THE FATHER of a young Mayo man who took his own life by jumping into the river Moy has claimed that the culture of cheap alcohol and house parties contributed to his son’s death.
David Higgins (19) drowned early on March 13th last. He was last seen walking along the Lower Bridge in Ballina, Co Mayo, at about 6.30am.
It turned into double tragedy when a friend of the family, Tommy Helly, drowned after slipping into the water while searching the river bank.
The body of David Higgins was discovered 14 days later after an extensive search of the river. The inquest into his death recorded a verdict of death by suicide, with alcohol as a contributory factor.
The inquest heard Mr Higgins, Shanahee Heights, Ballina, Co Mayo, had attended a house party after leaving the pub, where large amounts of alcohol were consumed, and that he had apparently been upset after being asked to leave.
In a moving address, John Higgins said that while many factors played a part in his son’s death, alcohol played a large part. He said alcohol could be bought for “pocket money” and the availability of cheap alcohol, which encouraged house parties, has become a “plague in Irish society”.
“The combination of cheap alcohol and all-night house parties presents a danger for young people.” He said young people often drank “abnormally high levels” of alcohol at these parties, without the presence of a responsible person to say “you have had enough”.
“Thousands of boys and girls go out every weekend and wake up not knowing how they get home. They are the lucky ones . . . they wake up.”
On the night of his son’s death, Mr Higgins recalled phoning David at 3am to see where he was. He said he was going to a house party. At 5am his mother, Anne, again spoke to him on the phone.
Later in the night, Mr Higgins tried to call his son once again.
“I was in bed dozing, but at 6am I sensed something was wrong and hopped out of bed and put my clothes on,” he explained.
John phoned David and while he did not speak on the phone, John sensed he was upset and told him to wait where he was.
Mr Higgins and his wife then went out in their car searching for David and Ms Higgins again phoned David. David answered but did not speak. Then Ms Higgins screamed. David had left the phone down by the bridge and while she was on the phone, she heard somebody in the background shout: “He’s in the river!”
The Moy was at high tide on the night and the current was running fast and although two passing gardaí noticed somebody was in the river, they could not reach him.
Garda Michael McGrath said the person was in the middle of the river and he tried to throw a life ring to him, but it could not reach him. “The river was flowing at full speed, as fast as I have ever seen it,” he told the inquest.
“His head and shoulders were above the water but I could not see his arms. I called and shouted at him but there was no response and he didn’t appear to look at us.”