Disabled wrestlers build confidence and belonging through Derry performances

Disabled wrestlers performed at the Foyle Rumble in Derry, where scripted matches and larger-than-life characters are helping participants build confidence and resilience. The initiative gives people with learning and physical disabilities a chance to develop skills, perform for an audience and gain a sense of independence and belonging.

The event was the third and largest since the first show in 2024, drawing hundreds of spectators and featuring dozens of performers, some without disabilities. Run jointly by the Tuned In Project and Complete Anarchy Wrestling, the programme involves months of training; organisers say the choreographed moves still carry real risks, including bruises and knocks. Participants including blind wrestler Brian Walsh and Keelan O’Hagan say their ring personas help them face challenges beyond wrestling.