Ireland’s strongest man reveals the remarkable training and diet that’s required to be the best

Limerick man Pa O'Dwyer has now won back-to-back titles.

While the majority of Irish sports fans were glued to the PRO12 clash between Leinster and Connacht or the Champions League final, another showpiece event was taking place over the weekend in Armagh. Limerick man Pa O'Dwyer has successfully retained his title of 'Republic of Ireland's Strongest Man' after holding off the challenge of 12 other competitors that made it into the final stage. Speaking with JOE, Pa has revealed the diet and training that's required to become Ireland's strongest man. "Getting ready for this event was tough because I also had to work 5-6 days with a local concrete constructor. Then I had to go training 6 days a week on top of that. Strongman training is much more gruelling than normal training because a session can take up to 2-3 hours per day. Sessions range from pulling 20 tonne trucks, lifting my own car and lifting objects over my head - some of them weighing up to 27-28 stone. I train in The Bodybuilding in Raheen, Limerick, but I love the training" he says. Pa also shed some light on the dietary requirements that most strongmen need to abide by. "I'm aiming for between 8-10,000 calories a day. Of course if I'd a few sponsors then it would help pay for these meals! My diet consisted of starting a day of by eating a pound of red meat ( horse meat, venison or liver) and eating up to 60 chicken fillets a week" he says. "The events on the day of the final consisted of picking up the back of a van for as many times as possible, lifting boulders of concrete on to barrels and flipping a 450kg Earth mover tyre". Congratulations to Pa on another impressive victory and here's hoping that his story is educational for anyone that's interested in following suit.