Roscommon Garda wins bravery award
Garda John Carroll will be presented with his bravery award later today.
A Roscommon Garda will be among twenty two people who will receive bravery medals at a special ceremony later today in Dublin.
Garda John Carroll from Roscommon and Offaly native, Garda David Nolan were involved in the attempted rescue of a young man from the River Nore in Kilkenny City At around 2.30 am on the morning of Tuesday 1 April 2003, the two gardaí entered the freezing waters of the River Nore in Kilkenny in the rescue attempt.
During the incident, Garda Nolan swam out to the man, putting a rope around him. The river was being dredged at the time and the flow was considerable, so with the man unresponsive, Garda Nolan was joined in the river by Garda John Caroll.
Although some time had elapsed since the alarm was raised, the Gardaí did their best to keep the man’s head above water as they brought him ashore, in the hope that he might be revived or resuscitated.
Tragically, despite their best efforts, and the help from their colleagues on shore, the young man was pronounced dead shortly after being removed from the water.
For their actions, Garda David Nolan (now Superintendent) and Garda John Carroll will each be awarded a Bronze medal and a Certificate of Bravery.
At 12 noon today in Leinster House, the Ceann Comhairle, Verona Murphy, will present 22 National Bravery Awards to individuals from across Ireland who risked their own lives to aid others in peril.
This year’s ceremony will include the awarding of two certificates, fifteen Bronze Medals and four Silver Medals with the posthumous presentation of a Gold award.
