Girl died after one ecstasy tablet

The assistant state pathologist has warned about the dangers of ecstasy after the death of a woman who took one tablet at the Electric Picnic music festival.

“Everybody who takes a tablet takes the risk,” Dr Margaret Bolster said after giving evidence in the second ecstasy-related inquest in Cork in a month.

“One person can take two or three tablets and feel grand. Others can take just one and it can be lethal.”

Cork City Coroner’s Court heard that Saoirse McShane, 22, from Inchigeelagh in Co Cork but living on the North Mall in the city, suffered a fatal heart attack on Sept 6, two days after taking ecstasy at Electric Picnic in Stradbally, Co Laois.

The cause of death was cardiac toxicity associated with ecstasy use, a rare but recognised risk associated with taking the drug.

A verdict of death due to misadventure was recorded.

Saoirse’s GP, Dr Jeremy Gibson, told the inquest she had complaining for several months before of shortness of breath and of feeling light-headed while under exertion. Hospital tests ruled out cardiac problems. When she went to the GP in early September with the same symptoms, Dr Gibson said she was tearful and appeared anxious and depressed. They discussed counselling and he prescribed tablets to ease the anxiety.

City coroner, Dr Myra Cullinane, was told that Saoirse went to Electric Picnic with friends on Sept 4.

A friend said she met Saoirse at 10pm and they shared a blue ecstasy pill before going their separate ways. She said they met again later and Saoirse told her she had taken MDMA.

Another friend said Saoirse became unwell on the journey back to Cork the next night.

On Sept 6 he took her to a local GP who was not told about the ecstasy and he blamed stress. Later, at her apartment, her condition worsened and her flatmate called for an ambulance.

As the paramedics were helping Saoirse walk from the flat, she suffered a heart attack and collapsed.

She was taken to hospital, suffered at least two further heart attacks, and was pronounced dead at 5.30pm.

Dr Bolster said her autopsy found no pre-existing heart condition to explain Saoire’s health issues in the months before her death.