Man posthumously awarded medal for bravery

By Cillian Sherlock, PA

The family of a man who died while trying to save a woman from being struck by a car has been honoured at this year’s National Bravery Awards.

The ceremony included the awarding of two certificates, 15 bronze medals and four silver medals, and the gold award being posthumously presented to the family of 90-year-old retired teacher Callaghan O’Keefe.

In October last year, Mr O’Keefe noticed a woman was in danger of being struck by a reversing car.

What you have done has made the world feel a little less dark, a little less dangerous and gives hope to us all for the road ahead

Just before a potential collision, he managed to push the woman out of its direct line.

The car still struck the woman but – because of his own position – it also struck him full on.

While the woman survived with very serious injuries, Mr O’Keefe was fatally wounded and pronounced dead at the scene shortly after.

The woman was treated for her injuries.

For giving his life to save another, Mr O’Keefe was posthumously awarded a gold medal and a memorial certificate of bravery.

At a ceremony headed by Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy, 11-year-old Carla Murphy was this year’s youngest winner as she received a silver medal for her courageous act.

In December 2023, an intruder entered Carla’s home in Waterford city by climbing on to a flat roof and entering her mother’s bedroom.

Her mother started to scream and shout at the man, who grabbed at her violently and tried to choke her.

While this was happening, then nine-year-old Carla rang her father who told her to stay in her room while he called gardaí.

Following a further physical interaction between her mother and the intruder, Carla left her room and ran to the kitchen.

She took a knife from a kitchen drawer and went up the stairs to try to help free her mother.

However, her mother managed to flee and escape the house with Carla.

Arriving gardaí were then able to arrest the man who was hiding in a neighbouring garden.

For her actions, Carla was awarded a silver medal and a certificate of bravery.

Other recipients of silver medals included Pat Cannon, who rescued a crewmate from the sea off the Mayo coast in October 1998.

Despite not being able to swim, Mr Cannon realised his shipmate would be lost if he did not act.

He jumped into the dark sea and grabbed hold of his mate before both were hauled back aboard by two others after dramatic and dangerous scenes on the rough seas.

Donal Kavanagh was given a silver medal for rescuing his sister and grandparents from a burning house in Sligo in December 1991, when he was aged 11.

At the ceremony, Alison Lynch accepted a silver medal on behalf of her late father Pauge Lynch.

Mr Lynch had rescued his elderly neighbour from a house fire in Virginia, Co Cavan, in 1986.

He had entered the man’s house and followed the sound of his groans through thick smoke.

He dragged the man out of the property while the fire spread to the thatched room.

The man, who was aged in his 90s, recovered but the house was completely destroyed.

The Ceann Comhairle told recipients: “What you have done has made the world feel a little less dark, a little less dangerous and gives hope to us all for the road ahead.”