Thirty-eight people at risk of drowning were saved through the actions of 56 rescuers who will be honoured at Water Safety Ireland's National Awards Ceremony in Dublin on Tuesday, 13 October.
The awards, taking place at the Round Room in the Mansion House at 3 pm, will recognise members of the public and emergency services personnel whose quick thinking and courage helped prevent tragedies at beaches, rivers, lakes and other waterways in Ireland and abroad.
Among those being recognised are young Sea Scouts who rescued a swimmer in Dublin, a father and daughter who responded to a rip-current emergency in Kerry, and two brothers who saved a child from drowning in Sligo.
Minister of State Jerry Buttimer will present the Rescue Awards, while the ceremony will also recognise 88 Water Safety Ireland volunteers for their long service.
Young Sea Scouts Among Rescue Award Recipients
Four members of the 5th Port Dollymount Sea Scouts – Aoibheann Conlon, Laura Daly, Oisín Weadick and Gavin Weadick – will receive Rescue Appreciation Awards after helping a swimmer trapped beneath a bridge at Dollymount on 31 May.
The young sailors were taking part in a leadership training exercise when they became aware of the emergency. They immediately relaunched their boat, reached the swimmer and brought the casualty safely ashore.
Their actions demonstrated the importance of practical seamanship and water safety training among young people.
In Kerry, 15-year-old Ciara Moore and her father, Michael, will receive Just in Time Awards after a rescue at Finan's Bay on 18 July.
The pair entered the water carrying ring buoys after spotting a swimmer caught in a rip current. Ciara drew on her recent rescue training to negotiate the current and help bring the swimmer safely ashore.
At Rosses Point in Sligo, brothers Evan and Troy Hewitt will also be honoured after rescuing a young boy on 10 July. Evan entered the water and supported the child after he had submerged, before Troy joined him to help bring the boy ashore.
Rescue Efforts Across Ireland
The awards also recognise a rescue at the entrance to Malahide Estuary on 6 May, when Eoin Kernan, Evan Banable and Cara Lynch responded to a Coast Guard alert about a swimmer in serious difficulty.
Evan and Cara launched their RIB while Eoin coordinated the response by radio. The swimmer was recovered and brought to Malahide Marina for transfer to emergency services.
In Wexford, Ciaran O'Gara and his daughters Ruth and Anna will be honoured for rescuing four swimmers swept into deeper water by a rogue wave at Curracloe Beach on 28 December 2025. The family repeatedly entered the water, taking turns to reach the swimmers and bring all four safely ashore.
Emergency services personnel will also receive recognition, including Sergeant Daniel Eccles, who entered Dublin's Royal Canal fully clothed on 28 April after seeing a five-year-old girl fall into the water. He reached the submerged child, brought her to the surface and helped return her safely to her father.
Volunteers Recognised for 2,260 Years of Service
Alongside the rescue honours, 88 Water Safety Ireland volunteers will receive Long-Service Awards, representing a combined 2,260 years of voluntary service. Their work includes teaching swimming, water rescue and survival skills and promoting water safety awareness in communities throughout Ireland.
Water Safety Ireland CEO Joanne Walsh said the awards recognised ordinary people who made extraordinary decisions in emergencies.
"Their courage and quick thinking saved lives and serve as an inspiration to us all," she said. "Every rescue recognised today is also a reminder of how quickly a situation can become an emergency around water."
Minister Buttimer said the recipients' actions demonstrated the importance of water safety awareness around Ireland's canals, rivers, lakes and coastline.
Water Safety Ireland is encouraging the public to learn about water-related risks, develop practical safety skills and discuss water safety with family, friends and colleagues.
The National Awards Ceremony takes place on Tuesday, 13 October, at the Mansion House in Dublin.
