"I can't believe it's not Rag Week"

Wompa1

the keen edge wrote: »

What's your criterion for an event, commercial backing?
Who even has the right to sanction an event.
I cant see how your point can be argued.


Can you post your source for those statistics for this week. I'd be interested in seeing them. Plus how did you get them for the week; it being only Thursday afternoon?



Not that its compulsory, however attendance hasn't changed significantly this week.


Ultra-socialism, brilliant.

You don't think third level education in Ireland is socialist?

My criteria for an event would be simple just organization and permits. Any event held in an Irish city should go through an approval process to ensure whilst the participants in the event enjoy themselves they are not impeding on others.

The city council has the right to sanction an event such as the Arts Festival, Race Week, Oyster Festival, Volvo Ocean Race etc.

I was of the belief that anybody on the government student maintenance fund which is paid for by the tax payer did have compulsory attendance. Interestingly, I have not seen any stats on how many students currently receive the grant. Though, I did see an editorial in the Advertiser from a couple of NUIG lecturers which, at least from their perspective there has been a spike in the number of people returning as mature students and also doing Masters and PhD's which is likely due to the downturn in the economy. Which to me at least, would suggest when coupled with undergrads there's currently a significant number of students receiving the maintenance grant.

Also what are you talking about stats for? The post I was replying to was addressing the need for extra Garda in the context of comparing RAG week to any other sporting event, thus the points.

pinkdiamond

I'm a student (postgrad) and I think rag week in Galway is horrendous.

I did my undergraduate in UL. RAG week (or Charity week as I think it is now known as), has always been successful in UL because it is contained within UL. There are concerts and events on campus throughout the week that raise a substantial amount for charity every year. I don't think I'm too far off the mark in saying that the students in UL probably drink as much as those in NUIG, but the drinking is kept on campus so it doesn't bother the public.

I don't know how anyone can argue that NUIG RAG week (official or not) isn't causing any trouble. Have ye not seen the videos of the mad fight in Supermacs or the massive crowds roaring outside Supermacs? I can't even begin to imagine the fear that elderly people living around the city have during these such nights where the students are running wild.

I hope that someone can think of a way to resolve the trouble that RAG week brings to Galway. It puts a bad name on such a great university and fabulous city.

Mr_A

On the other side of course- the expenditure on alcohol, fast foot etc would have made a significant contribution to public funds via VAT. There is always talk of how much big events contribute to the local economy, surely RAG week is no different?

pinkdiamond

I'd also like to note that 93% of Donegal students are on the grant.

Donegal night was the roughest night in town this week.

pinkdiamond

I'm sure prostitution and drugs also contribute to public funds in Amsterdam via VAT.

Just because it generates revenue, doesn't mean it has a positive impact on society.

snubbleste

pinkdiamond wrote: »

I'm a student (postgrad) and I think rag week in Galway is horrendous.
I did my undergraduate in UL. RAG week (or Charity week as I think it is now known as), has always been successful in UL because it is contained within UL. There are concerts and events on campus throughout the week that raise a substantial amount for charity every year. I don't think I'm too far off the mark in saying that the students in UL probably drink as much as those in NUIG, but the drinking is kept on campus so it doesn't bother the public.
I don't know how anyone can argue that NUIG RAG week (official or not) isn't causing any trouble. Have ye not seen the videos of the mad fight in Supermacs or the massive crowds roaring outside Supermacs? I can't even begin to imagine the fear that elderly people living around the city have during these such nights where the students are running wild.
I hope that someone can think of a way to resolve the trouble that RAG week brings to Galway. It puts a bad name on such a great university and fabulous city.

Isn't UL a 40 minute walk from town?
UCG is practically in town

pinkdiamond

snubbleste wrote: »

Isn't UL a 40 minute walk from town?
UCG is practically in town

Exactly subbleste! That's why I don't see RAG week ever working out for NUIG. RAG week in UL is RAG week in UL. RAG week in NUIG is RAG week in Galway City.

Mr_A

Taken as a whole, the colleges and student population play a huge part in Galway's success. They bring huge revenue and of course many of the businesses here would not be in Galway without them. And of course they play a big role in Galway's reputation as a party city which boosts tourism. The animosity towards students in this thread borders on hysteria in places.

