Pictured: Heroic boatman Christopher Lawless, known locally as ‘The Green Vest’ or ‘The Vest’, was photographed
in front of Fitzwilliam Street circa 1980.
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Kelch.
Legendary local boatman, Christopher Lawless, of Pembroke Street, Irishtown, known locally as ‘The Green Vest’, has finally been tracked down by a man he saved from drowning in the Liffey at North Wall, 55 years ago, but sadly ‘The Vest’ has long since passed away.
On August 28th, 1961, Mr. Lawless, then 23 years old, fearlessly dived fully clothed into the water from the Liverpool-bound boat, the Venetian, to rescue Gerard McArdle (then only 15) after McArdle’s bicycle had become caught on rail tracks on the quay causing him to topple into the river.
The daring rescue was all the more notable given that just two years earlier Mr. Lawless’s father, also named Christopher, had rescued a boy from drowning off Ringsend Point, while James Lawless, a brother of Mr. Lawless, had rescued an office worker who had gotten into difficulties in the Liffey at Forbes Street less than a year before. The remarkable series of rescues was reported on in national papers at the time.
Mr. Lawless’s daughter, Elizabeth Kelch, of George Reynolds House, Irishtown, told NewsFour how Mr. McArdle had finally managed to track down the Lawless family: “It was about two weeks after the Christmas holidays last year that Mr. McArdle and his daughter called to the family home here. They’d been looking for my dad for years to say thanks,” she said.
Unfortunately, the reunion had come too late as Mr. Lawless passed away in May 2004, aged 68, Mrs Kelch explained.
The Lawless family were delighted to make contact with Mr. McArdle, however, and NewsFour is pleased to mark the occasion this year by paying homage to this family of local heroes.
By Harry Bradley
