Father drowns after attempting to help teens caught in strong current

A heroic father drowned after jumping into seas off the Wexford coast after two of three teenage boys got into difficulties while swimming.

The accident occurred at 12.40pm in the holiday village of Courtown on Saturday when three 14-year-old boys went for a swim in the mouth of the harbour — one of whom was his son.

The man, named as 39-year-old James O’Reilly, from Cabra in Dublin, dived into the icy waters, when he saw the teenagers getting into difficulty.