A teacher on holiday in Bali died two days after drinking a local spirit which her family believe may have killed her.
Dublin Coroner’s Court heard that Róisín Burke (21), from Oaklawn West in Leixlip, Co Kildare, had been working in Jakarta, Indonesia, as an English teacher and was holidaying on the Gili Islands with a group of friends when she died on May 31st.
Ms Burke’s brother, Brian Burke, said that the group had been drinking Arak – a locally brewed spirit – at a cafe on the island of Lombok two days before his sister’s death.
The family are concerned that she may have died as a result of methanol poisoning. The Indonesian authorities did not conduct a postmortem.
An autopsy was performed at Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown, eight days after her death.
A toxicology screen found methanol present. The body had been embalmed and pathologist Dr Muna Sabah said Irish undertakers sometimes used methanol in the embalming process.
The family told the court that the Indonesian embalmer had confirmed that he used only formaldehyde.
Coroner Dr Brian Farrell adjourned the inquest to take evidence from further witnesses and to contact the Indonesian undertaker.