Girl who saved brother from drowning wins bravery award

A 10-year-old girl who saved her four-year-old brother from drowning today insisted she would do it again in a heartbeat.

Amy O’Donoghue was given an award for her bravery after rescuing her brother Lee from the bottom of a swimming pool during a family holiday.

The Dublin girl and rugby ace Paul O’Connell were among 14 people honoured at the Irish Water Safety (IWS) National Awards Ceremony for saving 18 lives.

She explained how the dramatic rescue took place while on holiday in Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands.

“I walked over to the pool and I could see something which I first thought was a towel but then I realised it was Lee,” said Amy, from Santry.

“I screamed and I dived in fully clothed to the deep end and got him up.

“My mam came outside and dived into the pool and she put him on the bank and gave him mouth to mouth.”

Munster hero Mr O’Connell couldn’t be there to accept his award because of tonight’s match with the mighty All Blacks in Limerick.

But a special ceremony is being planned for the Ireland captain who plucked a young English woman out of a rip curl while surfing in Lahinch, Co Clare, last July.

Last year, there were 156 drownings – an increase of 25 on the previous year.

But Irish Water Safety chief executive John Leech insisted great strides are being made in improving water safety.

“We could have lost another 18 lives if it wasn’t for the life-saving skills and training of these people whose remarkable achievements are being recognised today,” he said.

“It’s certainly a big improvement compared to 238 deaths ten years ago and that’s also down to the RNLI, the Coastguard and Navy search and rescue teams.”

Young Amy was joined at the ceremony by her parents June and Derek, sister Kelly and brothers Lee and Luke.

After her mother jumped in and pulled Lee out of the water, brave Amy ran for help.

When she couldn’t get a mobile phone signal, she flagged down an Irish couple in a car who brought the family to hospital.

A 28-year-old Cork man, Karl Dempsey, saved himself and four friends from drowning after being thrown from a boat when the steering failed.

The qualified lifeguard managed to swim to the boat and manually steer it before pulling himself and his crew back on board in September 2006.

“I suppose I was just running on adrenalin really,” he said.

“Actually none of the lads know I’m getting this award. I’ve kept it quiet so far.”

Garda Sgt Pat Murphy was one of five gardai involved in rescue attempts over the past two years.

Despite his best efforts, he couldn’t save the life of 14-year-old Kieran Cummins who drowned in the River Lee last June after diving off the Shakey Bridge with friends.

But he did save the life of a teenage girl who later made a full recovery.

The awards, including lifetime service awards, were presented by Junior Environment Minister Michael Kitt at Dublin Castle.