Bravery Awards: Gold medal for 90-year-old Cork man who died saving a woman's life

Martin O'Keeffe and his mother Mary O'Keeffe with the gold medal awarded posthumously to Mary's late husband, Callaghan ‘Cal’ O’Keeffe who died from his injuries in 2024 after pushing a woman from the direct path of an oncoming car in Fermoy, Co Cork. Picture: Maxwell’s

Ordinary people who acted with extraordinary courage were honoured at a glittering ceremony in Dublin on Friday.

The National Bravery Awards saw the presentation of two certificates, 15 bronze medals, and four silver medals, with a gold award posthumously given to the family of 90-year-old retired teacher Callaghan O’Keeffe.

Another medal recipient at the National Bravery Awards was Naoise Quinn. 

In September 2024, 18-year-old Naoise was walking with a friend, Ailise O’Sullivan, near the Beacon cliffs in Baltimore, Co Cork. 

At the National Bravery Awards in Leinster House,  Naoise Quinn was awarded a bronze medal for his rescue of a distressed man from cliffs at the Beacon, Baltimore, Co Cork in 2024. Picture: Maxwell’s

On the way up to the Beacon, they encountered a man in a distressed state who asked them to mind his phone and keys and then startled them both by making to jump off the cliff. 

Naoise ran at the man and tackled him to the ground to prevent him from jumping and held on to him. They tried to calm him down and talked to him to reassure him before walking with him down towards his van.

However, the man made two more attempts to jump from the cliff. Naoise kept wrestling him back and eventually had to restrain him until gardaí came after being called by Ailise. For his actions, Naoise was awarded a bronze medal and a certificate of bravery.

Superintendent David Nolan and Garda John Carroll were each awarded a bronze medal for their attempted rescue of a young man from the River Nore in Kilkenny City in April 2003. Picture: Maxwell’s

Michael Collins, from Cork, received a silver award. 

Last January, he noticed a car parked across from his home near a river, with the windows down and a handbag left on the seat.

70-year-old Michael Collins with Gillian McDonagh and Geraldine Collins at the National Bravery Awards in Leinster House. Michael was awarded a bronze medal for his rescue of a woman from the water at Roovesbridge, Co Cork in January of this year. Picture: Maxwell’s  

Realising there was something wrong, he began to search along the shore. Seeing a lady in the water, he realised her situation and entered the river to try to assist her.

It was freezing cold and, as a 70-year-old and a poor swimmer, he realised he would not be able to physically take her out, so he walked in as far as possible and spoke to her, while also calling the gardaí.

He stayed in the river for 45 minutes talking to her before managing to take her hand and bring her back in. When they got ashore, the woman was hypothermic, and she was brought to hospital for treatment. 

He noted to gardaí this was the second time he had been compelled to enter the river to bring someone ashore.

Carla Murphy with Diana Murphy, Sean Murphy, and Isabel Murphy at the National Bravery Awards 2025. Carla was awarded a silver medal for her courage in 2023 when the then 9-year-old helped her mother escape from an intruder in their home in Waterford City. Picture: Maxwell’s

Callaghan O’Keeffe

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

Cal O’Keeffe saved a woman's life by pushing her out of the direct path of an oncoming car in 2024 but the father of four and retired teacher and farmer succumbed to his injuries. On Friday, his family accepted a gold bravery award on his behalf.  

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’Keeffe was fatally wounded and pronounced dead at the scene shortly after.

Also at the ceremony, headed by Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy, Pat Cannon received a silver medal after he rescued a crewmate from the sea off the Mayo coast in October 1998.

Pat Cannon was awarded a silver medal at the National Bravery Awards for his courage when rescuing of a crewmate from the sea off the Mayo coast in 1988. Picture: Maxwell’s

Despite not being able to swim, Mr Cannon realised his shipmate would be lost if he did not act. He jumped into the sea and grabbed hold of his mate before both were hauled back aboard by two others.

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.

At the National Bravery Awards in Leinster House, Alison Lynch accepted a posthumous silver medal on behalf of her late father Pauge Lynch who rescued an elderly neighbour from a house that was on fire in Virginia, Co Cavan in 1986. Picture: Maxwell’s

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.

Ms Murphy told the 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.”