A day in the life: Daniel Flynn
June 23, 2016
Kildare's Daniel Flynn up against Graham Guilfoyle of Offaly ©INPHO/Cathal Noonan
Kildare GAA star Daniel Flynn discusses his daily routine with John O'Brien.
Morning
What time do you get up at?
I'm working now for the summer so I'm up for 6.30am but when I'm in college I get up around 8 or 9.
How long do you sleep for?
Not long lately, about 6 hours.
What do you eat for breakfast?
Scrambled eggs & avocado or porridge with peanut butter & honey
Do you train/exercise in the mornings?
Sometimes, it all depends on how much I've got going on that day.
Are you in college or work? What are you doing?
I'm working in the local shop in the village "O'Neills Londis Johnstownbridge". I'm in college as well and will be studying Accounting & Finance in NUI Maynooth in September.
Do you have a long commute?
No, I'm living in Enfield so work is 5 minutes one way up the road and college 10 minutes the other.
Is it hard to balance life between college/work and being an intercounty footballer?
At times it can be difficult. More often than not work takes second place to the county set up and a lot of organising of shifts and days off but college trumps both at the minute. I wish I had more time to spend with my girlfriend, friends and family though, that's the hardest part.
Mid-morning/afternoon
Do you go to the gym in the morning/afternoon?
All depends on what's happening that day, usually we have training at 7 in the evening.
How many times a week do you go to the gym?
Twice a week
What do you do in a typical gym session?
Each session starts with a full body warm up and then it's into various lifts and exercises working on upper and lower body for about an hour in total.
Where do you work out?
In the club gym in Johnstownbridge or the county gym in Newbridge
What would you eat for your lunch?
Most days I'll try and have a chicken salad/wrap or something along those lines.
What does your diet consist of? Do you have to be very careful with what you eat?
I'd have to keep an eye on what I eat alright, I try and limit carbohydrates to oats, sweet potato and fruit otherwise I can put on a few kgs fairly quickly. Chicken, meat, eggs and a lot of veg make up my diet when it's on point but you could throw in a lot of tea, chocolate and biscuits when things aren't going so well!
Do you drink much water? How much?
Around 2 litres, I'd try have a pint of water first thing in the morning and last thing at night.
Afternoon/Evening
What time do you get home from college/work at?
It varies from day to day because of the shifts in the shop. 5 or 6 o'clock when I start early or half 9 if I have to close.
What do you usually have for dinner?
Dinner is nearly always meat and two veg when I cook myself. When I go out for food I'd probably have the Fish & Chips or Fajitas. A main portion of Chicken Wings in the Hamlet Court Hotel as well when I'm treating myself.
What time do you have County training at?
In and around 7 most nights, I depends what time best suits lads commuting back from work and how much we have to get through that evening.
Where do you train?
During the league we train in Hawkfield just outside Newbridge. When the league is over then we change base to St. Conleths Park, the county grounds in Newbridge.
Is there anything in particular you would focus on in training yourself?
Before training I work on my shooting and during training Ill try focus on decision making and composure when I'm on the ball.
How often do you train a week?
5 times a week. Twice in the gym and 3 times on the pitch.
How long would a typical training session last?
Anywhere from an hour to 1 ½ hours. I'd usually leave the house at 6 and get back home for half 10 on most pitch days.
Do you find it hard to motivate yourself for training sometimes?
Yes, I'm finding it tough to stay motivated this year as I've been injured for the majority of it.
Would you often treat yourself with a takeaway/Chinese or a few pints? Or does this totally have to be cut out of your diet?
Not often, but I don't see the harm in having a few pints when out for dinner or the odd takeaway. My treats would be more along the lines of chocolate though!
What do you do to help take your mind of football?
I find I don't really think about football when I'm away from the set up, I'm just trying to enjoy it while I'm lucky enough to be able to play being honest.
On a typical day what time would you go to bed at?
I usually end up in bed around 12 or 1.
