'It's only one dead user..nobig deal' DRUG PUSHERS SHRUG OFF MODEL'S OVERDOSE.

Byline: PAUL MARTIN

IN day two of our look at the sensational new Katy French book, a top figure in the dark and menacing drugs world reveals what really killed the model.

As Katy lay fighting for her life in hospital, a frenzy of speculation and rumours was sweeping the country.

How had one of Ireland's brightest young stars ended up at death's door when she had everything to live for? What drove her to the sinister world of cocaine and who was responsible for her shocking death? ON the Sunday morning of her collapse, Katy French was probably the butt of many jokes at breakfast tables across the country, as people sniggered at the revealing photograph of her without any underwear and the jibes about her and cocaine which had both been published in the papers.

The laughter evaporated a few hours later when the news broke Katy had collapsed and been rushed to Navan Hospital, where she was in intensive care.

No one wanted to believe it. Some even speculated it was just another of Katy's publicity stunts. They speculated it could be an attempt to counterbalance the negative press she had received.

But Katy wasn't playing the media this time. Sketchy details started to emerge, and it was reported she had suffered brain damage, which was more than likely irreversible.

During her first night in hospital doctors briefly took Katy off a life support machine but had to immediately reconnect her to it, as she was unable to breath by herself.

For the next four days she lay in a coma. Her sister Jill explained: "It was a difficult time for our family, but as I lay with her I felt surrounded by a strange but familiar peace.

I felt happiness in singing our favourite songs and remembered with her and laughed at the silliest stories in our past."

Gardai then called to Kieron Ducie's house on Monday, following an official complaint made by Katy's father John, who was seeking an explanation for his daughter's collapse.

The asked times to the KIERON Ducie explained: "The Guards asked about how many times Katy went to the toilet, and Ann [Corcoran] replied, 'As many times as you go to the toilet or I go - how the f*** would I know?'.

"The Guards checked the toilets. They wiped everything with swabs. They can pick up the most minuscule particle. If drugs were used in your house, you'd never get away from it."

Marcus Sweeney and Andrea Roche were two of a select few allowed into the hospital to be with Katy's family during their vigil. She much. that. End and end Many friends, who had been noticeably absent on the night of Katy's birthday party, turned up at the hospital to visit her. Most were turned away by hospital staff.

Her family then made the decision to turn off the life support machine on December 6, and, in an act of great unselfishness, decided that Katy's organs would be donated to medical science.

Katy had passed away but the speculation surround her death was coming to life.

It was flower into then The most chilling insight into the death came from a drug dealer who claimed to have "inside knowledge".

ROSANNA The individual said: "I am speaking because I know who the dealers in this particular case are. You must remember that pure coke will kill you straight away.

"She got it off a top drug dealer. Basically, there was a mistake and the drug dealer didn't know he'd been given pure coke. She took too much. Simple as that. End of story and end of life.

"The dealers didn't care. It was only a number to them. I don't know if anybody was laughing about her death, per se, but it wasn't like a major money-spinner belonging to us had died. It was only one dead user. No big deal. You media guys only care because she was a model. People die all the time and it's forgotten about the next day. It doesn't affect our business.

There will always be people out there looking for drugs.

Guards how many Katy went toilet DUCIE ON DEATH PROBE "They all think they [buyers] are indispensable. Their attitude is, 'I got this off a big drug dealer, so it must be safe. It must be good stuff.

"But it's not. It's getting laced with everything, or it's too pure. Unfortunately that is what happened to Katy French.."

Her fellow model Rosanna Davison had her own views on Katy's death. She said: "It was like it was being planned. She was giving her final farewell at that birthday party. Her big final media friendly event, then it all ended.

took too Simple as of story of life DRUG DEALER "The Friday after the birthday party, I was reading the papers and looking at the pictures, and I thought to myself, God! She's pushing so hard right now and this has to end. Something has to give. A fuse had to go out. Something has to break to end this cycle.

"Something had to give because, in my experience, nothing in life can be pushed to the point that it won't break - something will break eventually.

like a that came bloom and died. Very strange DAVISON "It was like a flower that came into bloom and then died. Very strange."

Katy's ex Marcus Sweeney denied he had ever witnessed her taking cocaine. But he did admit he knew she'd taken drugs in the past.

He explained: "I was aware that Katy had dabbled in certain substances previously, but it wasn't in our relationship.

We weren't out socialising."

Marcus even went as far to claim he and Katy had been trying to make another go of their relationship.

He said: "Myself and Katy's relationship wasn't over. We were trying to make it work and start again.

"We were talking about buying a big house out in the country, with land so we could keep horses. I will always love her. As a couple, we were still very very much in love.

"She was my best friend as well as my soulmate. We spoke every second day and were still very close.

"I'm devastated at the loss of Katy. She was the love of my life and me for her."

Even two years after her death, Katy is still making headlines.

Perhaps she was indeed an icon of the Celtic Tiger era, which saw easy money and drugs proliferate in Irish society.

Did Katy represent the ability of a generation to reach for the stars and grab what they wanted for themselves? She made herself into something with little more than a smile and steely determination, and made the point the Celtic Cubs could be superficial and not have to apologise for it.

Her confidence shone through in a way that would have been vulgar just a generation before but was now celebrated in a newly-affluent society.

As the culture of fat bonuses and cocaine-fuelled parties fads, does the death of Katy serve as a reminder of what we became?

CAPTION(S):

MEDIA SAVVY Katy French was a darling of Ireland's tabloid media SENSATION New book GRIEF Katy's sister Jill