The scene of the pond accident in Blanchardstown, Dublin. Arthur Carron

Counselling support has been offered to schoolmates of Ricky Osagie who died following an incident in a Dublin pond

St Declan’s College in Cabra has put its critical incident response support plan in place after Ricky died.

In a statement on its website, the school said: "Procedures are in place to ensure that all in the school community affected by this loss will be given help to cope with this tragedy. On our return to school, counselling support will be available to students and a prayer service will take place."

The popular teen was praised for his bravery in trying to save a school pal.

Earlier today, the Labour Party deputy leader Joan Burton has paid tribute to schoolboy Ricky who died following an incident in a Dublin pond.

The incident took place in the Social Protection Minister’s constituency in Dublin West.

Expressing her condolences, Ms Burton said Ricky “died following a brave attempt to save two girls from drowning in Blanchardstown yesterday” who got into difficulty in the water.

“My thoughts are with his loved ones,” she said.

Further tributes were paid to the tragic schoolboy today.

Ricky's football club Corduff FC paid a heartfelt tribute to the schoolboy on their Facebook page earlier today.

“Corduff FC are saddened that the great Ricky Oasagi has passed away over night,” the club said, noting the 13-year-old had been involved with them since he was a young child.

“We all know each other in the club, however everyone knew Ricky on and off the pitch - be it his fancy hair styles, his shimmy dance after scoring goals or just his all round cheerful, confident personality.

“He was a seriously gifted footballer.

“Our condolences to Ricky’s family, relatives, friends and to his team mates and manager and coach here in Corduff FC,” the post said.

The message from Corduff FC was inundated with replies, many from other Dublin football clubs who remembered the schoolboy.

Ricky died earlier today after getting into difficulties in a man-made pond in West Dublin.

The 13-year-old was rushed to hospital last night along with two teenage girls.

It is understood that one of the young girls began to struggle in the water and that another girl and Ricky came to her assistance.

The incident unfolded at a man-made pond in the Waterville Hall residential complex in Blanchardstown, close to the James Connolly Memorial Hospital in Dublin, yesterday shortly after 6.15pm.

All of the young people were rushed to Temple Street Children's Hospital.

Ricky's condition was described as "serious" and he remained in intensive care throughout the night before he passed away this morning.

Eyewitnesses claimed Ricky had been under the water "for at least 10 minutes" before he was found by rescuers.

Paramedics were called to the scene and all three teenagers were taken from the scene by ambulance.

A local resident who came on the scene told how a crowd of around 150 people were "shell shocked" in the aftermath of the accident.

Three or four adults were receiving medical attention, wrapped up in insulation foil, he said, suggesting that they had tried to come to the assistance of the teens. Teenagers wading in the man-made pond had been "a common sight" in the recent warm weather and the public park is much-used by families, he added.

However, the man expressed incredulity at how the group might have got into trouble in the water, saying: "I find it very hard to believe that someone could drown in that pool." He revealed that he had often swam in the pond himself and said it was shallower towards the edge and reaches a maximum depth of five foot.

"It's very, very upsetting," he said.

Young people in the area took to Facebook to praise the heroic actions of the teenager in trying to rescue his friends.

Blanchardstown resident Louise Mullen said there were a large number of children in the park when their friends were taken from the water.

"Everybody in the park was crying, there wasn't anybody that wasn't crying," she said.

Irish Independent