RAG week may be a pain for some (others of course make a packet), but the reaction to it is much more worrying to me to be perfectly honest.

beeintheknow

Us Illuminati are in favour of rag week so it shall be staying for the foreseeable future.

Wompa1

Mr_A wrote: »

Taken as a whole, the colleges and student population play a huge part in Galway's success. They bring huge revenue and of course many of the businesses here would not be in Galway without them. And of course they play a big role in Galway's reputation as a party city which boosts tourism. The animosity towards students in this thread borders on hysteria in places.

RAG week may be a pain for some (others of course make a packet), but the reaction to it is much more worrying to me to be perfectly honest.

Non-students also bring huge revenue, I would argue more since surely working people in the city or county of Galway would be paying more income tax than students would on VAT

spiralism

Imo most of what happened in RAG week this year filed under irritating more than troublesome. It's definitely been a lot worse (2011 for example). Worst thing that came out of it was that godawful yaya toure chant.

elefant

pinkdiamond wrote: »

I'm sure prostitution and drugs also contribute to public funds in Amsterdam via VAT.

Just because it generates revenue, doesn't mean it has a positive impact on society.

Those things don't have any negative impact on society in Amsterdam either. What's your point?

And I very much doubt elderly people were inhibited from going about their business by a fight in Supermac's at 3 in the morning.

antoobrien

pinkdiamond wrote: »

Exactly subbleste! That's why I don't see RAG week ever working out for NUIG. RAG week in UL is RAG week in UL. RAG week in NUIG is RAG week in Galway City.

RAG week worked out fine in NUIG for years. It wasn't until (a) the student population got too big and started going to town during the day for festivities and (b) the last of the Salthill nightclubs closed down that the rest of the town took any notice.

Now we also get the shower that come down from the rest of the country for Galway rag week (something that didn't happen 10 years ago) because Galway is seen as the place to be when there's a party going on.

The problem with this shower is that, in my experience they're either former students with no link to galway, or people who had never been students at all (e.g. construction) and they don't give a f**k if they make a mess of the place for everyone else.

pinkdiamond

elefant wrote: »

Those things don't have any negative impact on society in Amsterdam either. What's your point?

And I very much doubt elderly people were inhibited from going about their business by a fight in Supermac's at 3 in the morning.

You cannot say that the legalization of prostitution and drugs doesn't have a negative impact (sorry for the double negative!).



http://endhumantrafficking.wordpress.com/2010/02/21/the-effects-of-legalization-of-prostitution-on-human-trafficking/

"In Amsterdam, for example, Tolerance zones set up for street prostitution have proved a failure.

The Mayor admitted that it has become a haven for traffickers, drug dealers and unsafe for women. The Tipplezone in Rotterdam was closed for similar reasons."



http://www.justthinktwice.com/factsfiction/fiction_drug_legalization_works.html

"Mayor Gerd Leers is reacting to growing concerns among residents who complain of traffic problems, petty crime, loitering and public urination. There have been shootings between Balkan gangs. Maastricht's small police force…is already spending one-third of its time on drug-related problems.”


In a similar way (but obviously not so extreme as drugs and prostitution :P), Galway RAG week promoting crazy drinking binges is not going to have a positive impact on Galway. What positive impact could it possibly have? Bringing in revenue from VAT is not a good reason to make it an annual event.

And I didn't mean that it would prevent elderly people from going into Supermacs. Sorry if it read that way for you. There are elderly people living around Galway City who fear of the loud gangs of drunk students rambling around the city, especially during RAG week. This has been reported time and time again over the last few years.

ben.schlomo

pinkdiamond wrote: »

You cannot say that the legalization of prostitution and drugs doesn't have a negative impact (sorry for the double negative!).



http://endhumantrafficking.wordpress.com/2010/02/21/the-effects-of-legalization-of-prostitution-on-human-trafficking/

"In Amsterdam, for example, Tolerance zones set up for street prostitution have proved a failure.

The Mayor admitted that it has become a haven for traffickers, drug dealers and unsafe for women. The Tipplezone in Rotterdam was closed for similar reasons."



http://www.justthinktwice.com/factsfiction/fiction_drug_legalization_works.html

"Mayor Gerd Leers is reacting to growing concerns among residents who complain of traffic problems, petty crime, loitering and public urination. There have been shootings between Balkan gangs. Maastricht's small police force…is already spending one-third of its time on drug-related problems.”


