Brave Callum Keane risked his own life to save a young boy from drowning

A brave Navan teenager has been hailed a hero for rescuing a young boy from drowning in the River Boyne yesterday evening.

A group of five youngsters aged around 11 or 12 were swimming in the area close to Swynnerton Lodge when two of the boys got into difficulty around 7pm on Wednesday evening.

Callum keane (16) from Fitzherbert Wood happened to be walking past with his girlfriend Grace Clarke when they heard the boy’s cry for help.

Callum said he ‘acted on instinct’ when he selflessly jumped in to save the young swimmer risking his own life in the process.

It is understood that two of the young people were taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda to be checked over after the incident.

He said:

“I was out for a walk with my girlfriend Grace down a long the river and we heard a little boy screaming and calling for help and we saw his friends along the bank running towards him.

“My first instinct was to jump in after him when I saw him to try and help him so I jumped in and swam across to him.

"Then I just picked him up and threw him over my shoulder and just walked against the currents to try and find a gap through the reeds to get him on to the bank.

“The currents were really strong, it was a struggle to get through the reeds but thankfully I did and he was ok.

“The minute that I got him back to the bank I met Christopher Rennicks form Meath River Rescue arrived at the scene.

“You don’t have time to think. I didn’t realise the importance of what I did at the time.

“My mam had me in lessons at a young age so I obviously still know a thing or two.

“I was ok until I got to bed and then it kind of hit me, I couldn’t believe what happened actually happened.”

Callum’s dad Francis says he and his wife Claudine are ‘incredibly proud’ of his quick thinking son, a 5th year student in St Pat’s Navan.

“We are very proud of Callum, what he did was amazing.

“Yesterday I was outside the front of the house and I saw Callum getting out of the car and his feet were wet and you could see the wet marks on the footpath and I recognised Christopher Rennicks who told me that Callum rescued two young boys from the river.

“They say you shouldn’t go into water after someone but as he says he acted on instinct and thankfully saved that young lad.

“My initial reaction was being glad that that no one was hurt.”

Christopher Rennicks Chairman of Meath River Rescue said:

“I got a call from to say there were two young people in difficulty in the water, I went out straight away but thankfully by the time I arrived Callum had it all done and dusted and brought the lads to safety.

“I met him walking up and he was soaking. He didn’t know what he was after doing, he was after saving someone’s life but didn’t realise it.

“He is amazing young man, only for Callum was there, it doesn’t bear thinking what might have happened.

“It is a very dangerous part of the Boyne, very play to Callum for what he did.

“I’d advise people not to got near the Boyne, the Boyne has no mercy for anybody.”