Death defying rescue earns Sergeant a medal

December 1991

A LISTOWEL-born Garda sergeant who risked his life trying to save two elderly men from a fire in Dublin was awarded a Scott Medal for bravery by Justice Minister Ray Burke at the weekend.

Sgt John Galvin from Rathea, Listowel joined the Garda Siochana in 1984 and was stationed in Blackrock, Co Dublin and he was awarded the Scott Medal for risking his life trying to save two elderly men in a fire at Blackrock College in April 1991.

“I was on patrol in Blackrock on April 19, 1991 and at about 1.30am my partner Garda Kieran Carroll and I received a radio call about a fire in the staff residence at the college. When we arrived at the college, the fire was very bad. There were a number of middle aged men outside the building crying,” he said.

“They told me that there were two people trapped inside the building. Garda Carroll and I broke one of the windows and climbed in. There was dense smoke everywhere. We heard one of the men in a room so I kicked down the door. The fire getting so strong that I was knocked down by the flames when the door opened,” Sgt Galvin told The Kerryman.

He added that the 84 year old man was brought to safety but their attempts to save the other man failed. Both Sgt Galvin and Garda Carroll were taken to hospital and treated for smoke inhalation.

Sgt Galvin was educated at St Michael’s College, Listowel, and after leaving school in 1980, he worked in a variety of jobs before joining the force in 1984.

He was promoted to the ranks of Sergeant in June 1991 and transferred to Ballyshannon in Co Donegal.

““My wife Sheila and I still live in Dublin; I commute to Ballyshannon every few days,” he said.

At the presentation of the medals at the Garda Training College in Templemore, Justice Minister Ray Burke said that the recipients gave an indication of the level of bravery and dedication to duty involved.

“The entire nation can be proud of their achievments.”