FATHER TELLS HOW HEROIN DROVE SON TO KILL HIMSELF

THE tragedy of drug addiction was spelt out in heart-breaking detail
yesterday by a grieving father who told how heroin had driven his son to
suicide.

John Gavin Birdy was 25 years old, full of promise and love for his family,
but ended his life because he could not cope with the despair of his
addiction.

Yesterday, his devastated mother and father sat together in Dundalk
Coroner's Court, as a garda read the suicide note that revealed the
suffering of their son. "I am sorry. I love you ... and I am sorry. Drugs
got in the way," he wrote before hanging himself in a guesthouse in Dundalk
on June 6.

Cathal Birdy, Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan, said his son was off drugs for
a year but had been back on them for six weeks prior to his death.

The awfulness of the tragedy was reflected in the courtroom, where the
coroner and all the witnesses spoke in hushed tones.

As her son's suicide note was read out, Madelaine Birdy broke down in
tears. Her husband Cathal struggled with his emotions and his voice was
barely audible as he told the coroner about his son.

"He was a drug addict. He was off them for a year prior to this. He was
back on them six weeks before it".

Mr Birdy said his son had IEP28,000 left from a personal injuries claim,
and therefore could continue to use drugs.

"He had money left, he had money all the time. He said he had it and could
continue using it for drugs and he didn't want to do that," said Mr Birdy.

Louth County Coroner Ronan Maguire described the note as heartbreaking. "It
is obvious he loved you to a great degree and almost did what he did out of
love," he said.

"He had problems and to some degree he defeated them. It seems to be out of
despair (because) the drugs got the better of him that this happened," he
said.

Garda Colm Dempsey told of finding Gavin's body in the guesthouse after
being alerted by the owner, who said he had been in good form when he
booked in the previous day.

When she called him for breakfast the next morning he said he did not want
any, and when she called him repeatedly a couple of hours later there was
no answer.

Garda Dempsey also found a syringe and needle and a spoon which had traces
of heroin on it in the room.

Checked-by: Richard Lake