Ironman JJ turns Good Shepherd

EXTREME athlete John Joe Higgins from Corofin turned into The Good Shepherd last weekend when he plunged into deep flood waters to help rescue a flock of 52 sheep.
The marooned animals had caught the eye of John Joe when he went for a walk with his grandson Johnny after 11 am Mass on Sunday morning. The pair were supposed to be out looking at an underground river when young Johnny spotted the sheep and they immediately contacted their owner, nearby farmer John O’Loughlin.
Unfortunately John was in a plight as while he had become aware of the sheep’s situation he told John Joe he had no way of bringing the sheep to safety. Contact had been made with the emergency services but John was told they couldn’t be of any help.
John Joe, who is known for his impressive athletic abilities and achievements in Ironman and Triathlon competitions, called on the help of his son Ronan and son-in-law Sean Noone, who all put on wetsuits and set about trying to rescue the sheep.