A mother whose son died from alcohol poisoning has pleaded with Leaving Cert pupils to look after each other.
More than 57,000 students across the country will get their exam results on Tuesday.
And many will celebrate by attending special Leaving Cert parties in pubs and clubs.
But Helen Savastio knows the dangers of alcohol all too well after her son Liam McGlinchey died in August 2017.
The 19-year-old, from Buncrana, Donegal, had moved to America and was out celebrating his GED (General Educational Development) exams when he drank too much.
His night of celebration turned into a nightmare for his family when Liam died after being left on the front lawn of his grandmother’s home in New York.
A post mortem showed his blood alcohol level was 0.40%, a rate which doctors say can
cause death.
Last week two of Liam’s friends were jailed after being found guilty of criminally negligent homicide.
Helen, who lives in Buncrana, pleaded with the thousands of young students and said such nights can be deadly.
She added: “A night of celebration can easily turn deadly. Whether it is as a result of a pill popped, a car accident or alcohol poisoning.
“Liam never thought a night of drinking would end his life at 19. His death was preventable.
“If only someone had called for help or dropped him off at a hospital.”
Helen is pleading with friends of drunken students not to leave them alone if they do get drunk but to look after them.
She said: “If your friend becomes legless and starts losing consciousness don’t automatically think he’s going to sleep it off. If you’re concerned, get help.
“No family or group of friends should feel the pain of losing someone far too soon.
“One call can make that difference.”
