Cavan garda receives National Bravery Award
The Bravery awards recognise those who risked their lives to save others
A Cavan member of An Garda Siochana will be among 25 people to receive a National Bravery Award.
For his actions Garda Michael Joseph Lee was awarded a Silver Medal and a Certificate of Bravery by Ceann Comhairle, Seán Ó Fearghaíl TD, at the ceremony in Farmleigh House today.
On June 13, 1964, Garda Lee was called to a report of a mother and daughter who had fallen from a cliff near Leenan Fort, Co. Donegal. Both fell and rolled towards the sea, with only a small outcrop of rock separating them from going out into the sea.
Garda Lee was lowered on a rope, held by some local men and reached the pair as a boat from Leenan Quay arrived to assist. The men on the boat managed to put the mother onto a makeshift stretcher and take her on board, but the girl became hysterical and refused to go.
Garda Lee then held onto her and the rope was pulled back up the cliff. Newspaper reports of the time put the drop at between 200 -300ft.
Mother and daughter survived the ordeal, although both had suffered broken bones from the fall.
Garda Lee was wearing his uniform and regular Garda footwear at the time, and had no specialised training in mountaineering or rock climbing.
The Bravery awards were set up in 1947 to recognise those who risked their lives to save others and are administered by Comhairle na Míre Gaile – the Deeds of Bravery Council – which is chaired by the Ceann Comhairle.
“The deeds we honour here are exceptional acts of bravery. They mark the moments where people saved the lives of others through their actions, risking their own lives doing so. What these awards celebrate is the noblest impulse within a human being, to risk their life in order to save another,” said the Ceann Comhairle. “We honour people who leaped into stormy seas, who braved swollen rivers, climbed down cliffs, assisted at road traffic collisions and performed other remarkable deeds. Through their actions there are people alive today, who would undoubtedly have died.
“Today we rightly acknowledge the brave acts of heroism that our honoured guests have performed. But it also a day for remembering and acknowledging the very many acts of bravery carried out day in and day out throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. However small or big those acts were and continue to be, collectively they contribute to keeping us all safe during an unprecedented time in our lives.
Conscious of marking these deeds at a time when the world is still under the shadow of pandemic.
“This virus has brought great pain to many families throughout the country and our hearts are heavy for the loss suffered over the last 20 months. But the exemplary service given by our doctors, nurses and frontline workers across the health service, the fire and rescue services and An Garda Síochána has brought great hope and also pride, to us all.”
The Deeds of Bravery Council includes the Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann, the Lord Mayors of Dublin and Cork, the Garda Commissioner, the President of the Association of City & County Councils and the Chair of the Irish Red Cross.
The Council may award Gold, Silver or Bronze medals as well as Certificates of Bravery.