A BELOVED Limerick sportsman who “touched an incredible number of people, lifting spirits and giving inspiration” was laid to rest this Wednesday (January 7).
Proud Limerick man and five-time Ireland’s Strongest Man winner Patrick ‘Pa’ O’Dwyer passed away suddenly on January 3.
The 40-year-old ‘Limerick Lion’ was laid to rest this Wednesday at Mongea Cemetery, following Requiem Mass at St Mary’s Church in his native Rathkeale.
Mr O’Dywer was a doting father of three and partner, and his hardened steel was shown unrivalled on the battlefield of strongman competitions, his funeral mass heard.
An acoustic rendition of Metallica’s ‘Nothing Else Matters’ echoed through St Mary’s Church for the ceremony, attended by Mr O’Dwyer’s strongman comrades, who came to wrap their immense arms and hearts around the Limerick Lion’s heartbroken family.
His brother, Sean O’Dwyer, told the packed church: “Patrick was a gentle giant who really cared for people.”
He said his late brother won many international accolades through his strongman achievements, but his greatest joy came after receiving a letter of thanks from the father of a teenage boy who sought the Limerick Lion’s help when the young boy was being bullied.
Sean O’Dwyer said his brother “was a man of many talents. He was a farmer, a builder, a bouncer, a fireman, an astronaut – most of these are true.”
In a final tribute, Mr O’Dywer told those gathered that if the love his brother’s family and friends felt for him could have saved him, he would have “lived forever”.
He also paid tribute to the medical staff attached to University Hospital Limerick who valiantly tried to save his brother’s life after he took ill and died suddenly on January 3.
Rathkeale parish priest Fr Eamonn Fitzgibbon said news of Mr O’Dwyer’s death was met with “huge shock and sadness, not just in west Limerick, or indeed not just in Ireland, but by so many around the world, who knew and loved Pa”.
Family and friends left symbols reflecting Mr O’Dywer’s life on the church alter, including his weight-lifting straps, his ukulele, one of his many strongman trophies, his competition t-shirts, and a family photo.
In the short few days since his passing, an online fundraiser to help support the late champion bodybuilder’s family has already raised over €200,000, reflecting the massive outpouring of grief and the impact he made on the lives of those around him both at home, in the sporting community, and amongst his almost one million online followers.
Mr O’Dwyer is survived by his partner Layna, his three children Sienna, Rocco, and Freddy, parents Lena and Seanie, siblings Siobhan Kris, Sean, and Liam, grandparents Sean and Chris, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, as well as an admiring sporting community and a wide legion of fans who followed his life and successes online.
He made an incomparable name for himself in the sporting world, both at home and abroad, setting the record for most Ireland’s Strongest Man competition wins, as well as becoming only the second Irish man to be named UK’s Strongest Man.
The Limerick Lion also earned a loyal following online for his humorous and motivational online videos, which often touched on mental health.
A native of Rathkeale, he began weight training at the age of 21, spending his youth working on a farm before moving on to work on roads through his early 20s.
He was a regular at the Giants Live Tour and qualified for the World’s Strongest Man competition in 2020.
A wave of condolences have poured in for Mr O’Dwyer since his sudden passing on January 3, with mourners lamenting “a special gentle giant taken too soon” and describing him as “a champion for the people who tried their best”.
“He was inspirational, speaking up when others wouldn’t and calling out all the ‘maggots’. He will be sorely missed and never forgotten,” one mourner wrote online.
A fellow strongman competitor described him as “a character who put a smile on many a face and left your mark on lots of hearts”, adding that “it was a honour to compete with you, I very much respected your achievements in the sport and, being the man to beat, you pushed many of us to do better”.
“Somewhere up in heaven, he will be lifting stones, deadlifting, and spreading laughter,” another online condolence read.
In the days since his death, world-renowned strongman Eddie Hall set up a GoFundMe page to help the Limerick Lion’s family, saying that Mr O’Dwyer “deserves to be paid back for all he has given us in this world”.
“He’s made us all laugh. He’s made all think. He’s made us all better people in some way through his bigger than life character.”
At time of publication, the campaign has raised over €206,000.
Donations can be made at gofundme.com/f/pa-odwyer-family-and-future.