One of our own

From June 3^rd to 15^th 2019, one of Bruff RFC’s members, Darragh Mulcahy, will compete on the international stage in Helsingborg, Sweden. However, it’s not on the rugby field that ‘Mul’ will be competing but in the World Classic Powerlifting Championships 2019.

Darragh attended Rockwell college where he won two senior cup medals playing in the front row. Once he finished school he continued to play rugby with Bruff and made the brave transition into the backs where he became a ball carrying first centre for the senior team. Darragh always displayed plenty of power on the pitch, and a few years’ back, he tested whether that power would transfer to powerlifting and instantly fell in love with the sport. Discovering this passion prompted Darragh to go to UL, where he received a degree in Health and Fitness, and while his days as a rugby player might have been drawing to a close, his contribution to Bruff was far from over. Darragh has played a pivotal role as the strength and conditioning coach of the first team over the past number of years. His dedication and skill in the role was obvious to everyone, and despite the significant amount of pain he has inflicted on the first team over the years (in the service of significant gains), he is universally loved by everyone that has been lucky enough to train under his watchful eye. Darragh’scoaching had no small part to play in the very successful rugby season just gone by, in which our senior team reached the promotion play-off final. Even when he’s not in Kilballyowen, Mul remembers his roots, as he competes on the powerlifting circuit while sporting his Bruff socks.

For those of you not familiar with powerlifting, it consists of three lifts, squat, bench press and deadlift. For each of the three lifts you have three attempts to record your heaviest lift. The three heaviest lifts are accumulated and the athlete receives an overall total. There are strict rules/commands in place for every lift and athletes are scrutinized by threejudges. Powerlifting is a game of numbers…the biggest total WINs. Currently ranked fourth in the country, Darragh hasachieved an accumulated total lift of 680kg, consisting of a 245kg squat, 160kg bench press and 275kg deadlift. These are staggering numbers considering he competes under 83kg. It’s all the more incredible when one considers that Darragh has been powerlifting for only four years now. He trains fourtimes a week for two hours a day. Recovery, analysis of technique and nutrition consume the remaining hours of his days, all aimed at one goal, competing for Ireland.

Darragh came runner up in the Irish Powerlifting Federation (IPF) National championships in February 2019, which earned him a spot on the international stage. He will be up against the best lifters in the world, many of whom are professional.

Everyone at Bruff RFC would like to wish Darragh the very best as he represents his club, his family and his country in Sweden. It’s an incredible, but well deserved, honour, and we couldn’t be more proud of you Mul.