It was with immense sadness that the community at large learned of the sudden passing of one of Limerick’s legendary heroes, Pa O Dwyer on Saturday morning last, at the age of just forty.
In July of 2021, I was fortunate enough to interview Pa in Rathkeale, where he lived. It had been an absolutely wonderful year for Limerick! Our hurling heroes returned the Liam MacCarthy Cup folded in the green and white, to the Treaty County. Our Olympians had done us proud, and many of our county sporting teams had overcome the Covid pandemic to bring much success to the county. And no one was as proud as Rathkeale’s own, Pa O’Dwyer who had successfully retained his title of Ireland’s Strongest Man for a historical fifth time. On Sunday 15th August, Bangor Co. Down was venue for the grand finale of Ireland’s Strongest Man 2021. Sixteen of the strongest men were gathered, who earned their place from a qualifier prior to the contest.  There was an incredible line-up of athletes who were hungry for the crown.  The first event was the Anvil Carry where athletes had to grip an anvil horn and walk 40 metres.  This was a tough event which saw Blaine Donovan smash the field with a time of 16.34 secs on his Ireland’s Strongest Man debut.  The second event was the Tyre Viking Press weighing 140KG on the handles. This saw a head-to-head showdown with Peter Bremmer, with 11 reps and Pa O’Dwyer getting his first win of the day.  They were the only two men to make double figures.  The third event was the Brick Deadlift which started at 300KG, and the early favourite was the deadlift specialist Peter Bremmer but he lacked confidence and balance in this discipline.  This left Pa O’Dwyer to lift 360KG successfully to take the win.  The fourth event was the car roll, which is an Ultimate Strongman signature event, again this saw Pa show the experience he had over other athletes in this discipline by getting 19.81 secs.  It came down to the final event, the Stones of Strength with stones weighing 100KG-160KG.  Out of the 16-man line up, only 5 men finished all the stones, and the fastest man was Pa O’Dwyer. This secured Pa’s fifth and historic title as Ireland’s Strongest Man.
“Winning ISM for a fifth time, a record amount of times is a great feeling, it’s my way of showing my kids Sienna, Rocco and Freddy or anyone else for that matter that perseverance, hard work and dedication can get you anywhere you want to be. At 23 stone I’m not even close to the biggest guy on the circuit but I’m the hardest worker there and my records show that,” Pa said at the time.
I was taken by Pa’s honesty and humility at that interview. He was also a great wit, and I felt honoured to have interviewed him. His love of his sport, and his family were clearly evident. It was also apparent that he had a strong social conscience.
In the years that followed, Pa continued to be successful in his chosen career and had a significant following (650,000 followers) on his Instagram and social media platforms. He advocated respect for all and didn’t shy away from uncomfortable topics. He became a hero in many ways for so many people, not just as Ireland’s Strongest man. In November, during Mental Health Week, he spoke about overthinking and described it as “In my view, it’s trying to come up with a solution for a problem that hasn’t even happened yet” His practical views resonated with many people.
A Gofundme campaign that was set up by his friend Eddie Hall after hearing the news of his passing has so far raised an incredible €137,000 at the time of writing, a testimony to the man himself and the esteem in which he was held. The campaign states “I’m fundraising for Pa O’Dwyer because he deserves to be paid back for all he has given us in this world. He’s made us all laugh. He’s made us all think. He’s made us all better people in some way through his bigger than life character.
This money is to help pay for his memorial service and to support his beautiful family during this difficult time. Pa leaves behind 3 children and a whole family that loved and adored him and leaves a massive hole emotionally and practically… so let’s help out with the practical part as that’s all we can do right now. Thank you so much for your help and showing that the strongman community is the best when tough times come upon us.
Prayers and condolences to Pa and his beautiful family”.
Link to the campaign https://gofund.me/be5f917f6.
Nicknamed The Limerick Lion Pa will be missed by all who knew him.
We at the offices of the Weekly Observer/Vale Star offer our deepest condolences to Pa’s children Sienna, Rocco and Freddy, and partner Layna, his parents, Seán and Lena, his siblings Siobhán, Kris, Sean and Liam, grandparents Seán and Chris Kelly, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, extended family, his athletic companions and many, many friends. May his gentle soul rest in eternal peace.