In the Ireland of 40 years ago, bhí sé de nós againn ceiliúradh a dhéanamh ar fhéile Mhuire gan smál ar an 8 Nollaig. De dheasca sin, bhí sé de nós againn ag an am sin na scoileanna a dhúnadh ar an lá. Because of that closure on 8 December in years past, it would not have been unusual for young teachers to celebrate the fact that they had a free day by going into town and having a cóisir agus cúpla pionta i lár na cathrach. Deirtear sa seanfhocal gur fearr déanach ná go brách but 42 years ago a friend of mine was going into town on such an occasion. Having stepped off the bus at Poolbeg Street, he became instantly aware of a crowd congregated around by the River Liffey and people shouting that there was a woman in the water. This guy, Ruairí Ó hUallacháin, a friend of mine, being a doughty man from Blackrock in County Louth and a hardy swimmer, instantly ran over to the ladder, threw off his jacket and his shoes and dived into the Liffey. He was one of the people who received one of the bravery awards last Friday, 42 years later, in which you, a Chathaoirligh, were instrumental along with the Ceann Comhairle. Those honours are awarded by Comhairle na Míre Gaile, the Deeds of Bravery Council, and the award ceremony took place last Friday in the Leinster House Reading Room. Awarded were two certificates, 15 bronze medals, four silver medals along with one posthumously awarded gold medal. In short, tréaslaím le Ruairí Ó hUallacháin as an éacht a rinne sé ar an oíche sin. Déanaim comhghairdeas leis, lena bhean, Joan, agus lena bpáistí, Niamh agus Colm. Go neartaí Dia saol Ruairí agus a fhuinneamh go deo.

I also congratulate Carla Murphy, aged 11, from Waterford, Dawn and Shane McLawrence, and Sergeant Fergal O’Connor from Waterford Garda station in Ballybricken. The bravery awards are wonderful and I congratulate you, a Chathaoirligh, the Ceann Comhairle and all concerned, including the Garda Commissioner, the Red Cross and the local authorities. I am sure I am forgetting somebody. There is a great joint effort that makes those bravery awards such a signal event in the lives of politicians and gnáthphobal na hÉireann.

Hear, hear.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir for remembering Ruairí and all of those who quite rightly received their bravery awards in recognition for putting their own lives in danger while saving others.