Posthumous honour for sea rescue heroes

Two men who drowned while trying to rescue a couple who got into difficulty in the sea off Owenahincha strand in west Cork in September last year were honoured posthumously yesterday for their heroic efforts.

The men, Peter O'Keeffe and Jonathan Herlihy, were among 13 people who were given awards for rescuing people in near-drowning incidents by Irish Water Safety (IWS) at an awards ceremony in Dublin Castle.

Relatives of Peter (36), from Ovens, and Jonathan (22), from Glanmire, both in Co Cork, attended the awards ceremony. The men died on September 3rd, 2006 when they went to the assistance of Cliona Murphy and Lee Cooley, who were in severe difficulties.

The men, who had not known each other, were strolling down the beach with family and friends when they heard the couple's calls for help.

Although they managed to reach Ms Murphy and Mr Cooley, they were overwhelmed by a huge wave and dragged out to sea. The rescued swimmers survived.

Chairman of IWS, Frank Nolan, said at the "Seiko Just In Time" awards that the two recipients paid "the ultimate price" for their bravery.

Another award winner was Louth taxi driver, David Faulkner, who in February rescued a man from the river Boyne in Drogheda.

Mr Faulkner said yesterday two of his friends had drowned when he was 17 and this made him determined to rescue the drowning man.

A number of gardaí and emergency service personnel also received awards, including Brian Cosgrove and Paul Duffy of Dublin Fire Brigade, who rescued a 10-year-old boy from the bottom of the canal at Inchicore in April 2007.

Mr Cosgrove said it would have been too difficult "to stay on the side and not do anything".

Naval Service officer, John Murphy, received an award for an off-duty rescue. When driving with his family over Christy Ring Bridge in Cork city he noticed a woman in difficulty in the river. Mr Murphy jumped into the river to rescue the woman who was face down in the water.

The awards were presented by Minister of State for Environment and Energy Tony Killeen at Dublin Castle.

The Minister also recognised the role of local and national media played in raising awareness of water safety. The Irish Times received a national press award for its coverage.