In Ireland this week we have seen the ongoing trial of 18 year old Finn Colclough of Waterloo Rd. in South Dublin.The Institiute of Education student stands accused of the murder of another 18 year old student, Sean Nolan. This is a case which sums up one of the problems in Irish culture which has never been properly addressed, despite all the ad campaigns. I am of course referring to teenage drinking. Conclough stabbed Nolan twice in the chest, one of which proved to be a fatal injury to his heart. The fact that the incident occurred at 4 in the morning at a time when everyone present at the scene was so drunk that many could not provide detailed accounts of what occurred, comes as no surprise. Both young men had been out celebrating exam results and it seems the argument occurred over who would provide a corkscrew for the bottle of wine which had been purchased in a nearby petrol station.
Finn Colclough arrives at court.
(Picture courtesy of The Evening Herald)
This is another extremely tragic event in the long history of drink fuelled violence in Ireland. One wonders at what point people will see sense. At what point are we going to stand up and be counted for in the battle against this scourge which has blighted our society for generations? Parents , in my opinion, is where the buck stops. We need to educate our children from a much younger age than is the norm to be responsible and learned of the perils of alcohol.
But I sound like a broken record. It is very easy to be disheartened when one examines the facts ; alcohol related crime in Ireland has never been higher and continues to increase in frequency.
So what can be done?
This it appears in almost infinite question taking in an endless number of aspects ; policing, parenting, licensing laws etc etc. We could spend all day. But I think it is a fair conclusion to say that so far, the changes in these measures have not succeeded. So it would appear, in some ways, that it comes down to the individual. Each of us has a personal responsibility to society as a whole to stand up and be counted for and I suppose, not allow this to be something which we just regard as societies combined problem. It is very easy to feel that one’s own efforts is merely a drop in the ocean and does not / will not make a difference. But as we know, combine the drops and you have the ocean.
Enough metaphors. Everyone must do their bit. Teach our children. Ring the police. Don’t walk on by. Maybe this should be the new basis for the ad campaigns , which in Ireland anyway, taking alcohol as an example, merely tell the viewer NOT TO DRINK MORE THAN THE LIMIT.
Is it fair to say this is the wrong approach? It does not address the problem in oh so many ways. In fact, it raises some serious questions in itself. The ad campaigns regarding excessive drinking in Ireland have failed as has the law. A whole new approach is required. And maybe that approach requires a whole new model: New laws and a new imputus which appeals to the social conscience of the individual possibly? But these are just suggestions. Major public debate is required. Because the situation at the moment is really, really depressing. Let’s all do what we can. Because, if not, we are failing as a society and we will only feel the pinch of that when it affects us personally and by then, it may be too late.
This should be, in my opinion, the biggest issue at the next election.
Green about London 