Parents urged to be vigilant against teenage drinking

PREPARATIONS:PARENTS HAVE been urged to be alert to the dangers of children and teenagers drinking during tomorrow's St Patrick's Day celebrations.

Children as young as 12 were experimenting with alcohol and many young teenagers drank excessively during the national holiday, according to doctors at St Patrick’s University Hospital, Dublin.

“There is a social culture of alcohol use on days like St Patrick’s Day and unfortunately many teenagers engage in excessive drinking during the festivities,” hospital chief executive Paul Gilligan said.

It was vital, Mr Gilligan added, that parents were aware of the dangers of alcohol use by adolescents and did not turn a blind eye to their children’s activities on St Patrick’s Day and over the coming weekend of celebrations.

“St Patrick’s Day is an important day in the social calendar of many young people and it’s important that parents keep lines of communication with their teenagers open. At this time of year it is important to be attentive to young people’s celebratory plans.”

Dr Sarah Buckley, child and adolescent psychiatrist at the hospital, said the dangers of young people using drink for celebrations should not be underestimated.

“Teenage recreational alcohol use can lead to binge drinking. Research has shown that underage binge drinkers are seven times more likely to have used illicit drugs in the past than teenagers who do not binge drink.”

Final preparations were being made today for parades and festivals in cities, towns and village across the country.

The Dublin parade starts at Parnell Square at midday and travels down O’Connell Street to Westmoreland Street and Dame Street, before finishing up at St Patrick’s Cathedral.

Boxing champion Katie Taylor will be the grand marshal for this year’s parade which has a literary theme. Parade participants will interpret a specially commissioned short story Brilliant by Roddy Doyle.

Limerick city is hoping to steal Dublin’s title of the largest national parade with more than 4,500 participants marching through the city from noon to 2pm.

Four of the State’s top sporting stars, Ireland and Munster rugby hero John Hayes; transatlantic rower Seán McGowan; Limerick GAA star Gary Kirby and former soccer player/manager Eoin Hand will lead the parade as the city celebrates being crowned 2011 European City of Sport.

The Cork city parade starts at 1pm at South Mall and runs from Grand Parade to St Patrick’s Street and Merchant’s Quay. The theme of this year’s parade is happiness and will include festival favourites Spraoí, Cork Circus and Dowtcha Puppets.