In a similar way (but obviously not so extreme as drugs and prostitution :P), Galway RAG week promoting crazy drinking binges is not going to have a positive impact on Galway. What positive impact could it possibly have? Bringing in revenue from VAT is not a good reason to make it an annual event.

And I didn't mean that it would prevent elderly people from going into Supermacs. Sorry if it read that way for you. There are elderly people living around Galway City who fear of the loud gangs of drunk students rambling around the city, especially during RAG week. This has been reported time and time again over the last few years.

Best to put up the 'closed' sign on Ireland then.

Links to your claims please, should be easy as they are so widely reported?

Dan_Solo

Well that's the usual fallacy when these "decriminalised" zones have problems. Why not try it nationally so there's no concentration of problems in one location?
AFAIK Balkan gangs were at war before, during, and after this scheme, so at least while it was there it was easier to localise.

pinkdiamond

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/RAG+BAGS%3B+Galway+students+warn+of+mayhem+one+year+after+rioting+in...-a0217888175 Councillor Padraig Conneely said it was a miracle that nobody was killed during last year's riots. He added: "Elderly people were locking themselves in their homes in fear as marauding gangs of students."


http://www.gtigazette.com/?p=156 It is often described by the public as a week of mindless violence, loutish behaviour, vandalism to cars and property that effectively causes fear and anxiety in many sections of the community.


http://issuu.com/trinitynews/docs/tn9
"Students from all over ireland, including trinity, are reported to have been involved in anti-social behaviour during the five day period which saw 37 arrests, including three for criminal damage. glass bottles were thrown at residents, cars were overturned, bonfires lit...."Not alone are we dealing with a minority of idiots from our own college, but hundreds of clowns bused in from outside." ..Elderly residents in the nearby neighbourhood were afraid of leaving their houses unaccompanied and one resident, Martin Jennings, 68, has said that he may be forced to leave his home after witnessing what he described as "shocking" behaviour."


And there is also the odd article where scaring the elderly is seen all all part of the fun:
http://m.bodytonicmusic.com/news/2013/feb/19/galway-alert-donegal-tuesday-hits-city/
"An integral part of Rag week festivities, Donegal Tuesday is a chance for students in the Western City to let their hair down (then get a friend to take it back up as they vomit at the doorway of a terrified pensioner)."

pinkdiamond

Dan_Solo wrote: »

Well that's the usual fallacy when these "decriminalised" zones have problems. Why not try it nationally so there's no concentration of problems in one location?
AFAIK Balkan gangs were at war before, during, and after this scheme, so at least while it was there it was easier to localise.

So would you say that if every college puts RAG week on the same week there wont be a concentration of problems in one location? Could be an interesting debate.

ben.schlomo

pinkdiamond wrote: »

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/RAG+BAGS%3B+Galway+students+warn+of+mayhem+one+year+after+rioting+in...-a0217888175 Councillor Padraig Conneely said it was a miracle that nobody was killed during last year's riots. He added: "Elderly people were locking themselves in their homes in fear as marauding gangs of students."


http://www.gtigazette.com/?p=156 It is often described by the public as a week of mindless violence, loutish behaviour, vandalism to cars and property that effectively causes fear and anxiety in many sections of the community.


http://issuu.com/trinitynews/docs/tn9
"Students from all over ireland, including trinity, are reported to have been involved in anti-social behaviour during the five day period which saw 37 arrests, including three for criminal damage. glass bottles were thrown at residents, cars were overturned, bonfires lit...."Not alone are we dealing with a minority of idiots from our own college, but hundreds of clowns bused in from outside." ..Elderly residents in the nearby neighbourhood were afraid of leaving their houses unaccompanied and one resident, Martin Jennings, 68, has said that he may be forced to leave his home after witnessing what he described as "shocking" behaviour."


And there is also the odd article where scaring the elderly is seen all all part of the fun:
http://m.bodytonicmusic.com/news/2013/feb/19/galway-alert-donegal-tuesday-hits-city/
"An integral part of Rag week festivities, Donegal Tuesday is a chance for students in the Western City to let their hair down (then get a friend to take it back up as they vomit at the doorway of a terrified pensioner)."

