A DONEGAL man has received a National Bravery Award, following his heroic rescue of a woman drowning on Carrickfinn Beach.
During the event which took place in Dublin’s Farmleigh House on Friday afternoon Ceann Comhairle, Seán Ó Fearghaíl TD, presented 26 National Bravery Awards to individuals from across Ireland who risked their own lives to aid others in peril.
On May 15, 2022, two women were taking their daily swim at Carrickfinn Beach, Donegal.
Although it was a sunny afternoon, the sea was choppy with rising waves.
However, unbeknownst to them a riptide had developed and one of the women got caught in the current. The other woman swam towards the shore and began calling for help.
Due to the sea conditions nobody on the beach felt confident enough to attempt a rescue and by now the woman caught in the water was exhausted trying to fight against the current and was several hundred metres from shore.
Francis Doherty took a life ring and started swimming out to sea. When he finally reached the woman he put one of her arms into the ring and told her to hold on.
However, exhausted by the strain and cold she passed out and Francis had to take hold of her by the wrist and pull her. As the waves rose he lifted her head above the water and swam into the waves that thankfully took them towards the shore.
Several men ran to meet them and pulled them both safely ashore.
The woman was examined by the paramedics, and flown to hospital by helicopter but thankfully, she was released three days later.
For his actions, Francis Doherty is awarded a Silver Medal and a Certificate of Bravery.
Speaking at Friday’s ceremony, the Ceann Comhairle said:
“Today the Irish State recognises and celebrates the noblest impulse in a human being, the impulse to risk our lives in order to save someone else’s. But just as importantly, what these awards also do is mark the importance of the lives that were saved and also those that were lost.
“I say this because in several instances, we are making awards where, in spite of brave actions and valiant efforts, lives were tragically lost.
“Those involved in these attempts know how hard they struggled, the families of those lost appreciate their efforts as do we, the Irish nation.”
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