Cows in the River Lee: Cork City Fire Brigade recount dramatic four-hour rescue

Firefighters recall battling river currents, reviving dogs and responding to some of Cork’s strangest emergency call-outs.

Cork Fire Brigade personnel Declan Coppinger, Stephen Carroll, Ray Lyons, Michael Paul Murtagh, John Walsh, Chris Mulvey, and Colin Weste of Amber Watch at their fire station on Anglesea Street, Cork. Picture: David Creedon

They might just be the luckiest cows in Ireland after being saved from drowning by a group of relentless firefighters.

Colin Weste from Cork City Fire Brigade was speaking about one of his most memorable workdays to date as part of an interview with the Irish Examiner highlighting Cork’s most bizarre rescues.

The incident saw him and other Amber Watch colleagues battle against the clock in an attempt to save 17 cows from the River Lee. 

The herd had been celebrating their first taste of freedom after breaking out of a field when disaster struck. Passers-by at the Regional Park in Ballincollig had already done a double-take after seeing the herd charge through the amenity. However, panic set in when the disoriented cattle found their way into the river, which forms a natural boundary for the popular area.

“There were 17 cows, and we managed to rescue 14 of them,” Colin told the Irish Examiner. “We used ropes to get them out of the water. Unfortunately, there were three who didn’t make it.”

Colin is glad the ordeal ended reasonably well.

“The farmers were coming with trailers and taking one cow back at a time because there was no other way around it. Their owner was panicking a lot because if cows get out and cause damage to people or vehicles, then the responsibility lies with the farmer. 

"You can’t really do much in the water because of the weight of the cows. If they hit you, it’s extremely dangerous. We tried our best to save them all, but three got swept away, and we never saw them again. I’m just hoping the ones that survived didn’t get sent to the slaughterhouse.

"This rescue took four hours in total, so everyone was exhausted by the end of it.” 

'The animal ones always stick in my mind'

Colin and his colleagues are not the only ones willing to risk their lives for an animal.

“We got called to help a 14-year-old girl after she jumped in the river to save her dog,” he recalled. “The dog got out and started wagging his tail while the girl was standing there wrapped in a foil blanket, shaking like a leaf. We tend to forget that dogs are much better swimmers than us. 

"We’ve also got calls to help cats up trees. I can remember one cat we took down from a tree using a ladder. As soon as we put him down, he got such a fright that he ran back up there. Whether it’s a dog in the water or a cat in a tree, the animal is usually there because it wants to be.” 

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Emmet Cotter has experienced his fair share of animal call-outs also.

“A few of the lads were at a fire in a camper van when one of them thought to ask if there were any pets inside. The dog was unconscious, but we have a special breathing apparatus for dogs. I used to think these were just a novelty, to be honest, but they were able to revive the dog with it. 

"There was a dog in Ballincollig that got caught in a housefire who was also revived using that same model of mask. The animal ones always stick in my mind. I find it hard to remember names of people, but I can still remember the name of a dog I rescued 20 years ago. He was called Roley.” 

Practical jokes

While rescues can often be surreal, Emmet said the most bizarre moments play out at work. He referred to one incident by way of example.

“Two of the lads asked a mechanic working on one of the trucks if they could borrow his overalls. They went and got one of the mannequins we use for doing search and rescue training and dressed it in the overalls. 

"They even took the mechanic’s boots and had them sticking out from underneath the truck. The station officer was asking him when he was finishing up, thinking there was a real mechanic underneath the truck. He was taken aback as it seemed like the mechanic was ignoring him. 

"When he looked under the truck and saw he was talking to a mannequin, he attempted to make a quiet exit. He looked left and right, thinking nobody was around to see what happened. What he didn’t realise was that the two lads and the mechanic were filming in a nearby truck.” 

Meanwhile, Michael Paul Murtagh referred to a rescue that left one of his colleagues red-faced.

“We were at the Lee Swim and waiting for it to finish up. There was one person around the corner who was very late. The tide had turned, and they were now swimming against it. We were sitting in the appliance, expressing concern. We knew it wasn’t good, and this man needed to be rescued. 

"As we pulled the person into the safety boat, there was a flicker of recognition. That was when we realised he was one of the new lads who had been insisting for weeks that he didn’t need to train for the event. I don’t think he’ll ever be allowed to live it down.”