You never know when life will put you in dire situations. In Criodán Ó Murchú’s case this is taken to the extreme.
The night of 30 July, 2021 would prove to be life or death situation. A Mullingar native living in Gort, attending University of Galway; Criodán, was simply enjoying his evening getting ready to meet some friends and indulge on a night out in the city.
On arrival into the city before the fun was to begin, Criodán decided to take the scenic route and walk along the River Corrib towards the University. However, there was nothing fun about what was to unfold.
While unassumingly walking across the Salmon Weir Bridge, a woman approached him worriedly and just as she did he caught a glance at the water.
“I looked in the river and I just noticed this guy, very lazy river style just sitting back floating down the river.”
Criodán along with the woman followed the man as he flowed downstream trying to grab his attention but to no avail.
“It’s just that feeling,” he says, recounting how he realised the severity of the situation.
I very quickly rang 999 because I could just tell this was serious. He was wasn’t responding whatsoever, it’s like he didn’t realise the danger he was in or just couldn’t react to it.”
They continued to follow him throwing ring buoys at him while Criodán stayed talking the operator through the situation. By this stage other people had begun to notice what was unfolding and a crowd started forming.
There were a few instances where the man came close to the edge but it soon became clear that he would need assistance. Criodán remembers looking past the river and seeing the Wolfe Tone bridge with the Claddagh Basin further on and a sudden realisation came to him.
“I think I’m gonna have to get in.”
“He came around that last corner and current just pushed him out again into the middle of the river and I thought ‘oh f*** he’s going out to sea now’.”
Still on the phone to the operator who made it clear they were unable to advise him to get in, Criodán made his way to the side of the river. He had received life guard training in the past however, this was not a situation he could’ve prepared for. Without time to even get undressed Criodán got into the river.
“I swam to the middle of the river, started treading and immediately realised wow this current is crazy strong we’re not swimming out of this.
He was faced down and I just flipped him over and we just started floating backwards together. I got under him, pushing and supporting him to keep him out of the water.”
“Someone threw a ring buoy into the water and thought I have got to get this.”
Thankfully, he did although the danger was by no means over.
“The current was still pulling us so yer man I think through inertia keeps going. So I’ve one arm through the ring boy and my other arm is holding him.”
“We made it to the middle of the river where there was a rock there so we propped up on that, I started checking for his breath.”
“He had a t-shirt tied around his neck to restrict blood flow and he was blueish at the time. I got that unwrapped and his colour came back quite a lot and he took a breath or two and was coughing. Then he started pushing on me, he was not in the right of mind but he was resisting me and it was like, ‘oh no if you do this now your gone’.”
As well as relying on his lifeguard training Criodán had dabbled in judo years previously and this would also be something he’d have to utilise with the man in a state of utter shock.
“I put my feet in between his legs and just restrained him.”
Once Criodán had gotten hold of the situation he started talking to the man assuring him he’d be okay and trying to ease his fears.
After waiting with the man for a couple minutes Criodán could feel the danger passing.
“Two coastguards showed up. I briefly explained the situation to them and with the ring buoy I floated and stumbled back to the edge of the river and that was it.”
A real case of life or death. When asked what kind of mental state he was in during the incident Criodán tried to remain calm assess what was happening and eventually he simply had to act.
“Honestly, I tend to live life as a realist and a bit matter of fact sometimes, maybe it’s the scientist in me. But it was just looking at the situation and I ran out of solutions.”
“It was the last point where I could literally be of any use to anybody. It was just that I didn’t no what else to do.
I really didn’t think about it too much.”
For his heroism, Criodán was awarded a Silver Medal and a Certificate of Bravery at the National Bravery Awards in Phoenix Park. He was inspired by some of the stories of the genuine heroes told throughout the day.
“It was a proud day.
I didn’t know what to expect going into it. But it was a really moving day to meet and sit with and hear the anecdotes and the stories.
I was just floored by it, the people and the community around it.”
Criodán still living in Gort has moved on from university since and now works with Midland Science a not for profit development company organising science outreach programs predominantly STEM workshops to primary and secondary schools.
The event that occurred on the 30th of July 2021 had a profound impact on him. When asked about how the incident might’ve changed him, he pauses and he’s unsure of the full affects. However, it has reaffirmed the impact he wants to have on the world something he tries to do through his work.
“I don’t know really,”
“I have talked about it and thought about it a good bit since but I think it just reinforces the kind of person I want to be.”
Now I don’t want to be the person who’s running into fires or being reckless.
But I dunno I’ve a big sense of community and I’ve a big sense of looking out for each other and being neighbourly and being able to rely on each other.
And that’s the kind of world I want to live in.”