'Everything starts with milk': farmer's son Rob Kearney

Taking a time out from his packed training schedule amidst the 2019 Six Nations Championship, Irish international rugby star Rob Kearney  joied with the National Dairy Council and European Milk Forum to support the Irish leg of a European campaign focused on encouraging Irish consumers to drink more taste quality milk from Europe. 
Supporting the campaign theme of “Everything starts with milk,” the Dundalk-born player credits his upbringing on his family’s dairy farm for helping him form healthy habits such as drinking milk daily which have contributed to his successful career. 
Kearney says: “Growing up on our family farm, milk and dairy was always an important part of our diet. I have worked with the National Dairy Council for a number of years and am a great supporter of milk and dairy as part of a healthy, balanced diet”.
The pan-European campaign – supported locally by Kearney – is being implemented to highlight the importance of milk as an important dietary building block at all stages of life, from childhood growth and development to post-workout recovery. The EU-funded campaign, implemented locally by the National Dairy Council, will include a marketing campaign and advertising with TV airing later this year.
The perfect post-performance recovery drink, milk is rich in protein – an important nutrient for muscle growth and maintenance – and provides a natural carbohydrate source to help refuel energy stores. A glass of milk offers an abundance of electrolytes in a fluid form to assist rehydration and provides a number of vitamins and minerals with important roles for health including calcium, phosphorous, and potassium to support bone health, iodine to contribute to normal cognitive brain function, vitamin B2 to assist with energy release, and vitamin B12 to support normal functioning of the immune system*.
“Eating well is essential and adapting your nutritional intake to your sport is a necessity. In-season or out of season, as well as pre-, during and post-performance, all influence our nutritional considerations.” He added
 Jeanne Spillane, marketing manager at the National Dairy Council said, “We are delighted to welcome Rob Kearney on board as our ambassador for this year’s European Milk campaign. With his dairy farming heritage and outstanding career to date as a performance athlete, Rob reinforces the campaign’s message that incorporating milk into a healthy diet from a young age is an important practice for aspiring champions.”
“An inspirational figure for the campaign’s younger audiences – many who have their own fitness and athletic goals – Rob’s career trajectory proves that milk plays a vital role within a sports nutrition regime and we look forward to working alongside him to develop engaging content, activities and appearances throughout the year to highlight the important role milk has taken in creating a true Irish rugby legend!”

*Research conducted by the National Dairy Council in Ireland.