Talks to Claire Fox

Like many rural children, Dublin and Leinster team performance nutritionist Daniel Davey didn’t appreciate the uniqueness of his family farm until he departed it to go to university in Dublin.

Raised on his family’s beef and sheep farm in Chaffpool near Tubbercurry, Co Sligo, Daniel credits his upbringing on the farm with his love for sustainable food and cooking.

“Like a lot of people, as I’ve gotten a little older I can appreciate how the values I got from growing up on a farm have shaped my values on food,” he says.

“In our house we never wasted food. I have positive and happy memories of tending to lambs on the farm and visiting my grandparents’ dairy farm.

“My grandparents lived nearby and grew vegetables so I spent a lot of evenings picking veg and collecting eggs from the hen house.”

Sticking to his farming roots, Daniel studied agricultural science at UCD and found his true passion in the nutrition modules.

“I made friends for life within the course. I always found myself taking a lot of the nutrition-type modules and this led me to want to pursue sports nutrition.”

Daniel knew it wouldn’t be easy but his aim was to work with some of the country’s biggest and best sports teams.

“I had to work for years to get the experience,” he says. “I did talks on performance nutrition around the country and in schools, and I eventually got involved with the Dublin hurling team.

“In 2012 job opportunities arose where I felt I could make a difference.”

These jobs included performance nutritionist roles at Leinster rugby and the Dublin senior football team, with both winning a glut of major trophies and reaching legendary status in their sports.

Rather than focusing on the scientific elements of nutrition when working with the players, Daniel likes to practically explain to players how eating well can enhance their performance on the field and overall health.

“I like to talk to them about food culture and how making enjoyable and healthy meals can help them achieve their goals,” he says.

“What I’ve learned is that making a meal as practical and as easy as possible is also key to getting people cooking.”

Daniel returns most weekends to help run his family farm, which

‘As I’ve gotten a little older I can appreciate how the values I got from growing up on a farm have shaped my values on food’