As RAG Week got underway across the country last week, students were queuing from before 9am outside the Hole in the Wall pub in Galway City for Donegal Tuesday, the most popular day of the unofficial event.
There was said to be over 500 people queuing from before the doors opened for the most popular night of the week.
Gardaí in Galway said before the week got underway they would implement a “zero tolerance” approach to public order offenses such as drinking, drug abuse and assaults.
Students’ Unions in NUI Galway and Galway Mayo IT do not support the event, after they voted to suspend the official event as it attracted an anti-social image in previous years.
Speaking to the College View, President of GMIT Students Union Michael Kerrigan said the event which is run unofficially by a number of students each year passed without any major issues.
The feeling was similar among students who attended the event. They said there were no incidents during the week that caused public concern or discontent, “There was nothing apart from the odd little skirmish and I believe the extra Garda presence helped keep things without incident”.
The 2016 UCC RAG week also took place last week.
Events which took place over the week included the Nearly Naked Mile, Iron Stomach, obstacle courses, bouncy castles and concerts as students were encouraged to get involved to raise money.
RAG weeks have been a controversial topic throughout the country’s colleges and UCC’s edition has been threatened to be shut down in recent years due to antisocial behaviour from students and the promotion of excess drinking which have bothered residents who live near the campus.
2nd year UCC Dentistry student Niamh O’Gorman says RAG weeks will be the most memorable when looking back at her life in college.
“It’s something you’ll remember for the rest of your life and it’s the college that you see in the films that we wish we had every day” said O’Gorman.
“It’s just one big party and as well it makes us feel better because almost every penny we spend goes to charity for once.”
This year’s charities that are involved are Pieta House, Marymount Hospice, Rape Crisis Network Ireland and Surgeon Noonan.
Aaron McElroy and Brein McGinn
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