Hundreds gathered in Rathkeale, Co Limerick, today (Wednesday, January 7, 2026) to say a final farewell to “The Limerick Lion” Pa O’Dwyer — the five-time Ireland’s Strongest Man champion remembered as a fierce competitor and a soft-hearted family man.
The 40-year-old strongman, who passed away suddenly last week, was laid to rest following a moving funeral Mass at St Mary’s Church. The service was filled with tributes, music, and emotion as family, friends, and members of the global strength community came together to honour the life of one of Ireland’s most beloved athletes.
GoFundMe for Pa’s family: https://gofund.me/94d1c5b4f
An acoustic rendition of ‘Nothing Else Matters’ by Metallica echoed through the church, performed as mourners — including many of O’Dwyer’s strongman peers — stood shoulder to shoulder to support his heartbroken family.
Parish priest Fr Éamonn Fitzgibbon said the news of his passing had caused “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 through his competitions and through his online presence.”
O’Dwyer’s brother, Sean, spoke through emotion but also with humour, calling his late brother “a gentle giant who really cared for people.” He recalled a story about a teenage boy who had reached out to Pa for help while being bullied. The boy’s father later wrote to thank him, explaining that his son had regained his confidence and “tells everyone that Pa O’Dwyer is a giant.”
Sean said his brother’s achievements in competition were remarkable — from winning Ireland’s Strongest Man five times to taking the UK’s Strongest Man title — but that his true legacy lay in kindness and compassion. “Patrick was a man of many talents, he was a farmer, a builder, a bouncer, a fireman, an astronaut — most of these are true,” he joked, lifting the spirits of those in attendance.
“If the love we all had for him could have saved him,” Sean said softly, “he would have lived forever.”
Throughout the Mass, music and memories reflected the many sides of Pa’s life — from competitor to father, from joker to mentor. Renditions of ‘Amazing Grace’ and ‘Six Feet From the Edge’ were performed as close friends helped to provide music during the service.
Family members placed deeply personal items on the altar, symbolising different parts of his journey: a pair of weightlifting straps, a ukulele, one of his many strongman trophies — carried up by close friend and fellow strongman Eddie Hall — one of his branded competition t-shirts, and a photograph brought by his partner Layna, showing the couple with their son Freddy.
Father Fitzgibbon spoke about Pa’s “discipline, work, commitment and enthusiasm” for the sport and how he used his platform to support others. “He spoke out about mental health and was a relentless supporter of the underdog,” he said, calling him one of those rare athletes who “do things on the verge of the impossible.”
A poem written by Treasa Coleman and read by a friend captured the mood in the packed church. “Pa was a man to be admired, he stood out in every crowd; strong in the body and spirit, with a laugh that was infectiously loud,” it began, describing a man who “offered light to those who struggled and those being bullied” and whose passing “shook the ones you love.”
Sean O’Dwyer’s words summed up the enduring love for his brother. “The world does not erase people, it carries them forward in different ways. Love leaves marks that do not fade,” he told mourners. “Every shared moment, every laugh, every story at bedtime, every quiet day together became part of who you are now. Nothing can ever take that away. We all carry pieces of him simply because we knew him.”
Following the Mass, a procession made its way to Monagea Cemetery, where Pa was laid to rest under a crisp winter sky. Pallbearers, including some of his strongman teammates, carried the coffin to the sound of a lone bagpiper.
As the community gathered to mourn, donations for O’Dwyer’s family have continued to pour in from around the world. The GoFundMe campaign launched by Eddie Hall — originally created to assist with funeral arrangements and support his partner Layna and their three children, Sienna, Rocco, and Freddy — has now surpassed £175,000.
Hall described O’Dwyer as “bigger than life” and said the campaign was about giving back to someone who gave so much to others. “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,” Hall wrote. “This money is to help pay for his memorial service and to support his beautiful family during this difficult time.”
In a video tribute, Hall added: “I just don’t know what his financials are going to be. So, I want to make sure no matter what, the family’s set. You know, they’re not going to have to worry about anything for a few weeks, a few months. I don’t know. Just… let’s just take the load off, and he would do the same for us.”
Tributes from across the strongman world have continued in the days since his passing. Luke Richardson, one of O’Dwyer’s closest friends, wrote: “Anyone who was lucky enough to know Pa knows how much of a people magnet he was. Authenticity radiated from him and inspired the same in others. The brutal reality of your uniqueness and massive presence is that your absence leaves an equal void that will never be filled.”
Bodybuilder Joey Swoll also paid tribute, writing: “Brother, I am devastated. Thank you for always checking on me, always having my back, and being one of the best people in this industry and on this planet.”
Giants Live, the organisation behind some of the world’s biggest strongman competitions, remembered him as “a true strongman, an even greater human being, and without doubt one of the funniest, most unforgettable characters the world has ever known.”
The Irish Strength Association echoed that sentiment, calling him “a legend in strength sports in Ireland” who represented his country with immense pride.
Pa O’Dwyer is survived by his partner Layna, his children Sienna, Rocco and Freddy, his parents Lena and Seanie, his siblings Siobhan, Kris, Sean and Liam, and his extended family.
As his brother said during the service, “He is still here in the lives he touched and in the love he gave.” And in the words of Treasa Coleman’s poem, his name “will echo through generations.”
Our thoughts continue to go out to his family and loved ones at this time. #DBAC
Featured image credit: Instagram/Facebook
