John McGrath’s story has to be heard to be believed. A gold medal winner for Ireland in rowing, his career cut short by a horrendous back injury. For most that would be the end for John it was just the beginning. He went on a pilgrimage studying self-mastery and the power of the mind, learning how to harness the mind to push the body through the most extreme physical barriers. Under Bruce Lee’s teacher DoJuNum Ji, John earned his black belt in Hapkido and returned to compete for Ireland again as a martial artist. Again, for most people that would be enough. But John McGrath has never conformed. 

 

For years he travelled the world again as a strong man literally bending steel with his mouth, tearing up phone books with his bare hands. On his return he established one of the most respected gyms in the country only for the crash to take it all away. Defeat isn’t in this man’s vocabulary. He upped sticks for South Africa where today he has built a life and business consulting, advising and coaching the everyone from Olympic athletes, the Spring Boks and CEOs to their best performances. 

 

This is just a taster. To hear this episode in full and to gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 350 Irishman Abroad episodes that are not available on iTunes for just the price of a pint every month visit www.patreon.com/irishmanabroad.

 

Supplementary research provided by John Meagher.  

 

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