An Irishman who drowned trying to save his daughter in Australia has been identified as Paul Doran of County Kildare.
The 45-year-old recently emigrated to Australia with his wife Simonne and their three children. He had previously worked as a contractor for his father’s firm, Paul Doran Construction, and his family home was in Tipperkevin, Ballymore Eustace.
Naas Cllr Mayor Evie Sammon said Mr Doran was a “loved and very well respected” member of the community.
Family friend Rose Barrett O’Donoghue said the village of Ballymore Eustace was “reeling” by the news.
“There are no words to lessen the pain, nothing that can be said to reduce the heartbreak the Doran family is feeling today,” she wrote on the Ballymore Eustace Facebook page, reports Irish Times.
She expressed her condolences to Mr Doran’s parents, Helen and Paddy, and her siblings, Aoife, Emma, Sarah and Gavin.
Mr Doran’s eldest daughter, 11-year-old Lyra, ran into trouble when the family went for a swim at Seven Mile Beach, Lennox Head, in northern New South Wales, at around 6.30pm on Wednesday.
His daughter was bodyboarded, NSW Police said, and Mr Doran swam out to help her, but neither could get back to shore.
Mrs Doran then swam out and was able to take their daughter back to the beach and alert authorities that her husband was still in the water. Two police officers who were first on the scene waded into the surf to find him but were unsuccessful.
Mr Doran was found by lifeguards at around 7.00pm. New South Wales Ambulance paramedics administered CPR but were unable to revive him and he died at the scene. His wife and daughter were treated by paramedics and allowed to go home.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was aware of the case and was providing consular assistance to the family.
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