Heroic rescue in Ballina-Killaloe recalled

From the Nenagh Guardian of 60 years ago, June 20 1964, comes this story of the heroic rescue by a teenager of a boy who had fallen into the River Shannon at Ballina-Killaloe.......

This was a very fine act of courage and bravery on the part of this young man and has very properly been recognised as such, said Justice Hurley at Killaloe Court on Monday, when he presented a Certificate from Comhairle na Mire Gaile to Fergus P. McKeogh, Ballina, in recognition of his heroic rescue of a boy from drowning in the Shannon at Killaloe on June 9, 1963.

Fergus, who is aged 16, is son of Mrs McKeogh, and the late Patrick McKeogh, Lakelands, and of McKeogh’s Bakery and General Stores, Ballina. The boy who he rescued was Paddy Durack, aged 10, of Ballina.

The citation stated that on June 9, 1963, a group of boys were fishing from a platform on the top of the eel weir at the bridge over the Shannon at Killaloe. One boy went down a ladder, lost his footing, and fell into the river, which at that point is approximately 15 feet deep. He was unable to swim.

Fergus McKeogh then jumped into the water, swam behind the drowning boy and pushed him towards the ladder where he was hauled to safety by a local garda.