Heroic gardaí awarded for their bravery

FIVE gardaí in Co Carlow were awarded last week for their bravery while on duty and presented with Scott Medal Commendations for the southeast region, while another member of the force was presented with an award from Water Safety Ireland.

The incredibly brave actions of the award-winning gardaí included running into a burning building to save an elderly man, chasing down two armed robbers and rescuing a woman from the River Barrow. Five gardaí from Co Carlow were presented with Scott Medal Commendations of First and Second Class for their brave actions at a ceremony that took place in Hotel Kilkenny last week.

In Coon near Castlecomer, Sergeant Hud Kelly and Garda Cathal Furlong twice entered a house that was on fire to rescue an elderly man in April 2015.

“We got a phone call from the carer of an elderly man that morning because she couldn’t get into the house and could smell smoke. When we got into the house, we couldn’t see properly because there was so much smoke so we had to open some windows, leave and go back in. We found him unconscious on the kitchen floor after he fell off his chair. Sadly, he never regained consciousness,” remembered Sgt Kelly.

Sergeant Fiona Ruth, Garda Graham Gohery and then-trainee Garda Aisling Butler were also presented with Scott Medal Commendations for their brave actions in March 2016. Sergeant Ruth, who had the rank of garda at the time, was on traffic duty when a report of an armed robbery at the post office in Leighlinbridge came in over the radio. Two men had entered the post office and used a gun and a hammer to threaten staff before making off with a substantial amount of cash.

Shortly after getting the call, Sgt Ruth spotted two men matching the description of the raiders walking from a wooded area and towards the River Burrin and called for assistance. Garda Gohery and Garda Butler arrived on the scene and the trio chased the robbers despite knowing that they were armed. The robbers, in a desperate attempt to flee from the gardaí, got into the river, but the gardaí followed and caught them. The two criminals were subsequently prosecuted for the robbery.

The Scott Medal award ceremony was attended by the minister of state James Browne and Assistant Commissioner Paul Cleary from the Eastern Region, with Superintendent Seán O’Meara as MC. Scott Medal Commendations are a very special recognition and are only awarded to members that have demonstrated exemplary skill and decision-making while in immediate danger and under significant pressure.

Assistant Commissioner Cleary added: "Every day, gardaí go out and conduct their duties to the very best of their ability – always with other people’s safety and preserving justice in mind. That’s what can sometimes make the job quite difficult, but these eight members went even beyond that and set aside their own fear and personal safety in view of saving lives.”

 In a separate awards ceremony, Rathvilly native Brendan Murphy was recognised for his heroism at Water Safety Ireland’s National Annual Awards ceremony in Dublin Castle on Thursday. Garda Murphy and his colleague Garda Colman Curran were lauded after they saved the life of a woman from the Barrow on Saturday 3 August after gardaí in Athy received a call from a member of the public alerting them that they had just seen a woman enter the river.

Garda Curran and Garda Murphy, a former intercounty GAA player with Carlow, were on duty and made it there within minutes, but could see that the woman was in serious difficulty in the water, as she was being quickly carried downstream by the strong current.

Garda Curran entered the water and brought the woman to safety with the assistance of Garda Murphy. The woman re-entered the water and was carried downstream by the current. Garda Curran re-entered the water, caught up with her and held onto her while Garda Murphy threw a ring buoy to him. Garda Murphy successfully pulled both Garda Curran and the female to safety and she made a full recovery.