Tributes are being paid to a Tipperary teenager who died after taking drugs at a music festival over the weekend.
Jack Downey from Clonmel passed away after three days at Cork University Hospital.
The 19-year-old died on Monday after becoming ill while attending the Indiependence Festival in Mitchelstown, Co Cork.
He was taken to CUH on Friday after presenting at the festival’s medical tent complaining of feeling unwell.
Festival organisers issued an alert about a “bad batch of something” on the campsite on Friday, and the hospital confirmed that a “single patient with a severe illness” had been admitted from the festival that evening.
A former student at CBS High School in Clonmel, Mr Downey had recently finished his first year in college.
His father Johnny is a garda in Clonmel, and his mother Elaine is a jeweller in the town.
Hundreds attended a special mass for Jack last night which was organised before he died. Mayor of Clonmel Garret Ahern said it was important that it still went ahead.
"We had a Mass for Jack in his local GAA club, Clonmel Óg," said Mr Ahern. "And we had over 400 people who attended at real short notice.
"Jack's parents Johnny and Elaine came back from Cork to attend as well.
"As you can imagine it was a hugely emotional time for them and for everyone there.
"This has been an incredible shock for the community."
The organisers of Indiependence, which saw 15,000 people attend at the weekend, issued a statement on Monday evening saying their “immediate thoughts and those of all the festival-goers are with the family, relatives and friends of the deceased at their very sad loss”.
Gardaí confirmed on Monday that investigations are ongoing in relation to the teenager’s death.
- additional reporting by Ryan O’Neill
