tragic incident at nightclub in cookstown Northern Ireland *trigger warning*

[Scoutsrus]

I haven’t seen a thread about this but there have been three fatalities at a nightclub in Cookstown. Two 17 year olds and a 16 year old.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-47606006

My thoughts are with the families whose kids were just out to have a good time on St Patrick’s night.

Awful. Just awful. My thoughts and prayers are with the families.

It’s my worst nightmare when my teenagers go out - it was apparemtly a crush waiting to go in to the nightclub and then a fight in the car park.

I’m anxious and I almost always drop mine off and I always always pick them up because I don’t like them worrying about lifts.

It is really awful. Thinking of them all.

I'm from NI and there just seems so much tragedy about at the moment and all quite unexpected things too. I'm still reeling after the deaths of the Columbian lady and her daughter not far from where we are.

This is the last thing any parent would have expected when they dropped their child off.

I remember getting in a crush trying to get into a nightclub New Year's Eve when I was about 18. The terror was awful - even though I'd never heard of anyone dying in such a fashion, I genuinely thought my life was in danger and I pretty much panicked. Whenever they opened the doors, the crowd from behind pushed forwards and you were literally suffocating. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, couldn't escape, it was horrible. Bouncers are absolute cunts some times. Not saying that's where the blame lies here, but it was in my case. I then went to one concert where my friend wanted to get into the main stage area. I panicked again. I've rarely been in similar situations since. It's scary as fuck.

I actually used to think that I was claustrophobic or something. But having just now read your link OP, it was probably a very natural reaction that I had at the time. Nothing phobic at all. It's horrible how helpless you feel when the weight of 100 people is pushing you forwards.

They should literally say 'nobody else is getting in', but what they used to do, was wait 10 minutes, then let 3 or 4 in. I personally felt it was a way to try to make the clubs appear to be more exclusive and desirable, with fuck all consideration given to the teens who just want to get into probably one of their first discos.

I just can’t imagine how their parents feel. Awful.

So much stuff to worry about now with teens.

RIP to the three young people who lost their lives. Shouldn't have happened, but was bound to happen.

It's awful for those poor teenagers and their families. Absolutely heartbreaking. Young lives lost in such a tragic needless way. It's really upset me this morning. Poor kids

I can imagine how the parents feel. On top of grief, I'd be like a raging bull. It's probably the same nightclub they went to as teenagers. They know the deal. They probably know how the management 'manage' crowd control. I.e., if you're not on the premises, you're not our fucking problem.

The three who died were all under age too.

@Scoutsrus it was an underage disco.

I have a funny feeling that this is one of those cases where a public enquiry will be required, findings reported, recommendations made and legislation imposed. Too late for 3 young people today. Anyone with half a wit would know that how they manage queues is not right.
I suppose one way to manage it going forwards would be to make nightclubs ticket events. If you haven't pre-booked, you're not going to get in. Back in my day, you could have a tonne weight pushing you forwards when the doors opened. You're literally helpless.

Thanks mad I didn’t see that.

Sorry that I appear overinvested, but when I was young, nightclub owners made fortunes out of teenagers and people in their early 20's. You were treated like a herd of cattle at a mart.

It's awful. I'm in NI too and agree with Hippo theres so much tragedy around at the moment. Poor families

@Scoutsrus now I'm doubting myself, maybe it wasn't. It certainly did underage discos when I was a teenager

The 'place to be' when I was 18/19/20 used to do this queueing up thing. They'd make you queue for an hour (being crushed), and when you eventually got in, the club was empty! They did it to make the place look really busy. You were just a punter to them. Nothing more, nothing less. It's callous.

@mad I very much doubt that a large venue on Paddy's day was a teenage disco.

Surely if it was underage a 17 year old wouldn’t want to go? I can’t see an underage disco letting in at half 9 and being packet either?

Well, I suppose it hardly matters, it’s a tragedy either way.

Waiting to hear back from my cousin to make sure her 17yo sister wasn't at this. Cookstown is the nearest town to them and they're out down there every weekend. As the lack of legit ID doesn't seem to hamper her getting into 18+ nightclubs I'm just hoping she wasn't involved. Poor kids.

Oh craic I hope they weren’t.

ID requirements don’t stop them.

This is just heart breaking. My sister went here years ago and can't believe the queuing and the pushing is the same as it was 10-12 years ago. Cant believed its ended up with 3 dead children though.

Serious questions need to be asked.

TheCraicDealer There were two disco's on last night. Fingers crossed they weren't at this one.

As far as I know it wasn't a teenage disco. At least it usually isn't.

They try to manage the crowd by having most kids come by bus. You buy the bus ticket and disco tickets together.

My Ds has been once. He didn't get in. He hadn't bought his ticket in advance.

A lot of the kids will have arrived by bus with no parents around. My Ds and his friends travel 18 miles to it.