The Donegal man who emerged as a hero in the Buncrana pier tragedy has been honoured at the Irish Mirror's Pride of Ireland awards at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Dublin.
Davitt Walsh put his own life at risk as he swam out into Lough Swilly to rescue a four-month-old baby.
The judges said: “Davitt didn’t think twice about risking his own when he waded into Lough Swilly. His heroic actions in saving little Rioghnach-Ann has offered a vital chink of light in the darkest of times. His modest heroism has rightly been the source of admiration throughout Ireland and further afield. He is the Pride of Ireland.”
Accepting the award last night, Walsh said: “There are some brilliant people out there. I never thought I’d win an award like this or this would ever happen to me. In all honesty I don’t feel like a hero at all. I only wished at the time I could have done more.”
Louise James, the mother of baby Rionaghac-Ann, lost her partner Seán McGrotty, her two sons Mark (12) and Evan (8), her mother Ruth Daniels (59) and sister Jodie Lee Daniels (14) who all perished in the tragedy after Mr McGrotty’s SUV slipped off the pier in Buncrana and sank in March.
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