Bravery Awards for gardai who rescued woman

GARDAI who rescued a woman and her dog from the River Camac in Clondalkin two years ago, were among the recipients of National Bravery Awards at a ceremony at Farmleigh House this week.

Garda Brendan Crawford and Garda Ciaran Murray were each awarded a Bronze Medal.

The incident occurred on June 17, 2020, when a woman was walking her dog on a harness lead near the Camac River.

The dog fell into the water near a culvert running under the M50 motorway and pulled its owner in too. There had been very heavy rain in the previous days and the water level was high.

Reports in The Echo at the time noted that resident Ann Lamb was out walking her dog Millie in the Knockmitten Park area.

The current was so strong that the lady and her dog were swept into the tunnel. When Clondalkin gardai arrived, the woman was too far down the tunnel to be seen but could be heard crying for help.

The gardai took ropes from their car and entered the water. The woman was located about 50 feet into the tunnel which was too far for their rope. Gardai Murray and Crawford continued through the water and managed to get to the woman who had held onto her dog which was struggling and causing her to sink under the water.

Garda Crawford took hold of the dog and both he and Garda Murray assisted the lady out of the tunnel and eventually brought her back through the waters. Despite being barely able to speak from cold and shock, the lady made a full recovery.

Ceann Comhairle, Seán Ó Fearghaíl TD, presented 16 National Bravery Awards to individuals across the country who risked their own lives to aid others in peril.

The annual honours are awarded by Comhairle na Míre Gaile – the Deeds of Bravery Council – which was founded in 1947 to enable State recognition of exceptional acts of bravery.