#17 Kieran Davern: Competition Mindset, Wrestling & ADCC Ireland

In this episode of the Emerald Grappling Podcast, Aaron is joined by Kieran Davern, a 2nd degree black belt, the head coach of Éire Grapple, and the President of ADCC Ireland. Kieran shares his journey from starting Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 2008 to becoming a prominent figure in the Irish grappling community, and a top-level competitor on prestigious stages like Polaris and Grapplefest.We discuss the rapid evolution of the sport in Ireland over the past decade, and Kieran offers his perspective on the key factors that have driven its growth. He provides a behind-the-scenes look at his mental and physical preparation for elite-level competitions and offers advice for aspiring competitors. Kieran also explains his "hybrid" coaching style, which blends traditional methods with the Constraints-Led Approach to encourage creativity and problem-solving on the mats.Our conversation delves into the specifics of wrestling, with Kieran breaking down how he teaches students to chain takedown attempts together. As the President of ADCC Ireland, Kieran recaps the most recent event, highlighting standout matches and giving a shout-out to his student, Kathy Foy, for her successful performance. He also makes an exciting exclusive announcement for the upcoming 2026 ADCC Ireland season: an invitational show where top athletes will compete on a big stage, a testament to the high level of talent in Ireland.Finally, Kieran shares his long-term goals for both Éire Grapple and ADCC Ireland, and offers listeners a way to connect with him online to train or book a seminar.Chapters ➡ 00:00 - 02:18 Intro & Kieran's Origin Story02:19 - 04:00 Early Days of Irish Jiu Jitsu 04:01 - 06:07 Improved Standards growing the sport06:08 - 08:20 Learning from DVD Instructionals & Tom Egan08:21 - 12:40 Opening Éire Grapple & Something Special Building Up12:41 - 15:24 Competing on Grapplefest & Polaris 715:25 - 18:06 Mental Preparation for Invitationals & Matches18:07 - 20:44 Researching your opponents 20:45 - 25:34 Competition Mindset25:35 - 26:45 Training Consistently26:46 - 28:35 Refining your Techniques as a Black Belt28:36 - 33:20 Developing out your game33:21 - 34:02 Having Fun During Training34:03 - 42:52 Wrestling & Chaining Takedowns42:53 - 46:45 Constraint Led Approach for BJJ46:46 - 49:22 Kieran's Hybrid Coaching Approach 49:23 - 53:53 ADCC Ireland & Recapping the last ADCC Ireland Events53:54 - 1:01:39 Getting more ADCC Experience for Irish Athletes1:01:40 - 1:04:21 Standout Performances from the last ADCC Ireland1:04:22 - 1:08:44 Upcoming ADCC Ireland 2026 Season1:08:45 - 1:11:30 EXCLUSIVE ANNOUNCEMENT: ADCC Ireland Invitational Event coming in 20261:11:31 - 1:13:31 Kathy Foy Shoutout Performance1:13:32 - 1:14:19 Mark Dowd Shoutout1:14:20 - 1:17:10 Kieran's Goals for the future1:17:11 - 1:18:01 Connect with Kieran Online1:18:02 - 1:18:27 Like, Share & Subscribe & OutroMake sure to follow Kieran on the following:https://www.instagram.com/kierandavern1/https://www.instagram.com/eiregrapple/https://www.instagram.com/adccireland/https://www.linktr.ee/kierandavern If you enjoyed this episode of the podcast, please Like, Share and Subscribe! ✅----------------------------------------------------------------------------SPEND LESS, SUPPORT MORE 🫶🏻Want to save money while supporting your favourite BJJ athletes? Use Kieran's discount code to support his BJJ journey!https://eu.tatamifightwear.com/ DAVERN20 ✅----------------------------------------------------------------------------Follow Emerald Grappling on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emeraldgrappling/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@emeraldgrapplingRemember to subscribe and follow the podcast to avoid missing any episodes! ✅#EmeraldGrapplingPodcast #BJJPodcast #KieranDavern #ADCCIreland #EireGrapple #IrishGrappling #JiuJitsuIreland #Grappling #SubmissionGrappling #BrazilianJiuJitsu #BJJ #ADCC #NOGI #GrapplingNews