Some high quality journals in there alright, the GTI Gazette, oh dear. The majority of them are also simply nothing more than unvarified hearsay and claims. And Padraig Connelly is hardly the voice of reason either.

spiralism

I'm somewhere in the middle on RAG week in Galway. I don't buy into the hysteria of some people where you would be convinced that pissed up students were trying to usher in the apocalypse but at the same time the busloads of people coming in to wreck our city along with a shower of first years who were never let out before can be tiresome.

Not to mention every nightclub being completely wedged at half ten. That's the real problem i have with it, it can be too crazy out. Maybe some people like waiting an hour to get into somewhere that more resembles a collapsing scrum than a nightclub but i think it sucks the fun out of the night in a major way. Especially when you consider that of any of the main nightclubs, only Karma is actually laid out well to handle a large crowd.

Like i said already, Rag week is an irriration more than anything but the hysteria is a bit ridiculous. They're pissed up students making noise and a mess, not hardened criminals like the way some people are talking.

pinkdiamond

Unfortunately, no academic journals have yet been published to detail the effects of Galway RAG week.

And I don't think GTI would appreciate you slandering their newspaper.

All four sources are telling lies about the effects of RAG week. Even the people that have been quoted must be telling lies. That's a very stubborn stance to take my friend.

antoobrien

pinkdiamond wrote: »

http://www.gtigazette.com/?p=156 It is often described by the public as a week of mindless violence, loutish behaviour, vandalism to cars and property that effectively causes fear and anxiety in many sections of the community.

I dispute that, until about 3/4 years ago it was far from this. When I was in NUIG it was known as a week of fun. None of the above was either in evidence or condoned when it happened.

Is it coincidence that the crap started hitting the fan at the same time as large numbers of people were being laid off and people that otherwise would not have went to third level education started going?

ben.schlomo

pinkdiamond wrote: »

Unfortunately, no academic journals have yet been published to detail the effects of Galway RAG week.

And I don't think GTI would appreciate you slandering their newspaper.

All four sources are telling lies about the effects of RAG week. Even the people that have been quoted must be telling lies. That's a very stubborn stance to take my friend.

Well one of them has nothing to do with Rag week in Galway so its completely pointless linking it, ive made my point on the rest, nowhere did i say anyone is telling lies, if you read it that way then thats your issue,my friend! Anyway if we were all as 'holy joe' as your sentiments would wish us to be then the world would be a sad place to live in.

Caliden

pinkdiamond wrote: »

Unfortunately, no academic journals have yet been published to detail the effects of Galway RAG week.

And I don't think GTI would appreciate you slandering their newspaper.

All four sources are telling lies about the effects of RAG week. Even the people that have been quoted must be telling lies. That's a very stubborn stance to take my friend.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/slander

a malicious, false, and defamatory statement or report

Opinion is not slander.

Wompa1

Wompa1 wrote: »

Non-students also bring huge revenue, I would argue more since surely working people in the city or county of Galway would be paying more income tax than students would on VAT

Are you really trying to understate the importance of almost 20,000 students (Both NUIG and GMIT) to Galway.

For a start they are directly responsible for well over 1000 jobs between the two institutions and who knows how many more between shops, pubs, nightclubs, takeaways etc.

A lot will be paying a significant amount towards accommodation or putting petrol in their cars. Again both are bringing in a lot of money for both the government, businesses and individuals who own rental accommodation.

They all have to eat, 20,000 people eat a hell of a lot of food. You have vat, jobs etc etc from this.

Pubs and clubs and off licences again, students go out a lot a spend a lot of money on drink which is a massive earner for the government.

That's just a snapshot, Galway wouldn't even be half the place it is without the university. Its the most important thing in Galway imo.

spiralism

Completely agree. Galway's economy is based on tourism and being a "university city". You take away the second aspect and it turns into a ghost town over the winter. There's a reason there's such a thriving nightlife year round. Considering in the city centre there are 6 nightclubs (if you count coyotes) and countless fast food outlets/takeaways and pubs, you hit the students and it impacts negatively everywhere.

Wompa1

Noah Easy Toothpaste wrote: »

Are you really trying to understate the importance of almost 20,000 students (Both NUIG and GMIT) to Galway.

