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Hero who saved baby's life in Buncrana pier side rescue awarded bravery medal

The victims, from left, Mark McGrotty (12) and Evan McGrotty (8), Sean McGrotty (49), Ruth Daniels (57), and Jodie Lee Daniels (14)
The victims, from left, Mark McGrotty (12) and Evan McGrotty (8), Sean McGrotty (49), Ruth Daniels (57), and Jodie Lee Daniels (14) The victims, from left, Mark McGrotty (12) and Evan McGrotty (8), Sean McGrotty (49), Ruth Daniels (57), and Jodie Lee Daniels (14)

A HERO rescuer who saved a baby from a pier side drowning tragedy that claimed five other lives has been awarded a gold medal for bravery at sea.

Davitt Walsh (30) received the honour for his bravery after saving four-month-old baby girl Rionaghac-Ann at Buncrana harbour in Co Donegal in March.

The footballer from Kerrykeel had swam out to reach six family members trapped in a car that slid from a slipway into Lough Swilly.

The car sank quickly, claiming the lives of the five others, including the baby's father Sean McGrotty (46), his two sons Mark (12) and Evan (8), his mother-in-law Ruth Daniels (57) and her 14-year-old daughter Jodie Lee Daniels.

The tragedy happened after Mr McGrotty took his family out for a Sunday evening drive, while his partner Louise James was away with friends. They went to watch the sun set at the pier but the car slid off a slipway which was covered with algae.

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Mr Davitt, who was also visiting the pier with his girlfriend, Stephanie Knox, swam out to the sinking car where Mr McGrotty handed him his daughter and begged him to save her before turning back to the rest of the family.

At a ceremony in Dublin's Farmleigh House, Mr Walsh was conferred with the Michael Heffernan Gold Medal for Marine Gallantry.

Presented by Irish Transport Minister Shane Ross, the honour was in recognition of his "bravery at huge peril to his own safety to risk life, in an effort to save the life of a child".

Since the tragic events on Buncrana pier, Mr Walsh has developed a strong bond with Ms James and baby Rionaghac-Ann and visits them regularly.

They recently joined forces and ran the relay race of the Belfast City Marathon in May in memory of Ms James' son Evan, who suffered from Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

A gold medal was also awarded to Irish Coast Guard winchman Gary Robertson, who saved a man whose boat capsized off the Co Donegal coast in April this year.