Curragh medic receives Capt. Dara Fitzpatrick Award 2024

A soldier based in the Curragh Camp has won the Capt. Dara Fitzpatrick Award 2024.

 Pte. Nicole Carroll is from a military family with her father and three brothers also serving in the Defence Forces, but she has

forged her own path to becoming widely known and highly respected among her peers. The award was presented to Nicole at the ceremony by Dara’s sister Emer Fitzpatrick.

Pte. Nicole Carroll is a combat medical technician in the Defence Forces. She lives and works in the Curragh Camp, Co. Kildare where she cares for 1,200 soldiers.

Nicole was a member of the medical section for the 121st battalion that served in the Lebanon during a very tense and kinetic period from November 2022 to May 2023.

Nicole conducted herself in a manner of outstanding professionalism and demonstrated great strength and ability in what was her first tour of duty with the United Nations.

Pte. Carroll springs into action on emergency calls but what really defines Nicole is her care and compassion.

First Responders from across Ireland assembled this week on the banks of the Shannon in the University of Limerick to honour the memory of Capt. Dara Fitzpatrick and celebrate the female trailblazers following in her footsteps. The Capt. Dara Fitzpatrick Award pays tribute to Dara’s powerful legacy as an Irish Coast Guard Search and Rescue pilot by celebrating inspirational women who work in the Irish pre-hospital community and emergency services.

The award is an initiative of the Irish Paramedicine Education and Research Network (IPERN), an inter-professional, volunteer team of paramedics, nurses, doctors, allied health professionals and scientists dedicated to supporting best practice for out-of-hospital care nationally through engagement, education and collaboration.

IPERN are chaired by Dr. Niamh Cummins, an Associate Professor in Public Health in the School of Medicine at UL who hosted the Award Ceremony with her colleague Gráinne O’Shea, an Advanced Paramedic who leads the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) group at IPERN. Niamh and Gráinne collaborated closely with the Fitzpatrick family in developing the award which celebrates Dara’s values of Compassion &  Kindness, Strength & very, Leadership & Teamwork, and Professionalism.

The opening address for the 2024 Award Ceremony was delivered by Professor

Colum Dunne, Head of the School of Medicine at UL. Prof. Dunne shared his

personal experiences of growing up with a Firefighter father in Cork and highlighted

the vital work of First Responders and the important role that women play in the

emergency services. This warm introduction was followed by a “fireside chat” with

Frances Griffin, the Inaugural Winner of the Capt. Dara Fitzpatrick Award in 2023.

Frances is a paramedic with the National Ambulance Service who was one of the

first responders on scene at the Creeslough explosion with the National Ambulance

Service. In conversation with Gráinne, she shared her memories of that difficult day

and described with both humility and humour how she copes with the challenges of

life on the road as a paramedic.

The five finalists for the Capt. Dara Fitzpatrick Award 2024 were chosen from a total

of 17 impressive nominees by the Award Review Panel in a rigorous selection

process. The 2024 finalists were introduced by Dr. Cummins who described them as

“shining examples of women at the height of their professions, who go above and

beyond in serving their communities”.

Caitriona Edgar from Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow is an Advanced Paramedic with the

National Ambulance Service. Caitriona is a Tactical EMS Medic, Specialist Helicopter

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Paramedic Candidate, Student Mentor and a volunteer with Dublin Wicklow

Mountain Rescue. Regardless of the time, day, mood, inconvenient late call or

hunger levels, Caitriona was described as showing compassion, kindness and

empathy to patients, colleagues and the public. Through her professionalism and

skill, she inspires colleagues and makes the most harrowing, stressful and daunting

of scenarios manageable.

Garda Emma Henebery from Co. Cork is a uniformed specialist firearms officer with

the Armed Support Unit, one of a small number of female officers in An Garda

Síochána to occupy this challenging role. In April 2021, when executing a search

warrant her team came under fire and Emma was wounded. In a remarkable display

of bravery, resolve and a commitment to duty she faced down the imminent threat to

her life, protected the lives of her colleagues and subdued the gunman without lethal

force. After hospital treatment Emma returned to work the very next day to check on

her colleague’s welfare.

Olivia Byrne from Knocknacarra, Co. Galway is a nurse and volunteer lifeboat

member with Galway RNLI. Over 20 years she has responded to 132 callouts with

the station and Olivia’s nursing skills and natural empathy have been an invaluable

resource to the crew. Olivia feels strongly that not all injuries are physical, as there is

often an unseen mental health aspect to a response that should be understood. In

Search & Rescue there is a focus on bringing people home, but Olivia knows there is

more to be done behind the scenes in the brief time spent together between rescuer

and casualty.

Dr. Sinead Campbell-Gray from Hillsborough, Co Down is an Emergency Medicine

Consultant who tirelessly campaigned in her free time to realise the dream of having

an Air Ambulance in Northern Ireland so that its rural population has accessibility to

hospital services. Sinead has been a great advocate and mentor for female

professionals in the pre-hospital setting ensuring that their voices are heard and

respected in an environment which has traditionally been very male centric. Sinead’s

compassion was spoken of again and again and is summed up here in a single

quote “She brought light in the darkest time”.

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In announcing the winner Dr. Cummins highlighted how difficult a decision it had

been for the Award Review Panel when all of the finalists were so deserving of the

honour.

A Special Recognition Award was also presented on the day to the family of

Caitríona Lucas. Caitríona was an Irish Coast Guard volunteer who tragically lost her

life in 2016 while assisting in a search and rescue operation off the coast of Co

Clare. The presentation was made by Dara’s father John Fitzpatrick to Caitríona’s

husband Bernard Lucas. Caitríona was described as being “an immense volunteer,

who created enormous opportunities that enriched her community”.