Woman saved after falling 8m from quay boardwalk

A 41-YEAR-OLD man was hailed a hero yesterday after he saved a teenage woman from drowning in the River Lee.

The woman fell 8m from the boardwalk at Cork’s Lapp’s Quay and hit her head off a pontoon below before going under the water.

Paul Delaney, who is employed by Noonan’s Cleaners, was sitting on the quay having his lunch when he saw the young woman climb over a protective railing and fall in.

“She hopped off the deck (below). When I got down there I couldn’t see her at first,” Mr Delaney, who comes from Dominic Road, Ballyphehane, said.

Another man, who as yet hadn’t been identified, rushed down to help Mr Delaney.

“We couldn’t see her in the water because she had actually gone in under the pontoon. I then spotted what I thought was her arm and I grabbed it. We managed to get her out and I shouted up to people who had gathered on the boardwalk to call 999,” said Mr Delaney.

He used first aid training he had learnt on a company course and put the young woman into the recovery position.

Gardaí arrived at the scene and started to revive the woman. Paramedics came and put an oxygen mask on the woman who then started to move.

Minutes later an ambulance crew arrived and put her on a backboard. She suffered a serious gash to her head.

Mr Delaney said he didn’t think he was a hero. “I only did what anybody else would have.”