David and Stephen Flynn

David and Stephen Flynn were born on 12 December 1979 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, to Irish parents. The family returned to Ireland six months later and settled in Greystones, County Wicklow, where the brothers were raised. They attended St Laurence's and St Kevin's National Schools, followed by Presentation College in Bray.{{Cite web|url=https://presbray.ie/happy-pear-brothers-back-in-pres/|title=Happy Pear Brothers Back in Pres|website=Presentation College Bray}} During school, they were both active in sports and received accolades including Rugby Player of the Year and Sportsman of the Year in their final year of secondary school.{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/the-unstoppable-ascent-of-the-happy-pear-1.2652342|title=The unstoppable ascent of the Happy Pear|website=The Irish Times|date=20 May 2016}}

Stephen Flynn earned a Bachelor of Commerce and a Master's in E-Commerce at University College Dublin.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ucd.ie/businessalumni/news/inprofile/stephenflynnbcomm01mbs02/|title=Stephen Flynn Alumni Profile|website=UCD}} David studied Business at Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT).{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/arid-20406872.html|title=Happy Pear: Brothers in business|website=Irish Examiner|date=3 March 2016}} After university, they travelled extensively — David spent time in South Africa intending to pursue a career as a professional golfer, while Stephen worked as a snowboard instructor in Canada. These travels sparked their interest in plant-based diets and the connection between food, health, and sustainability.{{Cite web|url=https://magazine.compareretreats.com/interview-the-happy-pear-dublin-irelands-health-food-revolution/|title=Interview: The Happy Pear|website=Compare Retreats}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/people/arid-40013660.html|title=The Happy Pear: Who Are They?|website=Irish Examiner}}

In 2004, they opened the Happy Pear Café and Natural Food Shop in Greystones, County Wicklow.{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/braypeople/news/we-talk-to-the-flynn-bothers-about-their-successful-cafe-27644344.html|title=We talk to the Flynn bothers about their successful café|website=independent|date=29 June 2011 }}{{Cite web|url=https://extra.ie/2023/04/14/news/happy-pear-wellness-staycation|title=Happy Pear Brothers Slammed Over €850 Wellness Staycation|date=April 14, 2023}} At its peak, the business employed 200 people in 4 locations. By 2021 this decreased to 72 people, closing several locations .{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/life/health-wellbeing/laying-people-off-is-the-hardest-the-happy-pear-on-business-struggles-big-egos-and-going-back-to-basics-40308987.html|title='Laying people off is the hardest' – The Happy Pear on business struggles, big egos and going back to basics|website=independent|date=18 April 2021 }}

They won the 2016 Avonmore Cookbook of the Year Award at the Irish Book Awards.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thejournal.ie/irish-book-awards-3085533-Nov2016/|title=Ireland's favourite books for 2016 have been announced|first=Gráinne Ní|last=Aodha|date=November 17, 2016|website=TheJournal.ie}} The twins won the 2021 celebrity edition of Ireland's Fittest Family.{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/artsandculture/arid-40772376.html|title=Celebrity Fittest Family review: Happy Pears come up smiling and win it for Donncha|first=Caroline|last=Delaney|date=December 28, 2021|website=Irish Examiner}}

They have a large online social media presence, including more than 600,000 Instagram followers.

The Flynns have received international criticism for making unfounded medical claims. In an April 2022 video, they made incorrect claims about breast cancer rates and falsely stated that certain foods could prevent cancer. Their statements were widely condemned, including by cancer surgeon Liz O'Riordan and cancer scientist David Robert Grimes who described the video as "irresponsible".{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/healthandwellbeing/arid-40859378.html|title=I'm a cancer surgeon and survivor and The Happy Pear were wrong about mushrooms|first=Ciara|last=McDonnell|date=April 27, 2022|website=Irish Examiner}}{{Cite web|url=https://lovin.ie/news/happy-pear-apologise-for-factually-wrong-breast-cancer-video|title=Happy Pear apologise for 'factually wrong' breast cancer video|website=Lovin.ie}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.dublinlive.ie/lifestyle/happy-pear-admit-recent-breast-24180969|title=The Happy Pear admit recent breast cancer video was 'ignorant'|first=Brian|last=Dillon|date=June 9, 2022|website=DublinLive}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.fm104.ie/news/buzz/the-happy-pear-twins-issue-apology-following-factually-wrong-video-on-breast-cancer/|title=The Happy Pear twins issue apology following 'irresponsible' video on breast cancer|website=FM104}} The twins later admitted they had "made a mistake" and were "ignorant" before deleting the video.

They also appeared on Ray D'Arcy's national radio show to apologise. They discussed their apology video, which received criticism from some for appearing insincere. However, they explained that their nervousness contributed to that impression. They promised to "stick with our own expertise" in the future.{{Cite web |last=Glennon |first=Nicole |date=June 8, 2022 |title='We're not doctors. We're not dietitians': Happy Pear apologise again for breast cancer video |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/healthandwellbeing/arid-40891109.html |website=Irish Examiner}} Their apology video received some negative reactions, being described as "appalling", "insincere", and a "non-apology".{{CN|date=May 2025}}

In April 2023, they issued an apology for an episode of their podcast on which they admitted they had misled and misinformed listeners, adding it 'will not happen again'. In a statement to the Irish Independent.ie a spokesperson said: "The Happy Pear acknowledges that some of the content in a recent reel post across some of our social media platforms in relation to a podcast with US-based Dr Zac Bush MD, has caused offence, with some statements not given the appropriate qualification or context. It was never the intention to mislead or to misinform and we sincerely apologise for any offence caused."

In the show, their guest Zach Bush had made incorrect claims about the effects of antibiotics on mental health.{{Cite web|url=https://thehappypear.ie/|title=The Happy Pear - Plant Based and Vegan Lifestyle Online Courses|date=May 25, 2021|website=The Happy Pear - Plant Based and Vegan Lifestyle Online Courses}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/news/this-wont-happen-again-happy-pear-twins-apologise-after-controversial-comments-by-podcast-guest-42442199.html|title='This won't happen again' – Happy Pear twins apologise after controversial comments by podcast guest|website=independent|date=20 April 2023 }} Bush has been described as a pseudoscientist, a Covid denier, and a denier of germ theory.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/critical-thinking-pseudoscience/droning-preacher-mitochondrial-ecstasy|title=The Droning Preacher of Mitochondrial Ecstasy|website=Office for Science and Society}} The podcast claims were widely refuted, including by medical consultant, Niamh Lynch. In January 2024, David refused to comment on whether he had received a Covid vaccine as it was irrelevant to the interview about his family.{{CN|date=May 2025}}

Stephen is married to Justyna, a child psychologist from Poland. They have three children. David has two children with his ex-wife, Janet. David remarried in 2022 to Sabrina from Belgium. They have one child.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsvplive.ie/news/celebs/happy-pear-dave-flynns-wife-25954910|title=The Happy Pear Dave's wife Sabrina lifts the lid on their stunning wedding|first=Sarah|last=Magliocco|date=January 15, 2022|website=RSVP Live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/life/i-was-up-at-530-this-morning-we-did-press-ups-stretching-and-yoga-at-home-with-the-happy-pears-david-flynn-and-wife-sabrina/a852430558.html|title='I was up at 5.30 this morning. We did press-ups, stretching and yoga' – At home with the Happy Pear's David Flynn and wife Sabrina|date=January 14, 2024|website=www.independent.ie}}

The Flynns have been compared to fellow celebrity Irish twins Jedward and as a result have been nicknamed "Hummus Jedward" and "Vegward".

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Category:Living people

Category:1979 births

Category:Brother duos

Flynn