Lifesaving Gardaí honoured at Dublin ceremony

Lifesaving Gardaí and Garda Reserve honoured


Ciara Galvin

TWO gardaí and a garda reserve were honoured by Irish Water Safety last week for their heroics in saving two people’s lives in separate life threatening incidents.
Garda Mark Irwin, Garda John Boyle and Garda Reserve Stephen Corrigan were presented with Just in Time awards in recognition of their brave efforts in saving two people’s lives in icy waters last year.
In October 2012, Garda Mark Irwin, formerly based in Westport Garda Station and Garda Reserve Stephen Corrigan from Louisburgh, waded into Lough Coggeen on the Leenane Road and  rescued a Fermanagh man whose car had left the road, overturned and landed in the lake. Only a 12 inch air pocket remained in the car and the two men held the man’s head above the water until the fire brigade arrived.
Three weeks later Garda Irwin came to the rescue once again along with Garda John Boyle after they spotted a man distressed at the Quay in Westport. A car had crashed into a wall at an area of the Quay known as The Point and was at an angle. The gardaí were patroling the area when they noticed a man in distress. On further investigation the gardaí saw the driver of the car hanging on to a ledge 15ft below the car. The brave gardaí set about reaching the man climbing down a ladder into the icy water below. They managed to pull the man to safety. The quick thinking men received the awards on Tuesday last at the Irish Water Safety’s national awards ceremony at Dublin Castle. Minister of State Fergus O’Dowd presented the awards.