Heroic Laois garda wins Scott Medal for bravery 

A HEROIC Laois garda has received a Scott Medal for bravery, after he and a colleague rescued a woman from a house fire.

Garda Nigel Murphy from Emo, a star member of the Emo senior football team that won this year’s Laois SFC B final, was presented with a silver Scott Medal today at an awards ceremony in Dublin.

Nigel and his equally courageous colleague, Garda Conor Treacy, proudly received their medals at an event hosted by Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly. The ceremony at Walter Scott House was also attended by justice minister Jim O’Callaghan.

The Scott Medal is the highest award that can be bestowed by An Garda Síochána for ‘most exceptional bravery and heroism involving the risk of life in the execution of duty’.

Now based in Dubin, the Emo man graduated from Waterford Institute of Technology in 2016 with a BSc (Hons) in Sport and Exercise Science before joining the gardaí, where his exceptional fitness is an invaluable asset.

Nigel and Conor were among only nine recipients of Scott medals at the ceremony, where two posthumous gold medals, four silver and three bronze were awarded.

The duo’s courage was outlined in the citation, which stated that they responded to a report of the discharge of a firearm at a house in Dublin West, in the early hours of 8 September 2023.

The citation says: ‘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 started but had managed to get out safely. They stated that there was a woman trapped upstairs inside the house.’ 

After Garda Murphy was unable to enter the house by the front door, he and Garda Treacy proceeded to a neighbour’s house with their colleagues and went out to the back garden. Garda Treacy jumped the fence and noticed the upstairs window open.

Along with other gardaí, Garda Murphy lifted the fence to gain access to the garden. A ladder was located in the back garden of the neighbour’s house and it was put to the first floor window.

The citation continues: ‘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.’ 

Both suffering from smoke inhalation, Garda Murphy and Garda Treacy were brought to hospital for successful treatment following the dramatic rescue.