Grieving Cork mother pleads for better addiction support services

A grieving mother from Cork has issued a heartbreaking call for improved addiction support services following the death of her two sons in the last two weeks.

Christine Kavanagh told Cork’s 96FM's Paul Byrne that her son, Dillon, aged 30, passed away on Thursday at a shelter in Cork following a struggle with drug addiction.

Pleading for increased action to be taken in relation to drug addiction, Ms Kavanagh spoke about how this is the second child she has lost to drugs in the last fortnight, as her other son, Damien, aged 36, died in Wales from a suspected overdose at the beginning of January.

In total, Ms Kavanagh has lost three sons to drug abuse, with the third, Leon, who was 31 years old, having died in 2021 following a battle with heroin addiction.

Prior to losing Leon, Damien and Dillon, Ms Kavanagh also lost a fourth son in 2016, Ross, who was 31 years old, to complications relating to epilepsy.

“It’s not fair for a mom, a dad, sisters, brothers, to be burying another [child or] brother,” said Ms Kavanagh.

“There should be more help out there and more services for them.

“They [addicts] have to be clean to go into treatment, but it’s just not good enough, there should be more for them, to stop these dirty drugs that are killing our sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers.

“Dillon was a lovely son, very educated, but when he went down that road with drugs, it took Dillon away from us.

“Two weeks ago, when Damien passed away, Dillon was back home with us. It just has to stop —[drug dealers] have to stop dealing these drugs, just stop it, please,” she added.

“There’s fantastic support for me, but there’s not enough support for the addicts — I would just like to stop these drug dealers giving drugs and taking our children.

“If anyone can hear my voice, just listen, we have to stop this. No family should go through this.”

Prior to his death, and following the death of his brother Damien, Dillon wrote a poem depicting life from the perspective of someone living on the streets:

“Life of the homeless, the toughest of them all,

Not to mention the loneliness, the coldness, and life’s great fall,

As each day goes by, it’s getting a little tougher,

Right behind their smile, hides how much they suffer,” he wrote.

For HSE addiction support services in Cork, call the drugs and alcohol helpline at 1800 459 459.