Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

The stars of this heartwarming viral photo from the weekend were reunited on Liveline today

Garda Paul Barnwell helped Mary Dent through the crowds going to the Robbie Williams concert at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.

ON SATURDAY, 50,000 people flocked to the Aviva Stadium in Dublin for Robbie Williams’ sold out gig.

The crowds packed the streets around the stadium, creating a bit of a problem for locals – like this woman, who had to get a Garda escort home with her shopping.

IMG_4999 Deirdre McCourt Deirdre McCourt

The charming scene of the woman and the Garda hand in hand was snapped by more than a few concert-goers, and the pictures went viral on social media over the weekend.

Today, the woman in the photos came forward as Mary Dent, an 85-year-old mother of eleven – and rang into Liveline in the hopes of thanking the kind Garda who came to her aid.

IMG_5006 Deirdre McCourt Deirdre McCourt

Mary told Joe Duffy that she was initially helped by two girls, who fetched the Garda when they had to get on their way.

He took my bags, and he held my hand, and there was an uproar! They were clapping and cheering, and I swear to god – I said, “Surely to god they’re not clapping at us?”

The Garda brought her to her front gate, but in all the hubbub, she never got his name.

IMG_5008 Deirdre McCourt Deirdre McCourt

Luckily, Joe’s team were able to identify him as Garda Paul Barnwell – they got him on the line, and she was able to thank him (and present him with a sponsored hotel stay in Cork for his troubles).

The pair of them swapped stories about their newfound viral fame:

Paul: One girl leaving the concert asked me if I was the Garda who helped the old lady, because I was all over YouTube… By Sunday evening I realised that yes, I had gone viral.
Mary: I had a phonecall from my son in San Francisco at 8 o’clock on Sunday morning, “Mother, your face is all over the papers!”

As Paul said: “It was a lovely sunny afternoon and I was walking with a lovely lady. What more could you want?”

Ah, it’d warm your heart. You can listen to Paul and Mary’s reunion here.

DailyEdge is on Snapchat! Tap the button below to add!

Tommy Tiernan is the star of a new Channel 4 sitcom set during the Troubles>

This Australian politician’s response to a male colleague’s heckling was just perfect>

Written by Valerie Loftus and posted on DailyEdge.ie

[image alt="" src="http://cdn.thejournal.ie/media/2017/06/img2-thejournal-617.png" width="600" height="115" credit-url="" credit-source="" credit-via="" credit-via-url="" wp-id="wp-image-3458832" class="alignnone" /end]

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
30 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute selfsustainable
    Favourite selfsustainable
    Report
    Jun 22nd 2017, 7:20 PM

    Love it! Lovely to see something like this among all the negativity and whinging. Well done Garda, well done.

    984
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dante Marquinhos
    Favourite Dante Marquinhos
    Report
    Jun 22nd 2017, 7:44 PM
    34
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute selfsustainable
    Favourite selfsustainable
    Report
    Jun 22nd 2017, 7:46 PM

    @Dante Marquinhos: that didn’t take long……whine, whinge….

    216
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dante Marquinhos
    Favourite Dante Marquinhos
    Report
    Jun 23rd 2017, 10:15 AM
    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute selfsustainable
    Favourite selfsustainable
    Report
    Jun 23rd 2017, 8:34 PM

    @Dante Marquinhos: whine…whinge….etc etc etc etc…..post link, whine again, post more links….whinge…….:()

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mary Murphy
    Favourite Mary Murphy
    Report
    Jun 22nd 2017, 7:21 PM

    Lovely story and well done to the two hotels for giving the weekends to both the lady and the Garda

    447
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kate Flaherty
    Favourite Kate Flaherty
    Report
    Jun 22nd 2017, 7:50 PM

    Lovely heartwarming story, a chivalrous act, we need more like him!

    249
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute @mdmak33
    Favourite @mdmak33
    Report
    Jun 22nd 2017, 8:24 PM

    There are many like this gda,fair play to you.you set the example management should be setting.

