Three boys are recovering in a Dublin hospital after being saved from drowning by football fans who rescued and revived them after their car plunged into a canal in Co Offaly at the weekend.
The boys were plucked from the overturned car by two adults also travelling in the vehicle and by football fans going to the All-Ireland final at the weekend.
Mr Michael Murphy from Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo, along with a friend, an off-duty garda who did not wish to be named, were travelling to Dublin when they were flagged down by the driver of the car which had overturned into the water at a bad bend near Edenderry.
"The three boys may have been trapped in the vehicle in the water for anything up to seven minutes before we got it turned over on its side. When a door was finally forced open they were taken to the canal bank where they were revived," Mr Murphy said.
The three boys were on their way home from a soccer match with the two adults when the car went into the canal. The two adults forced their way out of the car and were making desperate attempts to save the young boys when help arrived.
A lorry driver was also quickly on the scene as well as a man from Tuam who was on his way to the All-Ireland final with his daughter, a trainee nurse, who helped provide treatment.
According to Mr Murphy, if all those motorists had not taken a detour via the side road near Edenderry to avoid traffic going to the All-Ireland final, there might have been no extra help at hand to save the boys from drowning.
The Tuam man lost his wallet as it fell into the canal while he was trying to pull out the boys but the off-duty garda friend retrieved it. "Once he knew the boys were safe on the bank he waded back into the canal and retrieved the wallet which contained the All-Ireland football final tickets of the Tuam man and his two sons and daughter."
The three boys have been detained in Tallaght Hospital; one has a broken leg, another has a broken arm and the third has a chest infection.