A teenager is being described as a hero after jumping into the River Barrow to save a woman and her daughter who had got into difficulties in the River Barrow in Carlow.
Miley Doran who is a member of the Travelling Community has been put forward for a National Bravery Award because of his courage and fast-thinking in going to the rescue of the pair.
Ann Langton, whose daughter Stacey and grandaughter Sophie had found themselves in difficulty swimming on Sunday afternoon, said that Miley Doran was a “hero”.
She said: “On behalf of my daughter and granddaughter, I would like to thank Miley Doran for saving their lives by pulling them out of the Barrow.
“He is truly our hero and we feel everyone should know about what you did. He risked his life for my family. I will be forever in his debt. His family should be so proud of him and he should be so proud of himself.
“He is a true hero to us. Thank you Miley from the bottom of my heart. May God Bless you and all belong to you,” she said.
Ms Langton said that her granddaughter was at a park close to Carlow town with some friends, and had gone into the water and got into difficulties. The girl’s mother then jumped in to save her but in the panicked situation “she was bobbing up and down and nearly lost consciousness”.
Miley heard the screams for help and “he didn’t even think of his own safety. Just got up and jumped straight in,” Mrs Langton said.
The young man got both mother and daughter to safety.
Miley told RTE radio that he had heard a child shouting “help, help my mother’s drowning” and he had managed to get both of them out. “I had to try and do the right thing,” he said.