We knew that Damien Dempsey was a really talented musician, however we weren’t aware that he is also a hero and general all-round good guy.
Mark Ronan, a caller to South East Radio’s Morning Mix, this morning told host Alan Corcoran that, following the Strawberry Fest in Enniscorthy, Wexford last night, he spotted two young guys in the River Slaney who had obviously got into a bit of difficulty.
Mr. Ronan called for help and a man identified as Damien Dempsey answered that call. He simply took off his shoes, got in the water and helped one of the men to safety using what seemed to be a blanket.
Damien himself commented on the incident in a statement: “We pulled up for the gig and could see a couple of lads in the river. One of them was bobbing up and down and trying to come up for air. He was obviously struggling to keep afloat and his friend couldn’t keep him up for long. I wasn’t gonna go in as people often get pulled down by the person they are saving and get into trouble themselves. I happened to find a sheet, waded into the river, not too deep, threw it to the lad who grabbed it so I could pull him in. I do a lot of sea swimming and have a good few friends who are lifeguards who say the last thing you ever do is dive into the water if you can help it. You need a connection with the land.”
Have a listen to the account below. What a guy!
