{"id":2924,"date":"2026-01-05T08:15:31","date_gmt":"2026-01-05T08:15:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/worldbodybuildingnews.com\/?p=2924"},"modified":"2026-01-05T08:15:31","modified_gmt":"2026-01-05T08:15:31","slug":"who-was-pa-odwyer-5-things-about-the-bodybuilder-who-died-at-40-hollywood-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldbodybuildingnews.com\/?p=2924","title":{"rendered":"Who Was Pa O\u2019Dwyer? 5 Things About the Bodybuilder Who Died at 40 \u2013 Hollywood Life"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Image Credit: Courtesy of Pa O’Dwyer\/Instagram<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Pa O\u2019Dwyer<\/strong>, the Irish strongman known for his incredible physical strength, died<\/a>, 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\u2019Dwyer had passed.<\/p>\n

\u201cGiants Live is devastated to have to share the news that strength legend, family man & all around amazing human Pa O\u2019Dwyer has died at the age of 40,\u201d Giants Live announced in a statement.<\/p>\n

Calling O\u2019Dwyer a \u201ctrue gentleman\u201d and \u201can even greater human being and, without doubt, one of the funniest, most unforgettable characters the world has ever known,\u201d Giants Live added that the late bodybuilder \u201cbrought strength, laughter and warmth wherever he went and truly was one of life\u2019s larger-than-life personalities.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnyone who met him will surely have a story to tell,\u201d the organization added. \u201cFrom 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Below, Hollywood Life<\/strong> has rounded up five facts about O\u2019Dwyer.<\/p>\n

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Pa O\u2019Dwyer Grew Up on a Farm in Ireland<\/h2>\n

During a 2021 interview with the Irish Sun<\/a>,<\/em> O\u2019Dwyer reflected on his childhood growing up in rural Ireland.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was lucky, I grew up on a farm so I was always throwing and hauling s**t around the place,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Pa O\u2019Dwyer Worked in Road Maintenance Before Becoming a Strongman<\/h2>\n

O\u2019Dwyer worked in road maintenance in Ireland when he was in his 20s.<\/p>\n

Pa O\u2019Dwyer Would Eat 10,000 Calories a Day to Train for Competitions<\/h2>\n

While training for competitions, O\u2019Dwyer would eat a substantial amount of calories<\/a> to pack on the muscle, he told the Irish Sun<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cComing up to competitions, I eat close to 9,000 or 10,000 calories a day, and each training session is four hours long,\u201d he explained. \u201cSo, it\u2019s a strenuous time to be continuously beating the body with that many calories and all the weight lifting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pa O\u2019Dwyer Had a Drinking Problem Before Becoming a Strongman<\/h2>\n

While speaking with the Irish Times<\/em> in 2018, O\u2019Dwyer admitted that he fell into poor drinking habits while working in road maintenance.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you\u2019re working on the roads, there\u2019s a heap of drinking that goes along with it,\u201d he pointed out. \u201cYou\u2019d be forever going for pints and then back to work the next morning. It was just a constant merry-go-round. \u2026 I was drinking a lot to be honest and I was going down a bad road.\u201d<\/p>\n

O\u2019Dwyer eventually realized that he had to \u201cstraighten [himself] out.\u201d He then got into competing as a strongman.<\/p>\n

Pa O\u2019Dwyer Died At the Age of 40<\/h2>\n

O\u2019Dwyer 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.<\/p>\n

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