Pa O’Dwyer, the Irish strongman known for his incredible physical strength, died, the organizers behind Giants Live confirmed on January 3, 2026. A cause of death was not immediately disclosed. The news shocked fans and colleagues everywhere as they grappled with the fact that O’Dwyer had passed.
“Giants Live is devastated to have to share the news that strength legend, family man & all around amazing human Pa O’Dwyer has died at the age of 40,” Giants Live announced in a statement.
Calling O’Dwyer a “true gentleman” and “an even greater human being and, without doubt, one of the funniest, most unforgettable characters the world has ever known,” Giants Live added that the late bodybuilder “brought strength, laughter and warmth wherever he went and truly was one of life’s larger-than-life personalities.”
“Anyone who met him will surely have a story to tell,” the organization added. “From everyone at Giants Live and we are sure we speak on behalf of the entire Strongman community: Rest in Power, Pa. You will be deeply missed, but never forgotten. With our love.”
Below, Hollywood Life has rounded up five facts about O’Dwyer.
Pa O’Dwyer Grew Up on a Farm in Ireland
During a 2021 interview with the Irish Sun, O’Dwyer reflected on his childhood growing up in rural Ireland.
“I was lucky, I grew up on a farm so I was always throwing and hauling s**t around the place,” he said.
Pa O’Dwyer Worked in Road Maintenance Before Becoming a Strongman
O’Dwyer worked in road maintenance in Ireland when he was in his 20s.
Pa O’Dwyer Would Eat 10,000 Calories a Day to Train for Competitions
While training for competitions, O’Dwyer would eat a substantial amount of calories to pack on the muscle, he told the Irish Sun.
“Coming up to competitions, I eat close to 9,000 or 10,000 calories a day, and each training session is four hours long,” he explained. “So, it’s a strenuous time to be continuously beating the body with that many calories and all the weight lifting.”
Pa O’Dwyer Had a Drinking Problem Before Becoming a Strongman
While speaking with the Irish Times in 2018, O’Dwyer admitted that he fell into poor drinking habits while working in road maintenance.
“When you’re working on the roads, there’s a heap of drinking that goes along with it,” he pointed out. “You’d be forever going for pints and then back to work the next morning. It was just a constant merry-go-round. … I was drinking a lot to be honest and I was going down a bad road.”
O’Dwyer eventually realized that he had to “straighten [himself] out.” He then got into competing as a strongman.
Pa O’Dwyer Died At the Age of 40
O’Dwyer died in early January 2026 when he was just 40 years old. His cause of death has yet to be disclosed at the time of publication.
