Nine Cork people honoured at National Bravery Awards

Nine Leesiders were honoured today at the National Bravery Awards, including a Cork teen who is one of the youngest in the award’s history to receive a gold medal.

Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl presented 23 National Bravery Awards to individuals from across Ireland, all of whom risked their lives to aid others in peril.

Among the award winners from Cork, 15-year-old David Akar was recognised for the rescue and attempted rescue of two friends from the sea at Passage West in August 2023.

The teen, who was just shy of his 14th birthday, safely rescued one boy, and attempted to recover another, after a strong current had pulled them away from their group while swimming.

Despite his efforts, the second boy, Jack O’Sullivan, 14, lost his life — but for his valiant actions, Mr Akar was awarded both a gold medal and a certificate of bravery.

“I’m honoured, I’m delighted to be able to say I dedicate this award to Jack O’Sullivan and his family,” said Mr Akar, speaking to The Echo following the awards ceremony. 

“It’s bittersweet, it’s a good thing to get the award, but it was a very bad situation.

“I’ll definitely pay a visit to Jack’s family, to share the moment with them.

“I’m delighted to be able to speak up about it, I’m very proud, and my family and Jack’s family are very proud of me too.”

Aaron O’Callaghan and Carlos Amaya from Cork were also awarded for their rescue efforts, as both assisted in the recovery of three people from the sea at Garretstown Beach near Kinsale earlier this year.

Mr O’Callaghan and Mr Amaya worked together to rescue a father and his two children after they were caught in a severe riptide, and for their actions, they were each awarded a bronze medal and a certificate of bravery.

Walter Murphy, Oleg Coronciuc, and Veaceslav Coronciuc were awarded for the rescue of two men from an out-of-control car on the South Ring Rd, Cork city, earlier this year. The men, who worked to slow the vehicle, were recognised for preventing a potentially catastrophic road traffic collision, as the driver of the car had suffered a fatal cardiac arrest.

The three men were each awarded a bronze medal and a certificate of bravery.

Garda Joseph O’Reilly and Garda Denis Cronin from Cork were recognised for rescuing a man from a burning building in Knocknaheeny in 2021.

The gardaí safely evacuated the elderly man from the semi-detached house, and were both awarded a bronze medal and a certificate of bravery.

Garda Conor Lucey from Cork was honoured for his part in intervening to prevent a man from setting fire to himself at the Quays in Waterford in June 2002.

Gda Lucey was awarded a certificate of bravery.

“This singular day marks moments where self-preservation was cast aside by our brave recipients as they risked their lives to help someone else,” said Mr Ó Fearghaíl during the ceremony.

“These moments matter, because in many cases, lives were saved that would have been lost.

“They matter because even when people were lost in some of the awful tragedies we remember today, those people were not alone.”