A personal trainer has been labelled a hero after he jumped into the sea to save three young children from drowning in Donegal.
As was the case across Ireland over the weekend, Rathmullan Beach was packed with happy people going for a dip in the water as we basked in the hot weather.
But things took a drastic turn when three girls got into difficulty by Rathmullan Pier. The trio, Eve, Saoirse and Lily-Mae, were saved from drowning by Ruairi Crealey, who was passing nearby.
He explained: "I was scanning, looking for a gap so I could make my way in for a dip. It was a bit quieter over by where the ferry usually pulls in by the ramp.
"I walked in to my hips and then I noticed a few metres in the distance were three girls struggling in the water. One was completely under and their faces were just panicky. Another was trying but she was tired and asking for help.
"I put my arm around the first girl, I had two of them by the shoulders and the girl that was submerged I couldn't reach, somehow, she managed to hang onto the leg of the other girls. As we were paddling back, she was coming back up above the surface."
Having initially managed to bring the girls above the surface, Ruairi quickly found himself in bother as well.
He told Highland Radio: "It became apparent - I've got three people here. I'm not making any progress. I started to get into trouble myself, I was going under a lot. I tried to let them use me as a buoyancy aid. I was trying to push them up.
"The whole time, I was shouting for help - the current was taking me towards the pier, I felt like I was staying in the one spot and being pulled into the deeper water under the ramp.
Ruairi was concerned that no one could hear them, but managed to safely get the girls back to shore.
Upon arriving back to shore he was informed some people believed it was a game.
"The girls obviously ran back to their parents. I stayed at the side to catch my breath - there was loads of people around and I asked them 'did you see that'
"There was a guy on his phone who didn't see anything. Another guy on the ramp said 'I thought you knew them'.
Eve spoke to same station, explaining: "I was in the water facing Saoirse and Lily Mae, I just dropped down. They came out to get me, but Saoirse thought we were messing and I kept on going under and coming out. I shouted help, but I couldn't get the whole word out because water kept getting in my mouth.
"The current was pushing me to the side where no one could see."
Lily-Mae added: "I knew she couldn't swim, so even if she was messing it was dangerous when she was dropped down. At that point, we were all trying to get up for air, we were all pushing down on each other when that was happening."
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