‘No matter what, he doesn’t quit’: disabled wrestlers draw strength from ring alter egos

A night at the Foyle Rumble

Music, lights and a countdown set the scene at St Columb’s Hall in Derry on Saturday night. The Foyle Rumble brought a crowd to watch performers in masks, leotards and kneepads take on roles as wrestling heroes and villains.

The participants are part of a scheme that teaches wrestling and helps them create stage personas. Organisers say achievements in the ring can also encourage confidence and resilience beyond the performance.

Characters inspire participants

O’Hagan plays Kellio, a character who meets challenges head-on. He said he had changed his diet and fitness for the role, and described drawing strength from the character when facing setbacks.

Brian Walsh, 44, is blind and performs as Brian Brogue, using wrist locks, head locks and pins in the ring. Walsh said training felt frightening at first, but he gradually got used to it and found wrestling as a blind person deeply rewarding.

Kiernan McLaughlin, 27, took the role of a kindly monarch called King Kiernan. Before the show, he smiled shyly and said he planned to spear someone that night.

Training brings purpose and support

Phil Conn, programme manager for the Tuned In Project, said the initiative aims to build independence and agency. He said it gives participants purpose and a support community, as well as a reason to get up in the morning.

Sean Curran of the project said wrestling lets people amplify their personalities. He said participants had grown in confidence and begun to embody their characters. The idea began when Curran hired Stephen Campbell, a gymnastics teacher and wrestling coach with CAW, to choreograph a wedding reception stunt. Campbell later encouraged the performers before the Derry show, telling them the night was theirs.

Staged bouts still carry risks

Conn said participants train for months and understand that wrestling has an element of real danger. The bouts are choreographed rather than actual fights, he said, but students have been bruised and battered by the impact of throws and hits.

Murray said she had learned combat moves and studied wrestling theory and strategy. She said the sport demands stamina and knowledge, adding that her family think she is mad but support her.