A Limerick mother has told a press conference she was "shocked" after two gardaí woke her in the middle of the night explaining her son (2) had been found about a mile away from the family home.

Theo Costelloe from Aspen Gardens in Limerick decided he would go on an adventure of a lifetime when he crept out of his cot, down the stairs and out the front door shortly after 2am yesterday morning.

He was found by a passer by on the Limerick to Dublin road after he had crossed the N7 wearing only a onesie pyjama suit and holding onto a blanket.

The young motorist (21) is being hailed a hero after he spotted a toddler wandering on the Dublin Road in Garryowen in the early hours of the morning.

The man (21) found the baby and alerted gardai. They woke his parents who were shocked their son had climbed out of his cot and let himself out the front door.

Gardai praised the man who found the toddler and said the baby was 'incredibly lucky' to have been unhurt.

Theo's mother, Christine, has been speaking to reporters in Limerick.

Reporter David Raleigh told the Pat Kenny Show here on Newstalk that gardai discovered where he lived by chance.