A Laois Garda and his colleague have received a medal for bravery following a ceremony today.
Emo’s Nigel Murphy and Garda Conor Treacy were presented with Scott Medals today.
Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly hosted a ceremony to award deceased, retired and serving members of An Garda Síochána with Scott Medals for bravery at Walter Scott House, Military Road, Dublin 8.
In 1924 Colonel Walter Scott donated to An Garda Síochána a $1,000 gold bond, in perpetuity, to endow a bravery medal, the Walter Scott Medal, and included the dies from which all Scott medals would be struck.
The Scott Medal is the highest award that can be bestowed by the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána and is awarded for ‘most exceptional bravery and heroism involving the risk of life in the execution of duty’.
In the early hours of September 8, 2023, Garda Nigel Murphy and Garda Conor Treacy were dispatched to attend a report of a firearm having been discharged at a house in the Dublin West area.
On the way to the scene, Garda Control advised that the house was on fire and there may still be someone inside.
Garda Treacy and Garda Murphy arrived at the scene where they observed heavy smoke coming from the house.
They were met by a number of people who had been in the house when the fire had started but had managed to get out safely.
They stated that there was a woman trapped upstairs inside the house.
Garda Murphy attempted to enter through the front door of the house with other members, but was unsuccessful.
Garda Murphy and Garda Treacy proceeded to the neighbour’s house with their colleagues and went out to the back garden.
Garda Treacy jumped the fence and noticed the upstairs window open.
Garda Murphy along with other Gardaí lifted the fence to access the garden and a ladder was located in the back garden of the neighbour’s house and it was put to the first floor window.
Garda Treacy went up the ladder and entered the house through the first floor window, immediately followed by Garda Murphy.
Garda Treacy located the woman who was unresponsive lying on the bed in the smoke filled room and assisted by Garda Murphy carried the female to the window where they successfully handed her to the safety of other Gardaí outside the house.
They then also managed to exit the burning house. The female was conveyed to hospital for treatment to her injuries which she recovered from.
Garda Murphy and Garda Treacy were both conveyed to hospital for smoke inhalation.
The award caps a great few weeks for Murphy who was also on the Emo team that won the Laois SFC ‘B’ final.
That game, against Stradbally, went to a historic penalty shoot out with Murphy scoring his spot kick.
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