A Connemara-born Garda has been honoured with an award for bravery after her role in a dramatic lake rescue in the Midlands just over two years ago.

Garda Nora Cloherty, originally from Roundstone, and her colleague Garda Claire Davis were presented with Rescue Appreciation awards at the Water Safety Ireland national awards ceremony in Dublin Castle last week.

They were joined by Kieran Milner and Pat McArdle, both members of Mullingar Sailing Club, for their actions in saving the life of a man who got into difficulties at Lough Owel just over two years ago.

The rescued man, who is understood to have been in a distressed state at the time, entered the water at the Diving Board at Portnashangan in June 2021.

Alerted to the crisis, the gardaí and the sailing club members launched a speedboat to rush to his aid.

The four succeeded in bringing the man to shore at the diving board where crews from the Fire Service and the National Ambulance Service were in attendance, and the man was brought to the Midland Regional Hospital at Mullingar for treatment.

A garda spokesperson had warm praise for his two colleagues at the time of the rescue.

“It’s a clear example of excellent policework [and] they will definitely be receiving a commendation for their excellent work: by their actions a man’s life has been saved: you can’t ask any more of a member of An Garda Siochána than that.”

Garda Cloherty is a member of Mullingar Community Policing.

Pictured: Garda Nora Cloherty (third from right) at the Water Safety Ireland national awards with (from left) Pat McArdle, Mullingar Sailing Club; Clare McGrath, Chairperson, Water Safety Ireland; Minister Thomas Byrne; Kieran Milner, Mullingar Sailing Club; Garda Claire Davis, and Superintendent Seán Fallon.