A TEN-YEAR-OLD girl and three gardaí were among rescuers recognised for their actions in near-death incidents at Irish Water Safety's annual national awards ceremony at Dublin Castle.
Emily Luff (10), from Quilty, Co Clare, received a certificate of courage for saving her sister's life by keeping her afloat in a rip current in September last year.
Emily and her sister Isabelle (8) went swimming at Spanish Point after school with their mother watching on shore. They were at knee-depth when a rip current pulled them out beyond surf break. Emily held her sister up until rescuers arrived.
"I didn't realise quite how brilliant she was to her little sister," said Emily's mother Siobhán. "Pride isn't a big enough word." She said she called the girls in to go home when she realised they were in trouble.
"They weren't coming in so I started yelling and I saw Emily going in to hold Isabelle up and Isabelle started yelling 'Mummy I'm drowning!' "
Two other award recipients responded to Ms Luff's calls for help. Peter Bradbury, who received a Just in Time award, called the Coast Guard, while Thomas Thompson, recipient of a Rescue Appreciation award, followed the girls' shouting on his surfboard to find them.
"I was ready to throw up," said Emily. "We had to take some warm water afterwards to warm us up. We don't swim on that beach any more."
Garda Maurice Barry from Bandon, Co Cork, was awarded for resuscitating a man found face-down in the Bandon river in May. Mr Barry swam 20 feet to reach the body and administered first aid for 30 minutes on a rock until the fire brigade arrived and helped him pull the man ashore. He regained consciousness before an ambulance arrived and took him to hospital.
Mr Barry said he did not get the chance to speak to the man before he was taken away, but felt good knowing he saved his life.
Latvian ambassador Peteris Elferts was present to congratulate compatriot Agris Jankovics, who saved a Louth man who fell into water.
"I wasn't expecting him to be there," said Mr Jankovics. He said the ambassador congratulated him for giving Latvia the perfect gift as it celebrated Independence Day today.
Minister of State for Environment, Heritage and Local Government Michael Finneran presented 18 awards at Dublin Castle for 12 rescue incidents in which 17 lives were saved.
He said: "Tragically, 158 drownings occurred in Ireland last year. This high figure would be even higher but for the dramatic efforts of these individuals who saved others from drowning, and ongoing work of volunteers teaching swimming and rescuing."
A spokesman for the Department of the Environment stressed that while award recipients were brave, swimmers should be aware of their own abilities in water. "Never swim outside these limits and instead develop your abilities by taking Irish Water Safety's swimming and life-saving classes," he said.