Unofficial Rag Week students warned they’ll face sanctions

Date Published: 24-Jan-2013

BY CIARAN TIERNEY

Students who help to organise social activities related to an unofficial Rag Week in Galway next month have been warned that they face the consequences of disciplinary action from the city’s two third level colleges.

An unofficial Galway Rag Week 2013 page on social media site Facebook had attracted almost 5,000 ‘likes’ last night, even though management and student representatives at both NUI Galway and GMIT have agreed that no such events will take place this year.

The page advertises a ‘best drunken photo’ competition as one of the events organised in conjunction with city centre night clubs. Students have also posted a number of private addresses in areas such as Newcastle and Westside as ideal venues for late night ‘house parties’.

Pubs and clubs who promote the unofficial week of celebrations, from February 18 to 24, have been warned that college authorities could even object to their drinks licences following a case involving the Hole in the Wall pub, Eyre Street, at last month’s annual licensing court.

The NUI Galway authorities withdrew their objections to the liquor licence for the popular student pub, but only after receiving guarantees from licensee Stephen Fahy following a notorious all-day drinking event last year.

Gardaí have been called upon to monitor the page in the run-up to February 18 and to establish the identity of those who are organising drinking competitions and promotions at premises in the city centre, without any authorisation from the colleges.

“As and when individuals concerned in such behaviour are identified as NUI Galway students, the University has and will continue to deal with them by means of the disciplinary process as outlined in the Student Code of Conduct,” said a statement from NUI Galway yesterday.

The President of the NUI Galway Students’ Union, Paul Curley, said he was disappointed that people were continuing to organise and promote Rag Week when the students themselves had voted to abolish the event two years ago.

“A huge worry for us is the influx of students from all across the country who have nothing to do with Galway and also the involvement of people who may not be involved in third level education,” said Mr Curley yesterday.

Mr Curley pointed out that there were 25,000 third level students in Galway and all of them were aware at this stage that there would be no official Rag Week at either of the two colleges.

For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.