The sacrifice of two men, who died while rescuing a drowning couple off west Cork earlier this year, was remembered at their inquests yesterday where their family members appealed to the public to be vigilant in relation to water safety.
Jonathan Herlihy (22), Glanmire, Co Cork, and Peter O'Keeffe (36), Ovens, Co Cork drowned while rescuing Cliona Murphy and Lee Cooley from the sea at Owenahincha Strand on September 3rd last.
At the men's inquests in Clonakilty courthouse yesterday, Mr Cooley said one minute he and Ms Murphy were swimming and the next they were being dragged out to sea by rough waves.
The pair started shouting for help and Mr Herlihy and Mr O'Keeffe joined forces in an effort to save them.
Mr Cooley, who is from Doncaster in England, said he and Ms Murphy managed to make their way ashore on a lifebuoy the two men had brought out to them. However, Mr Herlihy and Mr O'Keeffe were never seen alive again.
"The current favoured us and not them. I saw Jonathan had dark hair and a blue T-shirt and Peter had a white shirt. I hardly saw them because of the waves and the distance. I could tell they were in difficulty. It was so quick. We were pushed [ashore] by the same waves that 10 minutes ago were drowning us. Now they were saving us."
Mr O'Keeffe's fiancee, Anne Riordan, who was with him on the beach that day, said in a statement read into the evidence by a garda, that when her fiance noticed the couple in difficulty in the water he immediately joined forces with Mr Herlihy to carry out a rescue operation.
Ms Riordan paid tribute to the Garda and the hundreds of people who took part in the extensive search operation for Mr O'Keeffe's body. She also issued an appeal to members of the public to be aware of water safety and the danger spots on certain beaches.
Mr O'Keeffe's body was recovered on September 5th but Mr Herlihy's body took another five days to wash ashore.
Eileen Herlihy said her son was very happy on the day of his death because he had come down to Owenahincha as a surprise treat for his parents, who had bought a new mobile home.
She said she urged her son not to go in the water and started waving at him to get out. "I could see four heads in the water for about two minutes and suddenly I could only see two heads. I didn't know who they were but presumed it was Jonathan and Peter. They were coming in closer. It was only when the two people stood up I realised that it wasn't Jonathan or Peter."
Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster said Mr O'Keeffe and Mr Herlihy died of acute cardio-respiratory failure due to drowning.
Coroner Colm Quigley offered his condolences to the families of both men. Mr O'Keeffe and Mr Herlihy are expected to be posthumously awarded the prestigious An Bonn Ghniomh Gaile (Deeds of Bravery) medal.
It is expected their families will be given the medals at a civic reception in Cork City Hall early next year.
The medal is usually awarded to gardaí and firefighters who have acted courageously in the face of enormous risk, but it is given to civilians under exceptional circumstances.