When Tommy McCague from Rathmullen Park left St. Oliver’s Community College in 1998 nobody would have thought he would carve out a successful international career for himself as a weightlifter but he proved them wrong and next month a documentary film about his life and sporting success is to receive its world premiere at the Galway Film Festival.
Tommy had one big drawback for such an ambition, he was born with dwarfism. Small he may be but Tommy has a big heart and even bigger ambitions which saw overcome many issues and excel at the World Dwarf Games in Michigan in 2013 and again in Ontario in 2017.
Thomas McCague pictured in 2012 preparing for the World Dwarf Games. Photo: Jenny Matthews/NEWSFILE).
So successful has Tommy become in the intervening years that a documentary film about him, ” Laoch: Defy the Odds”, will make its world premiere at the 36th Galway Film Fleadh on 10 July 2024, 3 pm at the Pálás Cinema.
Dwarfism is a rare condition and Laoch offers a look into the daily life of a little person (LP). Tommy’s journey began as a quest for transformation as he battled depression and obesity. Powerlifting saved his life and catapulted him into a career competing in national, international, and Paralympic events.
The film follows Tommy from Drogheda to Limerick and Manchester, where he competes against average-statured lifters. In Germany, he competes with Team Ireland in the 2023 World Dwarf Games with other LP athletes.
Spanning a five year filming period, Tommy battles health challenges, shatters societal expectations, and breaks world records. The film is about courage, perseverance, and living your best life.
The film follows Tommy to Limerick and Manchester, where he competes in the bench press event against average statured lifters. In Germany, he competes in the 2023 World Dwarf Games with other LP athletes. Tommy battles health challenges, shatters societal expectations, and breaks world records. This is a film about courage, perseverance, and living your best life.
For more information about the film see: https://www.laochdefytheodds.com/
Galway Film Fleadh ticket link: https://www.galwayfilmfleadh.com/project/laoch-defy-the-odds/
In a Facebook post earlier this week Tommy writes:
“So in 2015, I was representing Ireland in Powerlifting in Hungary for qualifiers for the Paralympic Games in Rio in 2016. I met a guy there who became a great friend Barney Spender, he was the sports commentator at the competition in Hungary. Once the comp was over Barney mentioned he also was a filmmaker and would like to do a 30-40 minute film about me. Roll on 4 years and in August 2019 filming began, from here I met two more great friends Stephan Mazurek and later on Liz Sung.
“The film was shot over the course of 5 years which is crazy to think about but is finally completed. When I was asked about being filmed I said “who would want to watch a film about me lifting weights”, the reply was it’s not just a film about that, we want it to be a film to inspire other people that feel outside the norm and encourage them to chase their goals and dreams, that hit home and agreed to it.”
