This is followed by raucous laughter as two more Irish teenagers help their friend to her feet and steer her in the right direction, which sounds like the next floor up. Welcome to Gran Canaria, one of many far-flung destinations popular with Leaving Cert students who've come to let their hair down after a gruelling year of study.

For the throngs of 17- and 18-yearolds who have flocked to Playa del Ingles, it's easy to settle in. Its dedicated and vibrant Irish quarter is more screamingly 'Irish' than anywhere at home.

Paddy's, Mulligan's, Brogan's, Flanagan's and The Randy Leprechaun are just some of the watering holes vying to attract the students. And attract them they do . . . the green, white and orangecoloured pubs are like shiny red flags to thirsty bulls, all eager to enjoy themselves.

Once it hits 2am, usually going home time in Ireland, things are only livening up in the Irish quarter. Flanagan's, one of the most popular nightclubs, blasts out late '90s dance music that has its patrons bopping in various states of undress. On Wednesday night, the steps up to the premises are covered in vomit, but no one seems to mind.

Inside, most of the blokes have taken off their t-shirts and one over-enthusiastic Irish teenage girl also takes off her top and bra and gyrates against a young man, clad only in boxers. Not a pretty sight, no matter how drunk you are. This doesn't bother the bouncers, but the girl finally puts her top back on at the insistence of her embarrassed friends. A few minutes later, it is off again.

Not much seems to faze the bouncers.

Blatant drug-dealing goes on outside many of the nightspots and judging from the wide, wired eyes of some of the Irish students clutching bottles of water, ecstasy appears to be the drug of choice.

But cocaine is also a favourite to keep them up all night, according to some of the Irish people who work in the area cajoling the students into various bars.

"It's mostly coke and ecstasy and there's a place not far from here where they know where to get it, " says Dave O'Leary from Malahide, who's been working in Playa del Ingles for six months.

"It's fairly obvious when they're on something because most of them are young so they don't have much experience doing drugs.

"There hasn't been much trouble with fights here this year, thank God. There's still a bit of sex in toilets and in corners of nightclubs but that's just for showing off in front of their mates. Sure they all have apartments for a bit of slap and tickle."

It's behaviour they wouldn't get away with at home, but in Gran Canaria different rules apply.

Not that it's all drink- and drug-fuelled debauchery from the Irish students.

Eanna MacDonncha, Darragh Dixon, Darragh Mulholland and David Mulhern, all 18 and from Colaiste Iognaid in Galway, have been keeping away from the rowdy element and are here for the craic. MacDonncha sports a white bandage on his head.

"Foam party accident, " he explains.

The only thing that has bothered the Galway students are the prostitutes who arrive outside the nightclubs in the Irish quarter just when everyone is coming out.

"All these black hookers come up to us and are really forceful. They know people are drunk so they're just trying their luck, " says Mulholland. "It's annoying to be bothered like that every night, though."

The Galway contingent isn't exaggerating. Come 4am on Friday morning, all the nightclubs are emptied and the Irish students spill onto the street in various states of inebriation.

One girl is being carried by two friends while an Irish couple in passionate embrace barely make it behind a wall to hide their modesty. Right on cue, a group of four or five women, who appear to be prostitutes, descend upon the Irish like locusts.

They don't seem to have much luck though; most of the young students are far too drunk or just not interested. But one particularly drunk Irish student lets himself be led by the hand down the road by one of the women, in the direction of the beach.

"He doesn't have any money!" a few of his mates roar after the pair of them.

Sure enough, he reappears alone and looking sheepish a few moments later.

Some 120 Leaving Cert students from Malahide Community School in Dublin have descended upon Playa del Ingles.

They seem a well-behaved bunch and have also been keeping away from the troublesome elements.

Eighteen-year-old students Sarah Dickson, Therese Egan, Louise O'Reilly, Hazel Carrick and Lynn Cunningham say they were well-warned about the dangers on this type of holiday and have been extra vigilant.

"We heard a lot about drinks getting spiked and even lads getting raped here before, " says Egan. "So we've just been really careful and all looked out for each other."

The Irish quarter is one of the rougher spots at night and as a result it's one of the only areas with a constant late night police presence.

The Sunday Tribune didn't witness any violence but police say it takes place, often between the Irish and English, and that's the reason for their visibility.

Many of the students stay in their apartments until about 1am drinking and blasting their stereos before heading out into the night. It's cheaper that way and they often traipse back to their accommodation as the night progresses to pick up cans of beer and spirits, which they drink freely in front of the pubs and clubs before heading back inside. Again, this doesn't seem to bother the police or the bouncers . . . perhaps the latter know from experience the Irish youngsters are bound to buy more.

"Jesus, you've got a face like a smacked arse. Would you not crack a smile?" one young Dublin man drinking a can of beer outside a pub remarks to a fellow Irish student. His attempt at flirting only gets him a scowl as she walks on.

Along with Ayia Napa in Cyprus, Gran Canaria is a favoured Leaving Cert spot for the 12,000 students who went abroad this summer. Alcohol is cheap and the nightclubs are open late and offer foam parties, wet t-shirt competitions and Playboy parties. What more could a bunch of celebrating 18-year-olds be looking for?

Clearly not the sun anyway. In stark contrast with the vibrant nocturnal activity, there isn't an Irish student in sight on Playa del Ingles's golden beach during the day. "They're sleeping it off all day . . . they don't surface until the evening, " says John Thomas, who works in the Irish quarter encouraging students into the Irish bars.

"Occasionally, a couple of the Irish lads will go down to the beach but for one reason only . . . a gawk in the nude section."