'Easier to get cocaine in Limerick than a pint', students tell author

Joseph O'Connor's comments come amid growing concern that the city is now the 'go-to place' to get crack cocaine

Joseph O'Connor. who is head of creative writing at University of Limerick, said students have highlighted situations where ‘menus’ advertising a range of different drugs have been dropped through the letterboxes of their houses near campus. Picture: Moya Nolan

Best-selling author Joseph O'Connor has revealed how he has been told by students over the years that "it is easier to get cocaine in Limerick than it is to get a pint".

His comments come amid growing concern that the city is now the "go-to place" to get crack cocaine.

O'Connor, who is head of creative writing at University of Limerick (UL), said students who he has spoken to have highlighted situations where ‘menus’ advertising a range of different drugs have been dropped through the letterboxes of their houses near campus.

“Not unlike a delivery service, flyers have been put through the letterboxes of premises where students are staying with a kind of menu of what's available, to give us a call and we'll have it round to you in 30 minutes," O'Connor said.

The easy availability of different types of drugs in the city is something he said he finds frightening as a parent.

“If you are 18 or so, and if you’re a first year, you go into a bar in Limerick, you’ll be asked for ID. But that is not the case with cocaine. If you’re a parent of university students as I am, that’s a very frightening situation. I haven't heard it recently as much as I used to hear it, but certainly over the 11 years, that is something that I've heard.”

I have worked at UL for 11 years and over the years, the students have spoken to me mentioning the drug situation in Limerick, and how prevalent drugs are.

'Drugs menus' are also being shared on WhatsApp groups with prices ranging from €20 to €850, depending on the type of drugs or quantity, the Irish Examiner can reveal.

In addition to these ‘menus’, QR codes are being plastered on lamp posts in different parts of the city, including near Mary Immaculate College and on O’Connell Street. Those interested scan the code, which brings ‘customers’ direct to a website which promises a range of drugs delivered direct to their door.

There are growing concerns that Limerick is at risk of becoming the “becoming the drug capital of Ireland” according to local Sinn Féin TD Maurice Quinlivan.

He said Limerick has became the “go- to place” to get crack cocaine, with people travelling from other parts of the country to avail of the drug which is now easily available and cheaper than heroin, with a spike in addicts resulting in a 'Walking Dead-type' of situation in parts of the city.

Last week, gardaí made a number of arrests following searches in the city. Drugs worth over €500,000 were seized, along with €30,000 in cash, close to 200 rounds of firearms ammunition and other drug-related paraphernalia.

Last month, Owen Treacy, aged 28, with an address at St Ita’s St, St Mary’s Park, Limerick, was jailed for four years after pleading guilty to storing cocaine, heroin, and cannabis in Kinder chocolate eggshells before selling them on the street. His sister, Stephanie Treacy, was previously jailed for two years for the same offences.