A teenager is in a critical condition after a suspected drug overdose while attending the Indiependence music festival in Co Cork.
The 19-year-old man from South Tipperary collapsed at about 4.30pm on Friday at the festival in Mitchelstown in North Cork.
He was taken by ambulance to Cork University Hospital where it is understood he remains in a critical condition on Saturday afternoon.
CUH has received patients with very severe illness from taking Ecstasy at the Indie19 Festival in Mitchelstown. We are aware that a text message was issued to attendees concerning "reports of a bad batch of something on the campsite" Please circulate & to all attending stay safe pic.twitter.com/WjMIvQym9h
— Cork University Hosp (@CUH_Cork) August 3, 2019
It is understood that the youth’s parents and other family members have travelled from Tipperary and are keeping a vigil at his bedside.
Gardaí believe the teenager may have reacted to a bad batch of MDMA or ecstasy which they believe was circulating at the festival.
On Friday night, festival organisers issued a warning on the festival Twitter account urging music fans not take any unknown substances
“Welfare Message - We have reports of a bad batch of something in the campsite, do not consume any substances that you are unsure about, it has the potential to make you very sick.
In a social media post Cork University Hospital said it had “ received patients with very severe illness from taking Ecstasy at the Indie19 Festival in Mitchelstown. We are aware that a text message was issued to attendees concerning ‘reports of a bad batch of something on the campsite’. Please circulate & to all attending stay safe”.
Some 15,000 music fans are attending the festival which this year is being headlined by English band Bastille and Scottish singer songwriter Lewis Capaldi.
