Athlone woman to be honoured for her bravery

It will be all smiles tomorrow evening as Athlone traffic warden Deborah Riley steps up to receive her award at the Water Safety Ireland National Awards Ceremony.

The awards are being held to recognise the brave rescuers around the country who recently saved the lives of 17 people in near drowning incidents.

Deborah, a local traffic warden from Athlone, was on her way to work on the morning of November 12, 2018, when she spotted something unusual going on by the banks of the River Shannon.

She noticed a woman in difficulty and swam out to her, bringing her back to safety.

Her quick thinking and efficient response helped to save the woman's life.

Deborah will be recognised for her heroic actions at the awards ceremony tomorrow in Dublin.

The 'Seiko Just In Time Rescue Award' is presented to those who came to the assistance of people in difficulty in water and in danger of drowning.

Minister for Rural & Community Development Michael Ring will present the awards to the rescuers in appreciation for saving so many lives. Deborah will receive her award alongside 18 others who took part in rescues over the last year.

Deborah has been a volunteer with Athlone Sub Aqua Club for the past ten years and regularly works on search and recover missions with her colleagues.

Speaking to the Westmeath Independent in the days after the rescue last year, Deborah said: “I'm glad I was able to make a difference to one woman's life, and if I had to do it all over again tomorrow I wouldn't think twice about it.”

The awards will take place tomorrow Tuesday, November 26 at O'Reilly Hall, UCD, Dublin from 3-5pm.