Skateboarders hailed as heroes in river rescue

Louise Walsh

Two quick-thinking young skateboarders have been hailed as heroes after they came to the rescue of a man who accidentally fell into the River Boyne while taking a picture.

Shaun Guiden (17) from Bettystown, Co Meath and friend Damien Conlon (20) insist they were only doing 'the decent thing' when they rushed to help the man after he fell backwards over a wall and down seven foot onto the riverbed rocks at Drogheda, Co. Louth last Thursday.

Thankfully their quick thinking managed to avert a possible tragedy and both men were able to hoist the injured Eastern European back to safety.

"We skateboard at the park most nights but about 7pm last Thursday, we saw a man walking along the park. He turned to take a picture but when he stepped back, the ground was unstable and he fell backwards over the wall," said Damien who is from the town.

"The tide was midway out so when he fell, he hit the rocks and managed to get up but stumbled on the slippy moss and fell back again, this time into the water.

"I jumped the wall and got down to him while Shaun rang the emergency services. I managed to pull him up out of the water and sit him forward. I had hoped to hold his head in case he had a neck injury until help arrived.

"The Drogheda River Rescue were across the River lighting candles to mark World Suicide Prevention Day so they saw what was happening and the crowd of teenagers that had gathered to watch and were on their way to help.

"However, the man panicked and jumped up but he couldn't reach the top of the wall to pull himself back up.

"So I got him up on my shoulders and managed to pass him up to Shaun who pulled him to safety.

"He was taken to hospital for a check-up. We heard reports that he had a back injury but I'm not sure how true that is. I do know that he cut himself somewhere because there was blood on my arm after the incident and it wasn't mine."

The skateboarders are now calling on Louth Co. Council to put in place a railing along the wall as well as a light in the skatepark coming into the winter months.

"A skateboarder came down the hill too fast in recent weeks and went over the wall but luckily he was fine but there needs to be railings in place to stop this happening again.

"The rocks at this stretch of the Boyne are covered with Moss and are lethal if you were to slip on them. A light in the skatepark would also be a deterrent for any anti-social behaviour.

"People are calling Shaun and I heroes but we were only doing what any decent person would do and try to help. In that split second, you don't think you might be putting yourself in danger - you just want to get that other person out of danger and quickly."