Tragic Portarlington resident awarded top bravery award for selfless act that cost his life

A former Kildare soldier who had lived in Portarlington was awarded the highest honour for bravery at the National Bravery Awards in Farmleigh House in the Phoenix Park in Dublin today. 

Brownstown, Co Kildare native James ‘Jimmy’ Nicholl was awarded Ireland’s top bravery award for civilians, a posthumous Gold Medal award for Bravery. He died while attempting to save a man from drowning in the River Liffey in Dublin earlier this year. 

The former Defence Forces member was among 26 people to be honoured for their selfless acts of bravery at the ceremony in Dublin.  

A former member of the Defence Forces, Mr Nicholl was laid to rest in St Conleth’s Cemetery in Newbridge following funeral mass in St Brigid’s Church in The Curragh on Monday, April 17.

Mr Nicholl, who was in his 40s,  had served in The Curragh between 2000 and 2002. 

“On Saturday the 8th of April 2023, at approximately 1.30am, Gardaí responded to a call of two men in the River Liffey near Grattan Bridge. On arriving at the scene, Gardaí momentarily observed a man in the river between Grattan Bridge and Millennium Bridge, before he disappeared under the water,” the citation for James read.

“It has since been established that one young man jumped from Grattan Bridge into the Liffey around 1.20am. A close friend of his called for help and James Nicholl, stepped forward saying he would try to save the young man. The man calling for help told James not to go in if he couldn’t swim, but although Mr Nicholl did not know the young man in the water he insisted he would help. According to the man who was calling for help, James said ‘I am ex-army, I will get him’ and jumped into the dark Liffey waters to try and save the young man in distress.

Several lifebuoys were thrown into the water by people on the edge of the river and both An Garda Síochána and Dublin Fire Brigade searched from the quayside for some time but neither man could be located.  Shortly after 6am, the body of James Nicholl was recovered from the water beside Millennium Bridge by the Garda Water Unit. The search continued and sometime later the body of the young man he had attempted to save was recovered from the water beside the Ha’Penny Bridge,” the citation states. 

For his brave and selfless actions, James Nicholl was posthumously awarded a Gold Medal and a Certificate of Bravery

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. James Nicholl was the sole recipient of the highest award,  the Gold medal award for Bravery.  His parents Noreen and Jimmy accepted the award on behalf of their son.

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. 

Laois Garda rescued man from car moments before it exploded

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.