Kildare garda leaps into action to save man from car moments before explosion

A Kildare garda who saved a man from a car before it exploded was among 26 people honoured at the National Bravery Awards in Farmleigh House in the Phoenix Park in Dublin today. 

Garda Shane Smyth from Kildare and Garda Padraig Marum from Laois rescued a man from a burning car which later exploded in Kildare in September 2019. 

“Shortly after midnight on the 7th of September 2019, Garda Shane Smyth and Garda Padraig Marum arrived at the scene of a high speed car crash, near Kill East in Co. Kildare. The car had crashed into a large stone wall and was on fire. As the car was pinned in between trees, the driver was trapped inside. Both Gardaí ran to the burning car as the driver was shouting for help but were unable to open the driver’s door which was pinned closed by the tree. Garda Smyth broke the driver’s window to get into the car so that they could pull out the driver but couldn’t get to him,” the Bravery Award citation noted.

“The Gardaí then ran to the passenger's side of the car and crawled in between the stone wall and the burning car to rescue the driver. Having freed him, they crawled back out, dragging him to a safe distance behind a Garda Van. Minutes later the car exploded,” the citation states. 

For their actions both Garda Shane Smyth and Garda Padraig Marum are each awarded a Silver Medal and Certificate of Bravery.

Pictured above:  Garda Shane Smyth and Garda Padraig Marum by Maxwell Photography 

The Ceann Comhairle, Seán Ó Fearghaíl TD  presented the 26 National Bravery Awards to individuals from across Ireland who risked their own lives to aid others in peril.

The ceremony at Farmleigh House in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, brought recipients together to receive twenty six certificates, six Bronze Medals and thirteen Silver Medals. Former Portarlington resident, James Nicholl received the highest award,  a posthumous Gold medal award for Bravery. He died while attempting to save a man from drowning in the River Liffey earlier this year. 

Speaking at the ceremony, the Ceann Comhairle said: “Today the Irish State recognises and celebrates the noblest impulse in a human being, the impulse to risk our lives in order to save someone else’s. But just as importantly, what these awards also do is mark the importance of the lives that were saved and also those that were lost. 

I say this because in several instances, we are making awards where, in spite of brave actions and valiant efforts, lives were tragically lost. Those involved in these attempts know how hard they struggled, the families of those lost appreciate their efforts as do we, the Irish nation,” he remarked. 

Pictured above: Garda Marum with his son James, aged 4 

The annual honours are awarded by Comhairle na Míre Gaile – the Deeds of Bravery Council – which was founded 76 years ago 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.