Teenager among those commended for their heroism at National Bravery Awards

It was a day of celebration on Friday at Farmleigh House in the Phoenix Park as individuals from across Ireland were honoured at the National Bravery Awards for risking their own lives to help others in peril.

At the ceremony, 23 National Bravery Awards were bestowed upon men and women from Waterford, Cork, Dublin, Galway, Clare, Westmeath and Wexford who were commended for their selfless acts of bravery.

The Ceann Comhairle, Seán Ó Fearghaíl TD, presented the ceremony in the Phoenix Park wherein seven certificates, eleven bronze medals, four silver medals and one gold medal were awarded to recipients. 

The annual awards are granted by Comhairle na Míre Gaile – the Deeds of Bravery Council – founded in 1947 to enable State recognition of exceptional Acts of Bravery.

The Council is chaired by the Ceann Comhairle and includes the Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann, the Lord Mayors of Dublin and Cork, the Garda Commissioner, the President of the Association of City & County Councils, and the Chairman of the Irish Red Cross.

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15-year-old David Akar from Tougher, County Cork was one of the youngest ever recipients of the National Bravery Awards. On Friday, the teenager was awarded a Gold Medal and Certificate of Bravery in recognition of his attempts to save his friend who died after getting into difficulty while swimming at Passage West in Cork last year.

In August 2023, several of David's young friends got into difficulty while swimming and the brave teenager jumped to action to help his friends. David managed to save one his friends, but unfortunately due to the strength of the current 14-year-old Jack O'Sullivan died.

David was only 13-years-old at the time and had previous training as a lifeguard.

Speaking on Morning Ireland on Friday, Daniel said: "I feel very honoured (to receive this award) and I'm just remembering Jack the whole way through the process."

Speaking to the guests at the joyous ceremony today, the Ceann Comhairle said: "This November day in Farmleigh is a day when we celebrate people who have made the world feel a little less dark, a little less dangerous and whose actions speak to the very best and noblest of impulses.

"This singular day marks moments where self-preservation was cast aside by our brave recipients as they risked their lives to help someone else."

He added: "These moments matter, because in many cases, lives were saved that would have been lost. They matter because even when people were lost, in some of the awful tragedies we remember today, those people were not alone.

"They would have known and their families know, that someone was with them, someone was bravely and desperately trying to save them, to bring them home."