Garda Daly pictured with former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan

Offaly gardas heroic water rescue

An Offaly Garda will be honoured for saving a drowning man at Irish Water Safety's National Awards Ceremony in Dublin Castle on Tuesday.

Garda Peter Daly(29), who hails from just outside Tullamore, risked his own life by swimming out to sea to save a man who had gotten into difficulty off the East Pier in Dun Laoghaire, Dublin on June 29, 2012.

He is one of 35 people who are being recognised for bravely saving the lives of 22 people at the event at George's Hall in Dublin Castle on Tuesday, November 18.  

Garda Daly was on duty on his mountainbike when fishermen phoned Dun Laoghaire Garda Station to say they could hear a man in difficulty in June of 2012.

Speaking to the Offaly Independent this week, Garda Daly recalled attending to the scene . As it was around 5am and still dark, he explained, 'we could hear him calling but we couldn't see him.'

After a few minutes, Garda Daly and his colleague, Garda Darragh Quinn from Mayo spotted the man clinging to rocks at the base of a tower on the East Pier. 'He was on the far side of the tower clinging to the wall of the tower,' Garda Daly recalled.

'We radioed the station to get the lifeguard and the RNLI out,' Garda Daly remarked. However, before help could arrive, the two Gardai noticed the man's head going under water. 

When it was clear 'he wasn't going to make it,' Garda Quinn ran to get a lifebuoy and Garda Daly, who is a good swimmer, stripped down to his cycling shorts and jumped into the sea. 'I swam out to your man and got him to hold on to the buoy,' he recalled.

He then managed to drag the lifeless man back to the shore where Garda Quinn helped him haul the man out of the water. 'He was unconscious when we got him in,' Garda Daly explained.  

Although the incident occurred in june, the Irish Sea was still very cold. The rescued man, who had tripped and fallen while out walking, is estimated to have been in the water for 30 minutes. He spent three days in hospital making a recovery.

Garda Daly's mother Catherine is delighted her son's bravery is being recognised. 'I am as proud as punch of my first-born son,' she remarked. 

Both Garda Daly, who was nominated for the award by a Sergeant in Dun Laoghaire, and Garda Quinn will be honoured with a 'SEIKO Just in Time Rescue Award' for saving the man's life. 

The awards will be presented by Minister for the Environment and Local Government Alan Kelly. 'Tragically,' Minister Kelly said, 'an average of 135 drownings occur in Ireland every year, and although that's 135 too many, the figure would be even higher but for the dramatic efforts of these individuals who saved others from drowning and the ongoing work of volunteers teaching swimming and rescue skills.'

'In 2013, the 91 drownings in Ireland were the lowest since 1936, reason enough to highlight the work of Irish Water Safety  volunteers and their partners in the public and private sector in educating more people on how best enjoy our wonderful aquatic facilities more safely,' he commented.