‘Loved and respected’ – heroic Irishman who drowned while saving his daughter on Australian beach is named

The heroic Irish father who drowned while trying to save his daughter in Australia has been named as Paul Doran, from Co Kildare.

Mr Doran (45) was a native of the Ballymore Eustace area where he lived with his wife and children before the family relocated to Australia in recent months. Paul had worked with his family’s business in Kildare before moving to Australia in 2022.

It’s understood Mr Doran drowned after he attempted to save his daughter who got into difficulty while in the water at Seven Mile Beach at Lennox Head in New South Wales on Wednesday.

New South Wales police confirmed that a 45-year-old man had drowned after getting into difficulty.

Mr Doran’s wife Simonne is understood to have reached their daughter and managed to bring her back to the beach and alerted authorities.

Mr Doran was given CPR by emergency personnel at the scene but died.

Simonne posted a picture of she and her husband on social media following his death.

Mayor of Naas, Cllr Evie Sammon, who knew Mr Doran, said he was “loved and very well respected” in the communities of Ballymore Eustace and Naas.

“I’d like to send our deepest condolences to Paul’s family from the communities of Ballymore Eustace and Naas. Paul was loved and very well respected locally and the community is very saddened by his tragic death,” Cllr Sammon said.

“Our thoughts are with Paul’s parents Paddy and Helen, his wife Simonne, his children and extended family. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam,” Cllr Sammon said.

Inspector Nigel Howard of the Richmond Police District said Mr Doran was holding onto his daughter’s bodyboard before he was caught in the riptide.

Two police officers had entered the water in an attempt to rescue Mr Doran but his body was later recovered by a group of lifeguard-trained teenagers as part of the rescue operation.

"The family is from Lennox Head; officers from Richmond Police District have alerted the Irish Consulate of the man's death," New South Wales police said in a statement.

“A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner”.

Mr Doran’s death was the third instance of a drowning of a parent trying to save their child on a New South Wales beach this summer in Australia.