    208
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Donnacha Bhoicaire
    Favourite Donnacha Bhoicaire
    Report
    Jun 22nd 2017, 8:24 PM

    I think the journal should do 1 story a day like this to warm your cockles.

    192
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute ⚡ Seánie ⚡
    Favourite ⚡ Seánie ⚡
    Report
    Jun 22nd 2017, 7:23 PM

    Who’s chopping onions…..

    178
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ollie Payne
    Favourite Ollie Payne
    Report
    Jun 22nd 2017, 10:58 PM

    @⚡ Seánie ⚡: brilliant

    27
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Angeles
    Favourite Angeles
    Report
    Jun 22nd 2017, 8:10 PM

    BEAUTIFUL story!!! It made me smile and feel happy! Love it

    152
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tommy Browne
    Favourite Tommy Browne
    Report
    Jun 22nd 2017, 7:47 PM

    Lovely story.

    151
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mick Tobin
    Favourite Mick Tobin
    Report
    Jun 22nd 2017, 7:30 PM

    - “They were clapping and cheering. Surely to god they’re not clapping at us?”

    I guess they let them entertain them.

    92
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan Carthy
    Favourite Alan Carthy
    Report
    Jun 22nd 2017, 8:04 PM

    Why did it have to be a guard 50,000 plus n not one of them had decency or kindness to help her

    52
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Lily Martin
    Favourite Lily Martin
    Report
    Jun 22nd 2017, 8:14 PM

    @Alan Carthy: That’s the important thing, make a negative out of it. Well done you.

    157
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan Carthy
    Favourite Alan Carthy
    Report
    Jun 22nd 2017, 9:10 PM

    @Lily Martin: well how many times the guards do positive but all most can do is put them down when they only doing there job
    Bet if was on job at time the jobstown protests most be saying different things about him

    35
    See 3 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kieran Woods
    Favourite Kieran Woods
    Report
    Jun 22nd 2017, 10:09 PM

    @Alan Carthy:
    Read the article. She was initially helped by 2 concert-goers who called the garda when they had to get to the concert.

    48
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ollie Payne
    Favourite Ollie Payne
    Report
    Jun 22nd 2017, 11:00 PM

    @Alan Carthy: go away and smoke a joint for yourself you miserable old git

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mary Lyons
    Favourite Mary Lyons
    Report
    Jun 22nd 2017, 11:17 PM

    @Ollie Payne: you should be reading ‘ The Mournful’ instead of ‘The Journal’!

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Noreen Waters
    Favourite Noreen Waters
    Report
    Jun 22nd 2017, 10:20 PM

    Great stuff more of this please

    34
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian O Reilly
    Favourite Brian O Reilly
    Report
    Jun 23rd 2017, 5:19 AM

    That story and picture would bring a tear to a glass eye,noble act by the Garda in question.

    21
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave Hogan
    Favourite Dave Hogan
    Report
    Jun 22nd 2017, 8:22 PM

    Very suspicious, ever since the emergence of u-tube there has been an unprecedented increase in do gooders all elbowing their way to the spotlight.

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute mark kelly
    Favourite mark kelly
    Report
    Jun 23rd 2017, 12:03 PM

    JOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOE DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUFY!

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brendan Keegan
    Favourite Brendan Keegan
    Report
    Jun 23rd 2017, 1:54 PM

    More than Williams would do. He accepted money from the people who are exterminating the people of Palestine.

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Cusack
    Favourite John Cusack
    Report
    Jun 25th 2017, 10:50 PM

    This Garda must not be from Nenagh, I don’t see him kicking a woman in the head.

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dee Mann
    Favourite Dee Mann
    Report
    Jun 24th 2017, 8:04 PM

    Dante The head on you , you whingehole, you would not put your life at risk like a lot of guards out there, so please pipe down u fool…… go back into the crack you crawl out off.

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.