Heartbreaking recent post sums up late ‘Limerick Lion’ Pa O'Dwyer as €120,000 donated in a day

A HEARTBREAKING recent post on social media sums up Limerick and Ireland’s strongest man who tragically passed away on Saturday aged only 40.

Patrick (Pa) O’Dwyer, from Newcastle West, shared a clip on Instagram of him “clearly struggling” in the gym when his young son appears and says “Come on daddy, one more rep”. Pa, as always, pushed through the pain barrier and touchingly thanked his boy for the encouragement.

It showed the two sides of Pa - the brute physical strength and power on the outside and the tenderness and kindness on the inside.

His partner Layna and three children Sienna, Rocco and Freddy were Pa’s world and whom he credits for much of his success.

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Pa’s popularity and how much he meant to people is shown by almost €120,000 raised in a GoFundMe page set up on Saturday. Close to 5,000 people have donated to repay some of the generosity Pa shared over his lifetime.

Another of his countless acts of kindness was a message Pa shared on his Instagram page, which has almost 650,000 followers. He combined funny and serious content which struck a chord with so many. The message was from the father of a boy being bullied at school for his weight and lack of sporting ability.

“After watching you he asked could he join the gym. He has lost four stone, his balance has improved, he has made friends and is so much happier and more confident. He tells everyone Pa O’Dwyer is a giant,” wrote the dad.

Pa, in response, wrote: “I have peaked, nothing will beat getting a message like this.”

The former firefighter holds the records for winning Ireland’s Strongest Man competition an incredible five times.

He was the second ever Irishman to win the UK’s Strongest Man and earned the nickname the ‘Limerick Lion’. In more recent years he turned to coaching with his own website. 

Tributes have flooded in including from local boxer Lee Reeves who said: “Very sad news for Limerick. Thinking of all your family at this difficult time Pa.”

SBD World Strongest Man, which has 5.8m followers, shared: “Absolutely devastated to hear about the passing of Pa O'Dwyer. A true strongman, an even better human and one of the funniest people with the greatest spirit.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and the strongman community. Rest easy, Pa.”

Former World’s Strongest Man, Eddie Hall - The Beast captured Pa and the emotions of so many in a beautiful post.

“Absolutely Devastated to hear about the passing of Pa O'Dwyer. A true strongman, an even better human, and one of the funniest characters the world was ever blessed with.

Pa brought strength, laughter and warmth wherever he went. He genuinely was one of life's biggest characters and everyone who ever met him would have a story to tell I'm sure,” wrote Eddie.

UK's and Ireland’s strongest man was one of many titles he held but his most important and his most proud title was 'dad’, he said. 

“Pa leaves behind three beautiful children Sienna, Rocco and Freddy and partner Layna who he loved more than life itself, he would always say.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and everyone who loved him. Pa's family have given us permission to run a GoFundMe campaign for the memorial and to assist with the practicalities that follow for his family. Rest In Power Pa, you will be sorely missed but by God you will not be forgotten. Big Love, The Whole Strongman Community,” posted Eddie.

Back in 2016, Pa told the Limerick Leader how he discovered his chosen sport almost by accident.

“I was into weightlifting. I started to lift weights in the local gym and found out then that I was a bit stronger than everyone else around me. Then there was a local strong man competition and I won that. It went on from there it and went higher and higher,” he explained.

It certainly did and now not even Pa could lift the sense of gloom following his untimely passing.

No funeral arrangements have been announced to date.

May he rest in peace.