Ninth Level Ireland

“The Executive Office will meet representatives of Northern Ireland’s universities on Tuesday to discuss their response to the Covid-19 pandemic. It comes after a number of students in Queen’s University halls of residence in Belfast have been told to self-isolate after testing positive for the virus …” (more)

[Belfast Telegraph, 28 September]

“Some students at Queen’s University’s Halls of Residence in Belfast have been told to self-isolate after a small number of them tested positive for Covid-19. It is understood that the buildings involved are in the Malone Road area, close to the university in the south of the city …” (more)

[Tommie Gorman, RTÉ News, 28 September]

“Students living in Queen’s University Belfast accommodation have tested positive for Covid-19, it has been confirmed. It is understood some of the affected students are living in Holly Grove in the Elms Village, although the university did not confirm the specific location …” (more)

[The Irish News, 28 September]

“When Brid Ruddy first moved to the Holyland area of Belfast in the mid-1970s, it was to escape the sectarian confines around the Oldpark Road in the north of the city …” (more)

[Michael Sheils McNamee, BBC News, 27 September]

“Students may be prevented from returning home at the weekends if coronavirus continues to spread in Belfast and other university towns, Arlene Foster has warned. Mrs Foster’s comments come amid concerns about the potential for students residing together in large numbers during the week bringing Covid-19 back to their local areas …” (more)

[Belfast Telegraph, 22 September]

“A number of students have been suspended from Queen’s University following disorder in the Holyland area of south Belfast in recent days. It’s after the university received notifications of coronavirus regulation breaches from the PSNI, which led to the suspension of the students for two weeks …” (more)

[Eimear McGovern, Belfast Telegraph, 22 September]

“Queen’s University, Belfast has brought hundreds of students to Northern Ireland direct from China on a chartered jumbo jet. The Boeing 777 aircraft, operated by Qatar Airways and carrying the 369 new and returning students, landed at Belfast International Airport from Beijing on Saturday …” (more)

[Lauren Harte, Belfast Telegraph, 21 September]

“Police have issued 55 Covid notices, including 31 at one house alone, and eight prohibition notices after another night of disruption in the Holyland area of south Belfast. Two arrests were made for drug possession and assault, while a passing police patrol gave first aid to a 20-year-old man who was drunk and unconscious …” (more)

[Belfast Telegraph, 21 September]

“Police have issued 47 Covid-19 notices and nine prohibition notices over the last two nights in the Holyland area of Belfast. A 16-year-old male was also arrested for possession of Class B drugs with intent to supply during the same period …” (more)

[BreakingNews.ie, 20 September]

“Steve Bradley is a regeneration consultant, you can follow him on Twitter. Steve is a very popular writer on Slugger with some of his posts getting over 40k readers, you can view an archive of his posts here. In this podcast, we discuss the future of Derry and the Northwest. In particular, we discuss: the future of Ulster University in Derry or lack thereof; the potential for an independent University; how Covid-19 will affect Derry …” (podcast)

[Brian O’Neill, Slugger O’Toole, 20 September]

[University policy is discussed throughout the podcast, but it focuses on this from 26:40 onwards]

“Proposals to construct almost 100 new student accommodation rooms as part of an extension to an existing development in Belfast have secured the green light. Cathedral Living applied for full planning permission from Belfast City Council for the development of a 12-storey building to provide an extension to the 407-bed student building at 123 York Street. The site will round off the existing 12-storey purpose-built facility, which has been in operation since 2019 …” (more)

[Adam Beech, Insider Media Limited, 17 September]

“An asylum seeker who received top grades in his A-levels has said he cannot take up his place at Queen’s University because he is not eligible for a student loan or grant …” (more)

[Belfast Telegraph, 18 September]

“Thirty people from across Northern Ireland attended a house party in Belfast’s Holyland area, police said. Three people attempted to hide by locking themselves in a bathroom for more than 10 minutes as officers dealt with other people …” (more)

[Michael McHugh, Belfast Telegraph, 18 September]

“Police have issued 55 Covid notices and three prohibition notices after calling to seven house parties in the Holyland area of south Belfast. Officers discovered more than 30 people attending one party in an apartment, where three people tried to hide from police by locking themselves in a bathroom for over 10 minutes …” (more)

[Eimear McGovern, Belfast Telegraph, 18 September]

“Dear Student, I hope you are looking forward to the academic year ahead. The University has been working hard to ensure that we can provide you with an authentic campus experience, whilst keeping you safe. I recognise that the vast majority of students appreciate that they, as with all members of society, have a personal responsibility to act in accordance with COVID 19 guidelines …” (more)

[Queen’s University Belfast, 17 September]

“Police have issued a series of sanctions after a another night of partying in the Belfast Holyland area. In one case a 20-year-old man who had been arrested in the area late on Tuesday evening, was arrested on suspicion of breaching bail last night and was charged to appear in court …” (more)

[Belfast Telegraph, 17 September]

“The Health Minister has said that recent scenes of house parties in Belfast’s Holyland district must not be tolerated. Speaking at a Stormont Covid briefing, Robin Swann said footage of young people drinking in student housing near Queen’s University was unacceptable …” (more)

[Gareth Cross and Allan Preston, Belfast Telegraph, 17 September]

“Dangerous and anti-social house parties in Belfast’s Holyland student district will not be tolerated, the health minister has said. Footage showing groups of young people congregating and drinking in the area of terraced housing near Queen’s University was ‘deplorable’, Robin Swann said …” (more)

[Michael McHugh and David Young, Belfast Telegraph, 16 September]

“Almost £4 million is being provided to create extra university places following the cancellation of A-levels in Northern Ireland. This includes medical, nursing and midwifery courses, Finance Minister Conor Murphy said …” (more)

[Michael McHugh, Belfast Telegraph, 11 September]

“Co Down based Graham has completed the ambitious Little Patrick Street accommodation in Belfast City centre ahead of the new academic year …” (more)

[Claire Cartmill, NewsLetter, 9 September]