Tommy McCague is Ireland’s only power lifter with dwarfism and a new film will tell his remarkable story
A decade later, Tommy has won dozens of medals for power lifting, having taken up the sport and successfully represented Ireland as the nation’s only power lifter with dwarfism. Now his remarkable story will be told on screen at this week’s Galway Film Fleadh, where it will have its world premiere.
“I’d like it if this film can maybe inspire a couple of people to try and go out and chase their dreams or do something they’ve always wanted to do,” says Tommy of the film.
Tommy in training
Director Stephan Mazurek’s powerful documentary about the Drogheda man is called Laoch: Defy the Odds and charts his journey from health struggles to podium champion.
Laoch is the Irish for ‘warrior’ and the film shows how strength comes in many forms. Dwarfism is a rare condition and the film also offers a look at the daily life of a little person.
“Having dwarfism, you’re learning to adapt into a world that wasn’t built for you,” explains Tommy. “Everything is up high, it can be challenging. Going upstairs, reaching something on a high shelf, there are elements of prejudice — people can judge you very quickly before you ever even open your mouth.
“One thing it’s taught me is kindness and being a human being. You always want to treat people how you want to be treated. And you’ll always treat people with kindness, because it’s all anyone ever wanted, was to be treated with kindness.
“Lots of people are nice to me, don’t get me wrong, but one thing dwarfism has taught me is to treat everyone with respect and not judge anyone. And I do love changing perceptions of people if they’ve never seen me before.”
The film shows how powerlifting transformed the Drogheda man’s life. When he lost his job as the recession struck, Tommy gained five stone in weight and friends expressed their concerns about his health. He knew he needed to make changes — and one day he summoned up the courage to go to the gym.
Tommy in training
“When I did lose the job, I was under the illusion I’d be back in work within a month. And then a month turned into a year and the recession came in. You were applying and no one was responding and it was getting me down.
“You get into that rut where you’re a vampire. You’re awake all night and asleep all day. You were never getting out to get proper exercise or sunlight, eating at home at crazy times and the weight did pile on me.”
When a good friend expressed his concern about his health, Tommy took his advice and started going to the gym the following week. He found it very difficult at first, but persevered.
“That was on the Saturday and then the following Wednesday I went into the gym. I was training three days a week and I changed my diet to healthy food and ten months later I lost five stone, I felt great, the best thing I ever did. It brought back a lot of confidence in myself again and I continued to train and that was back in 2011. It’s changed my life in unbelievable ways.”
Many little people in Ireland go to an annual convention where they share friendship, information and resources. After losing the weight and changing his “long rock ’n’ roll hairstyle” for a shorter cut, Tommy jokes that many of those in attendance didn’t initially recognise them.
They included a couple who were impressed by Tommy’s fitness, and were assembling an Irish team for the International Dwarf Games back in 2013.
Tommy with his teammates
Bernie and Jason Turner — parents of Paralympics star Nicole — encouraged him to take part in powerlifting. “I said it to one or two people and they were saying: ‘Go for it. Why not go for it, you’ve nothing to lose’. I began training with a mate of mine in the gym, his name was Daniel. He trained me up for eight months leading up to the games in Michigan.”
The film also follows Tommy to Limerick and Manchester, where he competes against average-statured lifters. In Germany, he competes in the 2023 World Dwarf Games with other LP athletes. He even takes on the ultimate goal — a world record — at the games, his third proudly representing Ireland.
“That’s definitely one of the best feelings ever. You’re representing Ireland, in whatever chosen sport you’re doing. That’s one thing I always hoped, that I’m doing my family proud. It doesn’t matter what sport you’re doing or what your condition may be — you’re representing your country.”
Tommy adapting to access spaces we all take for granted
Fifty competitions and forty medals later, Tommy is preparing to retire from competition, and he says in the film he would love to pass on the baton to another competitor for Ireland.
When director Stephan Mazurek first approached the Drogheda man about telling his story, he said to him: ‘We hope to inspire people’, and that was what persuaded him to get involved.
Laoch: Defy the Odds
“That was the right answer for me,” he says now. “We all have fears. We all have doubts. If they’re afraid of going into the gym to try and change their life, they know that I was there. You’ll meet some of the best people you’ll ever meet.
“Give it a shot. It’s like the Rocky quote, he’s actually a hero of mine: ‘Keep getting back up’.”