A father who died saving his son from drowning after their kayak capsized was hailed as a hero at an inquest.
Declan Reid disappeared in the strong flowing River Barrow after passing then nine-year-old son, Aaron to a rescuer on February 28, 2021.
His body was later found 40 metres from where he disappeared after a seven-day search.
The 34-year-old plumber had gone to Athy with Aaron and his pregnant partner, Fiona Hanratty, to visit his father, Paul on “a glorious day.”
Scott McQuaid, 24, who was sitting nearby with friends, said he had seen the father and son playing in their kayak before he heard Declan screaming for help.
Mr McQuaid, who had life-saving training, told Kildare Coroner’s Court Declan had managed to hold Aaron out of the water but was struggling.
Aaron jumped onto him and they made for the closest riverbank, which took 10 minutes amid the current.
Paul Reid recalled how his son and grandson had been going up and down the river in the kayak for around 20 minutes and “playing bumpers” with the river bank.
He said his son had grown up beside the River Barrow and would have been on the water every day in his youth and a strong swimmer.
The inquest heard that Declan was also extremely fit and would spend around two hours at a gym every day before work.
Mr Reid told the hearing that he did not see Declan and Aaron fall in the water but he heard a splash.
The grandfather said he dived into the water as he could see his son drifting down the river.
However, he got out of the water within two minutes as visibility under the surface was “almost non-existent.”
Neither Declan nor Aaron were wearing personal floatation devices, while the deceased was wearing work clothes and boots.
Mr Reid’s partner, Fiona Hanratty, described how they had travelled to Athy from their home in Neilstown, Co Dublin because Declan was concerned his father was feeling lonely because of a poem he had posted on social media.
She had also expressed concern to Declan’s father about the strong current in the river but he had replied that it was OK as his son was a strong swimmer.
Ms Hanratty said she heard screaming and Aaron shouting that he was freezing as Declan was holding him up while floating on his back.
From speaking to Aaron, Ms Hanratty said she believed they capsized while Declan was using a paddle to push the kayak away from the riverbank.
Ms Hanratty said her partner had been in great form on the day and they had been talking about getting a mortgage and settling down together.
Ms Hanratty gave birth to the couple’s son, Hunter, less than three months after her partner’s death.
“Hunter keeps me going. It’s what his daddy would want,” she said.
Kildare County Coroner, Denis Cusack, said: “It is clear to me there were a number of heroes.”
He said Mr McQuaid was “most definitely a true hero by putting his own life at risk”.
The coroner said the young man’s actions in saving Mr Reid’s son were “heroic, brave and extraordinarily commendable.”
Professor Cusack said it was encouraging to still see such instinctive bravery in a community where people tried to help each other.
He expressed condolences to Mr Reid’s family on such a tragic and unexpected death.
The coroner returned a verdict of death by misadventure.
