Drink and the Irish - Having the confidence to say ‘no’

The contribution to the never-ending debate about our dysfunctional relationship with drink by Mr Justice Paul Carney yesterday was as timely as it was chilling.

He predicted that “if internet drinking contests continue, they will result in a tsunami of homicide and rape prosecutions”. Drink contributors to a large proportion of our courts’ business and any escalation would be very unwelcome, especially as many of those facing charges would not be in court but for their alcohol abuse.

The neknomination phenomenon, driven by bravado and peer pressure, and fuelled by insecurity, has cost at least two lives and may cost more. It seems yet another vehicle for us to show how susceptible, how very self-destructive we can be on so many levels.