Twenty-one people from across the country were honoured at the National Bravery Awards in Dublin for helping to save lives.
Five of the recipients were bestowed with bronze medals.
The 16 others are being awarded with certificates of bravery.
The awards were established in 1947 to enable the State to recognise exceptional acts of courage, in cases where people risk their own safety to protect others.
The organisers say today's event is an opportunity to celebrate the bravery of people of all ages and from all walks of life and all sections of society.
The ceremony took place at Farmleigh House in the Phoenix Park.
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Clodagh Hayes, from Glanmire in Co Cork, was among those to be recognised.
The 15-year-old received a bronze medal and a certificate of bravery for her actions in saving the life of a young boy who had got into difficulties in the River Lee in Cork on 8 May 2017.
Clodagh, who was aged 14 at the time, had just finished training at the Lee Rowing Club in Blackrock and was with her father, Ray, when they saw the boy in difficulty.
She entered the water and swam to the boy with a life buoy.
He was brought to safety and made a full recovery.
On RTÉ's News at One, Clodagh said she had no fear about taking part in the rescue.
She said: "I just said I'll jump in. I knew I was a strong swimmer. When I went in I couldn't feel the current but I don't know if that was just adrenaline that blocked it out or something".
"I swam over as quick as I could, gave him the buoy and just brought him in."
She said her father was "gobsmacked" by what she did.
