A woman on a stand-up paddleboard was rescued in Tramore by an off-duty lifeguard this afternoon.
She was unable to get back to the beach due to an offshore wind.
Joe Breen, who had been due to start his leaving cert today, paddled out to the woman on a rescue board and brought her to safety.
The Tramore Lifeboat also responded, its PRO is Paul Tuohy
"A female was seen to get into difficulty with the wind, the wind was quite strong offshore.
"She got into difficulty and couldn't make her way back in.
"A local lifeguard in-waiting, who is due to start work on Saturday, paddled out and rescued her, brought her to the beach.
"The paddleboard which was drifting, he couldn't tow with the girl so we launched the lifeboat and picked up the paddleboard because the next thing we'd know it would be down in Dungarvan and someone would be looking for a paddleboarder missing."
Paul Tuohy says Joe made sure that someone rang the emergency services before he entered the water
"His first port of call was to somebody on the beach to ring for assistance before he entered the water.
"Any lifeguard will do that, even when they are on the beach, if there's an incident they will radio back to the base for back-up.
"That's why we always preach about calling for assistance, call 999 or 112
Paul Tuohy describes what conditions were like on Tramore bay this afternoon.
"The sea is flat calm, very little wave in it at all.
"It's just the wind, the wind is offshore - blowing off the land - so it's blowing out to sea.
"Stand-up paddleboards, the blow-up variety of which this one was, once they get air in them at all they will drift with the wind very quickly.
"Unless you are very strong or an accomplished paddleboarder it's not ideal conditions."
