Clare ’keeper’s life-saving river rescue

Clare goalkeeper Joe Hayes is used to making important saves but on Wednesday morning he made his most significant one yet.

The well-known footballer was on his way to work in Limerick’s Henry Street Garda Station when he was involved in a dramatic rescue, saving the life of a 22-year-old woman.

The Lissycasey man was on his way to the station to begin work when he and a colleague spotted the young woman standing beside the River Shannon on the Dock Road.

“The woman was standing at the edge of the water. They tried to talk her out of it but she went in.

“Garda Hayes duly togged off, jumped in and brought the woman to safety. They were helped from the water by Sergeant Pat Brennan, Garda Adrian Egan and Garda Sean O’Regan.

“The woman was then conveyed to Mid-Western University Hospital in Limerick, where she received ­attention,” Inspector John O’Reilly of Henry Street Garda Station outlined.

Inspector O’Reilly praised the gardaí involved in the rescue.

“That river is not a river you want to be jumping into. I have to commend the gardaí involved and Joe in particular for his bravery and for his swift action, which undoubtedly saved the life of this young woman,” he said.

Garda Hayes, a strong swimmer, played down his role. “We were driving into work at the time and the truth is any of the boys could have done it,” he told The Clare Champion.

“The fact the woman was standing at the edge and not in the water when we got there meant that someone would have got to her. This is just part and parcel of my job and anyone would have done the same,” Garda Hayes added.

According to Inspector O’Reilly, a number of people have entered the River Shannon in the recent past but not all have been as lucky as the woman on Wednesday morning.

“Gardaí in Limerick have undergone a Suicide Awareness Programme, which provides training in the area of talking someone down when you meet a person at a crucial time like that, addressing the issues with them and ensuring they get the right treatment. That has been very successful.

“I would like also to thank the public who are very quick to report people who they see at the water’s edge and would encourage them to continue this and to contact the gardaí if they see anyone acting suspiciously.

“Let the gardaí investigate it at that stage rather than allowing the situation to escalate,” he urged.

Garda Hayes will no doubt hope to put in another heroic performance on Saturday night when he stands between the posts for Clare as they take on Limerick in the Munster Senior Football Championship at the Gaelic Grounds.