitude also helps him deal with pressure, which David tries to see as a privilege. He tells Marty that as an athlete, you have to appreciate that you’ll have more lows than highs, but it’s this way of thinking that makes the highs more enjoyable. With that in mind, he shares some great pearls of wisdom to aspiring athletes – keep your head down in success and high in defeat and disappointment.

Of course, no episode of Mic’d Up With Marty would be complete without the nutrition conversation, and David has plenty to share in that arena, from the importance of minding his nutrition during the off-season, to reaching for Grenade bars when he needs a quick protein source, to his takeaway order.

Elsewhere on Mic’d Up With Marty, David shares how he tries to strike a balance in life off the pitch – whether that’s as a PE teacher in his day job, or as a family man. Marty also has some quick fire questions to get to know David better, so to hear about the last photo he took, song he listened to or his dream holiday destination, watch the full episode right here.

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