A BRAVE Fethard-on-Sea Garda who saved two men from drowning at two city centre locations in Waterford on the same day has been rewarded for his gallantry. David Hearne (36) received the Michael Heffernan Medal for Marine Gallantry at the 4th Marine Meritorious Awards in Dublin Castle.

On April 21, 2007 Garda Hearne went into work in Waterford Garda Station for his 2 until 10 p.m. shift. At around 3.30 p.m. he received a call to go to Merchant's Quay, Waterford, where a middle aged man was in the river.

On arriving on-scene Garda Hearne saw that the man was being swept downstream, being pulled under and was drowning.

Without a thought for his own safety he ran down the quayside and scrambled down a disused rope. He swam through heavy currents to rescue the man who lost consciousness in the river. He then swan back to the quayside with the man but because he had lost consciousness he could not take the man from the river using the quayside ladder and instead hung onto a loose rope on a quay for fifteen minutes until the firebrigade arrived.

Returning to Waterford Garda Station, he changed his uniform and went back on duty.

In a freak coincidence at 7.30 p.m. that same evening, he received another call saying another man had entered John's River at Poleberry in Waterford. Again the plucky garda jumped into freezing cold waters to save the man. Weather conditions were very poor with a high tide running.

In his attempt to get the struggling man back to safety, Garda Hearne was pulled underwater many times.

A number of people had gathered on the riverbank and formed a human chain to pull Garda Hearne and the man from the water.

Once again Garda Hearne returned to base changed his uniform and returned to duty

Speaking this week, Garda Hearne, who originally hails from Innyard House, Fethardon-Sea, said that he was thrilled to have been honoured saying that if he had waited just a few seconds on Merchants Quay the first man would have drowned. 'When I arrived he was going under and if I had been thirty seconds later he would be dead.'

Married to Barbara (nee Molloy), a Duncannon woman, David, is the son of Gemma and Declan Hearne. He has been stationed in Waterford for five years having worked with the Garda Underwater Unit in Santry prior to that.

The father of two, who has just moved into the Traffic Corp in the city, has a keen interest in diving and is a very active member of the Hook Sub Aqua Club.

- Elaine FURLONG