By Emma Jane Hade
The annual “CIT Christmas Day”, which was traditionally held on the last Thursday of November every year, has been cancelled this year, after local publicans have vowed not to support it.
The annual Christmas event, which is run independently of the college and its Students’ Union (SU) was a highlight of the social calendar. One CIT student described it as “nearly better than the real Christmas.”
At an annual licensing hearing, the court was told that in the past few years there had been numerous incidents involving CIT students, and that extra Gardai resources had been deployed to the area to deal with the festivities.
Judge Riordan heard that objections were being made against the licensing of McCarthy’s Bar and Bishopstown Bar, owned by Richard O’Brien and Kieran Horgan respectively.
Objections in court were led by Superintendent Charles Barry, on behalf of An Gardai Siochanna, and solicitor Sinead Barry, on behalf of Bishopstown Community Association.
Richard O’Brien, the owner of McCarthy’s bar, was told in court that the objections against his licensing would be withdrawn if he promised not to facilitate any CIT student’s events on the premises on CIT Christmas Day.
Mr O’Brien agreed, and told the court that “no students will be facilitated” on the premises on that day.
Following Mr O’Brien’s statement to the court, Judge Riordan conditionally renewed his licence.
Kieran Horgan, owner of Bishopstown Bar, had his case adjourned until a later date because certain notices of objection had not been served on the bar.
The SU were involved in the organisation of the day up until three years ago, but they pulled out of the event as they believe “it got out of hand.”
CIT Students’ Union President, Chris Scanlon, believes that the action of the court “was the right thing to do.”
He believes “that things had got out of hand” and were so bad that “someone was going to die.” He believes that the students have responded well to the decision as they “realised it had gone too far.”
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