A teenager who wasn’t a regular drug user played “Russian roulette” and died after taking ‘bombs’ of ecstasy at the Indiependence music festival in Mitchelstown, Co Cork, an inquest has heard.
Coroner Philip Comyn presided over the inquest of Jack Downey, 19, of Ard Chaoin in Clonmel, Co Tipperary who passed away on August 5, 2019 at Cork University Hospital (CUH) having been rushed there by ambulance three days earlier.
Mr Comyn told an inquest in Cork that the death was a tragedy which occurred when Jack, likes many youths of his age, decided to “dabble” with drugs.
“Jack was not a regular drug user. Young people of today have such opportunities in front of them but they also have greater opportunities to take these drugs. There is no such thing as a safe illicit street drug.”
He described such deaths as occurring because of “Russian roulette” with people taking illicit drugs with no idea of what drug dealers have used to make them.
Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster carried out a postmortem on the teenager. She said Jack died of organ failure with hyperthermia following the ingestion of ecstasy and morphine. A contributory factor was aspiration pneumonia.
Dr Bolster emphasised that Mr Downey would have lapsed in to a coma and that no suffering would have taken place. She warned that people never know how they are going to react to taking to ecstasy or any illicit street drug.
A number of boys who were at the campsite when Jack became ill gave statements to gardai. One friend said that they had collected the rock of ecstasy in Tipperary before they travelled to Cork.
He said the group were not used to taking to ecstasy and had bought over seven grams for €200 which they divided amongst a group of six. The friend reported that Jack started taking the ecstasy early in the afternoon on the first day of the concert on August 2 .
He noted that Jack started “shaking and sweating.” Jack took another few bombs of ecstasy and “panic began to set in” among his friends.
“He was shaking a lot. The shakes were vicious. We were just around him in a shock not knowing what to do.”
The friends placed Jack in a tent. When his condition further disimproved Jack was seen by paramedics and taken by ambulance to hospital.
Det Sgt James O’Shea thanked the friends of the decreased for their assistance with the criminal investigation. CCTV was harvested from the campsite and numerous statements were taken. A file was sent to the DPP. However, no prosecution arose.
Det Sgt O’Shea said that it was a “desperate tragedy.” A verdict of misadventure was recorded in the case. Both gardai and the Coroner extended their sympathy to the family of the deceased.
Jack is survived by his parents Elaine and Johnny.
Such was his popularity that his removal and funeral mass in Clonmel involved the attendance of thousands of people. He lay in repose at Clonmel Óg Hurling & Football Club.
Chief celebrant at the mass, Fr Michael Hegarty, said that such was the outpouring of support for the bereaved parents that the removal to the church which was supposed to occur at 8pm instead took place two hours later.
Johnny Downey, father of the late Jack, said he wasn't one for "fancy words." He recalled the birth of his only child telling mourners that Jack was 11lbs when he was born and that he was "a big man even then."
Mr Downey, who is a garda in Clonmel, urged Jack's friends and loved ones to watch out for each other.
"There is no blame. He will be missed - his friends are now to look after each other and not forget.
"I used to sit back and just admire him - he was a man with a presence. A cheeky little smile.
"He was a fabulous boy - and I am proud to call him my son."
Elaine Downey spoke of her fond memories of her son who was a goalie with Clonmel Óg. She recalled the full of life teenager who would take over the kitchen table repairing his hurleys. Mourners were asked to donate to the ICU at CUH in lieu of flowers.
Jack had completed first year in Cork Institute of Technology and was due back to college the following month. Counselling services were made available to impacted students.
Following his death his parents spoke to Brendan O'Connor on the Marian Finucane show on RTE Radio. They have urged parents to talk to their children about drugs, saying that it is a problem that affects everyone regardless of class.
Johnny Downey said that he never thought they would lose their son in this manner.
"These are young smart, educated people who think they're invincible. There is no class to it. We're afraid to ask the question of our own, because we are in a bubble and we think it is not gong to happen to our own. We need to cop on."
When Jack was dying lots of his friends came to see him. His parents said they felt "duty bound" to open up the room in the ICU to his pals. Johnny and Elaine said they wanted the young people to see the dangers.
It was "one mistake," said Johnny. "To see Jack there, lying in a bed, tubes coming out of everywhere," said Elaine. "There, our lovely boy, ravaged."
Elaine Downey subsequently walked in the Tipperary Ladies mini marathon in order to raise funds for the ICU unit where her son died.
