Kerry footballer David Clifford has lifted the lid on family life and his son Ógie with girlfriend Shauna O'Connor.
He said that the arrival of the baby was a "welcome distraction" in what was a busy championship season last summer.
The tot was born just days after Kerry lost to Tyrone in a shock defeat in the All Ireland Senior Football Championship semi-final in Croke Park but, for David, it wasn't hard to focus with so much going on both on and off the field at the same time.
READ MORE: David Clifford opens up on 'unreal' experience of being a father
David told RSVP Magazine: "Becoming a father was a welcome distraction and it helped me to take my mind off football a small bit.
"It wasn’t hard to focus at all and if anything, the arrival of Ógie made me more focused because I was playing for someone else and not just myself."
How long have he and his girlfriend Shauna been together? "We met about five years ago through friends of ours."
David's brother Paudie is also on the Kerry team and it is an incredible honour for him to play alongside your sibling. It is something he dreamed about when he was growing up.
The GAA star said: "It is great to have the two of us together. It is probably even better for our family and our club to have two players involved with the county team.
"We are always focused on the next game so we don’t think about it too much."
Not every family in Ireland has one player, never mind two playing for a senior inter-county team.
David said: "Yeah, our parents are very proud. They are big football people, so it brings them great joy, I am sure."
David previously admitted that he was nervous to become a young father. However, but he loved knowing that a baby was going to arrive into the world while he was playing championship in 2021.
The three time All-Star winner said: "It was brilliant, there was lots of excitement at home.
"Obviously, it has been a bit of a change for us but, in fairness, it has been great.
"Being a father has given me a new perspective on things and there is lots of fun attached to fatherhood. I am loving it."
Read the full interview with David Clifford in this month's issue of RSVP Magazine - on shelves now
David Clifford was speaking at the launch of SuperValu’s #CommunityIncludesEveryone campaign. Now in their thirteenth year of supporting the GAA All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, SuperValu is once again calling on each and every member of GAA communities across the country to do what they can to make their community more diverse and inclusive.
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