For a start they are directly responsible for well over 1000 jobs between the two institutions and who knows how many more between shops, pubs, nightclubs, takeaways etc.

A lot will be paying a significant amount towards accommodation or putting petrol in their cars. Again both are bringing in a lot of money for both the government, businesses and individuals who own rental accommodation.

They all have to eat, 20,000 people eat a hell of a lot of food. You have vat, jobs etc etc from this.

Pubs and clubs and off licences again, students go out a lot a spend a lot of money on drink which is a massive earner for the government.

That's just a snapshot, Galway wouldn't even be half the place it is without the university. Its the most important thing in Galway imo.

No, I am not trying to understate it, you are interpretting it as me trying to understate it because you are defensive about students. I said non-students ALSO...Also being the key word there.

The University is the biggest single employer in Galway, I believe or at least it was at one time. The colleges are great at bringing in kids from other counties to spend money in shops and pubs during the college year.

If you were to look at the city from an Income and Expenditure standpoint, I'd be very interested to see the flow.

jased10s

Noah Easy Toothpaste wrote: »

Are you really trying to understate the importance of almost 20,000 students (Both NUIG and GMIT) to Galway.

For a start they are directly responsible for well over 1000 jobs between the two institutions and who knows how many more between shops, pubs, nightclubs, takeaways etc.

A lot will be paying a significant amount towards accommodation or putting petrol in their cars. Again both are bringing in a lot of money for both the government, businesses and individuals who own rental accommodation.

They all have to eat, 20,000 people eat a hell of a lot of food. You have vat, jobs etc etc from this.

Pubs and clubs and off licences again, students go out a lot a spend a lot of money on drink which is a massive earner for the government.

That's just a snapshot, Galway wouldn't even be half the place it is without the university. Its the most important thing in Galway imo.

Does not mean they can go around acting like twats for a week.

Think of how many tourists that witness this week and vow never to return again , and also tell their friends of how intimadated they felt so they wont bother coming to ireland. You have a reputation world wide for being total piss heads and this does not help.

But ahh shure , tis only young bucks having the craic.

And to your point saying galway wouldent be half the place it is without them you need a reality check. The city has all it needs and does not need some snotty nosed mammy reared twats for it to be the place it is . It would be a lot better off without the embarrasing actions of the so called educated idiots.

Have a drink and thats cool , but the way they have behaved now and in the past is just taking the piss.

And i have spent thousands in Galway so does that mean i can jump on the tables in supermacs singing ole ole ole , puking and pissing on someones doorway and smashing bottles on the ground while i set fire to a bin with a lighted flare sticking out me arse ?

joeKel73

jased10s wrote: »

And to your point saying galway wouldent be half the place it is without them you need a reality check. The city has all it needs and does not need some snotty nosed mammy reared twats for it to be the place it is . It would be a lot better off without the embarrasing actions of the so called educated idiots.

The city is what it is largely because of the student population.

Remove the third level institutions, students and staff from Galway and watch how many of your wonderful businesses and services just can't survive and close down. Galway gets a nice boost of tourists for a few months in the Summer but it's the student population that sustains the city throughout most of the year and keeps Galway city open for business on mid-week winter nights.

ben.schlomo

jased10s wrote: »

Does not mean they can go around acting like twats for a week.

Think of how many tourists that witness this week and vow never to return again , and also tell their friends of how intimadated they felt so they wont bother coming to ireland. You have a reputation world wide for being total piss heads and this does not help.

But ahh shure , tis only young bucks having the craic.

And to your point saying galway wouldent be half the place it is without them you need a reality check. The city has all it needs and does not need some snotty nosed mammy reared twats for it to be the place it is . It would be a lot better off without the embarrasing actions of the so called educated idiots.

Have a drink and thats cool , but the way they have behaved now and in the past is just taking the piss.

And i have spent thousands in Galway so does that mean i can jump on the tables in supermacs singing ole ole ole , puking and pissing on someones doorway and smashing bottles on the ground while i set fire to a bin with a lighted flare sticking out me arse ?

Were you talking to many of these tourists during the week? I was, and the only time anything was mentioned was to ask was there a big match on due to the Donegal jerseys, not one single mention other than that. But sure who cares as long as you got your soundbyte in.