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8th January 2025
12:52pm GMT
Two Gardaí in Limerick are being lauded as local heroes after they swapped their patrol car for a bright red tractor in order to get medication to an elderly couple left stranded in the heavy snow.
Garda John Clifford - from the village of Murroe, Co Limerick - called on his colleague Mike Fitzgerald - from the neighbouring village of Doon - to help him deliver a prescription to a property that was isolated as a result of the extreme weather conditions over recent days.
Mr and Mrs Favier, who live in the rural Reenavanna Hills on the Limerick and Tipperary border, were unable to leave their home and get to their local pharmacy as a result of snow which made the roads surrounding them impassable by car.
When Garda Clifford was called on to assist the stranded pair, he remembered that Garda Fitzgerald was the owner of a 'fine red tractor' and called on his colleague to start it up and help him out.
Garda Fitzgerald, who played hurling for Limerick in the late 2000s, agreed to lend a hand ‘without hesitation’, despite being off-duty at the time.
A post on the An Garda Síochána Facebook page explained: "You see, Garda Mike Fitzgerald played county for Limerick during the late 2000s so he knows all about the value of team work.
"Without hesitation, Garda Clifford agreed to tip over to Doon to collect the medication in the pharmacy while Garda Fitzgerald, who was off-duty today, got the tractor’s engine going.
"The pair of them took off up the hills in the tractor and dropped off the prescriptions as needed."
The post continued: "Sure it turns out it’s a fierce small world - both Mr. Favier and Garda Clifford hail from Kerry and isn’t Mr. Favier a relative of Kerry Football All-Star, Gavin White whose photo has pride of place in the Favier's home.
"Weather warnings may seem like a nuisance to those that poor conditions don’t adversely affect, but it is instances like these that highlight their importance."
Several people praised the officers in the comments section of the post, with one writing: "Great story. Well done to Garda Clifford and Garda Fitzgerald. Great community spirit."
Another commented: "Love those stories how good people are when you’re in trouble fair play to all of them."
A third added: "Improvise and adapt, no guide book for that. Fair play to them both."
⚠️Status Orange - Low Temperature/Ice warning for Leinster, Cavan, Monaghan, Munster, Connacht⚠️
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) January 7, 2025
Extremely cold with widespread severe frost, ice and lying snow.
Valid: 18:00 Wednesday 08/01/2025 to 11:00 Thursday 09/01/2025
More here https://t.co/Vj0yBkGA0J pic.twitter.com/BNKGxa0yvJ
Met Éireann issued a Status Orange low temperature and ice warning for 25 counties yesterday, including all of Munster and Connacht.
The warning took effect yesterday evening, but will resume from 6 pm today until 11 am on Thursday.
