Trainee garda rescues man who had fallen into Cork's River Lee

Garda Darren Ronan and Trainee Garda Caragh Byrne

A trainee garda has been praised after she and a colleague rescued a man from the River Lee in Cork City.

While on patrol in the city on Thursday morning, Garda Darren Ronan and Trainee Garda Caragh Byrne spotted a man in the river clearly in distress.

Having seen the main struggling, they both responded quickly. Ms Byrne radioed to her colleagues to ask for assistance from the emergency services, while Mr Ronan fetched a life buoy.

They both went to the rescue of the man and within minutes, Cork City Fire Services and the National Ambulance Service were also on the scene and together they managed to get the man safely out of the water.

He received medical attention and is now recovering from what a garda spokesperson said was a "frightening ordeal."

Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Dan Boyle saw the incident unfold and told 96FM about the "distressing" scene but that it showed the "bravery and usefulness of the emergency service people."

"Particularly when we hear people giving out about public safety in general.

"The commitment and effectiveness of the people in the emergency services can't be questioned.

"They certainly don't get the recognition they should do for the amount of effort they put in."