Innishannon native Mikey Power, 34, overcame alcohol and drug addiction to forge a new path for himself in life through self-determination and exercise. Today the owner of the successful B-Fit gym in Bandon is inspiring others to embrace change: Whether it’s overcoming addiction, breaking through self-doubt, or pursuing fitness goals, Mikey believes that success starts with changing your mindset. His story reminds us that no matter how far you’ve fallen, there is always a way back — and sometimes, the struggle itself becomes your greatest strength writes Mary O’Brien.
“Change starts the moment your feet hit the floor in the morning,” says Mikey passionately. “You create your new reality through your actions and your thoughts.”
Mikey started drinking alcohol at a young age. A talented athlete, excelling in basketball and football, as alcohol took over his teenage years, his competitive drive faded and he eventually dropped out of school and sports.
After losing a close friend, Mikey began using drugs recreationally, cocaine and a mixture of pills, and before long he found himself on a downward spiral of weekend drinking binges that often ended in blackouts, physical altercations and arrests. “I drank to numb the pain and anger I was feeling at the time,” he shares. “I wasn’t drinking for fun, I was drinking to forget.” His destructive and anti-social behaviour resulted in homelessness and a prison sentence when he was 21.
While it could have worsened his situation, prison gave Mikey the opportunity to reevaluate his life choices. Surrounded by drugs – his cellmate was a heroin user – although he could have fallen deeper into his destructive habits, Mikey instead found solace in the prison gym. For the first time in years, he felt in control.
“The first training session felt like a release,” Mikey recalls. “Fitness gave me this high that I had been missing in my life. It was a natural high from doing something positive for myself.”
Mikey built his rehabilitation in prison around exercise, focusing on what he wanted to achieve in life: He dreamed of owning a gym and getting back to playing football.
After serving one year, he was released from prison on probation in 2012. Although he knew the road ahead would be difficult, Mikey emerged from prison with a sense of purpose, hoping to use his newfound passion for fitness to help others. He had no qualifications, no money, and no clear path forward, but he was determined and his parents welcomed him home.
“My father would drop me to the gym in the morning at 6am because I’d have to attend community service at 9am, which was up in the city,” he shares. He also started back GAA training.
Mikey travelled to Liverpool to achieve certification as a personal trainer and despite facing rejection from every gym in his area, eventually found employment locally, often working for free, to prove his worth. When the opportunity arose to buy his own gym, he jumped at the chance.
Unfortunately his struggles with alcohol and drugs were far from over. For a time, Mikey believed he could manage his addiction – drinking in moderation, avoiding certain situations, and continuing to train and build his business. However, as with many in addiction, moderation didn’t last long. His drinking escalated, leading to fights, ruined relationships, and a strained business.
The breaking point came after a trip to South America. Mikey had hidden his drinking from his girlfriend, but by the end of the trip, the facade had crumbled. “I ended the relationship so I could keep drinking,” he says. He moved back home with his parents and spiralled into a deep binge, drinking from morning to night, skipping work, and shutting himself off from the world. “I was so bad at this stage that I couldn’t hold a fork to eat my dinner because I was shaking so much,” he says “ so I’d take another line of coke to take the edge off and have another pint. I didn’t want to be around people.”
His parents eventually kicked him out, and it was during this period of isolation that he realised the full extent of his problem. “I had been willing to give up everything just to keep drinking,” he recalls. “The rent was late, the wages were due and I was about to lose the business.”
The turning point came when the sister of the friend he had lost as a teenager intervened, encouraging Mikey to attend an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting. “She had tried numerous times before but I kept ignoring her,” explains Mikey “I kept pushing her away, but she was persistent. She’d go away for a while, then come back and this time when she came back, I was ready to accept help. I realised that I had no one left to blame but myself for the situation I was in.”
He attended his first AA meeting the next day, where he listened to a speaker whose story mirrored his own. The experience was eye-opening. “I realised I wasn’t alone, and that there were other people who had been through exactly what I was going through,” he says. AA became a crucial part of Mikey’s recovery and for the next 18 months, he regularly attended meetings where he found the support he needed.
Through AA, Mikey learned that his addiction wasn’t something he could manage alone. He needed to commit fully to his recovery, both mentally and physically. It was no longer just about avoiding alcohol; it was about rebuilding his entire mindset, reinforcing positive habits, and reshaping his identity. “Every morning, I’d wake up and tell myself, ‘I am a non-drinker. I am a non-drinker,’” he recalls. This daily affirmation, combined with his commitment to fitness, became the foundation of his sobriety.
As Mikey worked through his recovery, exercise remained a constant lifeline. He continued training, setting bigger and bolder goals for himself, from running 5Ks to completing full marathons. Physical fitness became not only a way to stay sober but a passion that fuelled his desire to help others.
He expanded the business, hired staff, and upgraded equipment, but more importantly, he began using his platform to share his story and inspire others. Through social media, Mikey now openly talks about his journey with addiction, offering advice, support, and encouragement to anyone struggling with their own demons.
He also turned his energy toward charity, organising events like 48-hour and 72-hour endurance challenges to raise money for causes like Special Olympics Ireland, raising tens of thousands of euros. “I was able to channel all the energy I used to waste on alcohol and drugs into something positive,” he says.
Today, Mikey is two years in recovery and his message is clear: transformation is possible for anyone willing to put in the work.
“I’d love to sugarcoat things and say you need to be kind to yourself and you need to be honest, but the simple fact is you need to be committed to being the best version of yourself because you only get one f**king chance at this life and you can waste the rest of it battling your addiction or you can face up to it and beat that addiction.”
Mikey is available to give talks on addiction at local schools. Follow his journey in Instagram @mikey_power-pt
