“Community Gardaí in Cork have said there have been no major issues with RAG week this year, and they want to commend students’ behaviour during this week of celebration. RAG week, or raise and give week, is a week where students raise money for charity …” (more)
[Áine Kenny, EchoLive, 13 February]
“Donegal Tuesday, the ‘highlight’ of the unofficial Rag Week for students in the city, is back again with big crowds at the Hole in the Wall. Students have turned out in massive numbers on Eyre Street today, as they do every year for Donegal Tuesday, filling the street with Donegal jerseys as they wait to get into the pub …” (more)
[Briain Kelly, Galway Daily, 11 February]
“Cork City Community Engagement Gardai on duty for UCC RAG Week in the city have warned students that anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated, with residents in student areas concerned about student behaviour this week …” (more)
[Michael Hayes, CorkBeo, 11 February]
“Annual events like Freshers and Raise and Give Week have been heavily criticised by some locals. Some community groups in Cork say some people are afraid to leave their homes at night due to increased levels of anti-social behaviour …” (more)
[Red FM, 10 February]
“Leo Varadkar might have applauded the people who were getting up early in Cork this morning – until he saw them queuing up outside an early house. But it all seemed to be good natured for the students who were waiting patiently in the dark outside a packed Charlie’s Pub on the quays by City Hall as RAG Week got off to a bleary-eyed, 7am start …” (more)
[Joe O’Shea, CorkBeo, 10 February]
“The policy has led to a drop in complaints. Particularly during Rag and Fresher’s weeks over the past two years …” (audio)
[RedFM, 5 February]
“Students of University College Cork (UCC) have paid almost €11,000 in fines as part of a new crackdown on antisocial behaviour. The new approach, involving university authorities and students themselves, has also seen the number of complaints from the public about antisocial behaviour linked to UCC’s Rag Week and Fresher’s Week events drop over the last two years …” (more)
[Eoin English, Irish Examiner, 5 February]
“No off licence or fast food outlets will be tolerated at a proposed student accommodation development at Punches Cross. That was the strong message from Labour Party councillor Joe Leddin at a special meeting in City Hall about the 100-apartment development this Monday …” (more)
[Alan Jacques, Limerick Post, 1 August]
“Residents living near UCC have breathed a sigh of relief as students living around the college are behaving better. Locals living along College Road and the surrounding streets told a community forum this week that this year’s Raise And Give (RAG) Week was the best it’s been for them in years, as there was hardly any parties and very little anti-social behaviour to report …” (more)
[Niamh Aine Ryan, Cork Independent, 13 March]
“Landlords are considering installing CCTV at their properties in Limerick due to a series of ‘destructive house parties’ that took place during Charity Week. Several properties in Castletroy have been left ‘destroyed’, with almost 150 people ‘herded’ out of one house party in College Court during the early hours of last Tuesday morning, it is understood …” (more)
[Jess Casey, Limerick Leader, 4 March]
“Rag week celebrations are under way in Carlow town where students have been socialising since it kicked off on Sunday. Local pubs have been running events such as breakfast raves and high profile DJs are playing in local nightclub the Foundry all week …” (more)
[Edwina Grace, KCLR96FM, 19 February]
“… but there were still 15 public order offences, 20 drug incidents, 20 house parties and 61 on-the-spot fines. New UCC regulations and increased cooperation with residents are being hailed as the main reasons for a quieter RAG week …” (more)
[Roisin Burke, EchoLive, 16 February]
“Galway Gardai have an operations order in place today as students gather in their droves in the city for ‘Donegal Tuesday’. The annual event is held as part of unofficial Rag Week celebrations with students gathering at Eyre Street from early morning …” (more)
[Connacht Tribune, 12 February]
“Students’ unions at NUI Galway and GMIT have issued a warning as revellers form queues at Eyre Street in the city for ‘Donegal Tuesday’. The annual event is held as part of unofficial Rag Week celebrations with students gathering at Eyre Street from early morning …” (more)
[Galway Bay FM, 12 February]
“Students caught drinking on the street during next week’s RAG week event in Cork will be fined, gardaí have warned. And those who step out of line could also face internal college sanctions, up to and including fines …” (more)
[Eoin English, Irish Examiner, 7 February]
“Galway’s unofficial RAG week always attracts online attention. Reading comment sections on Facebook on Donegal Tuesday, opinions on the week were clearly divided. New NUI Galway president Prof Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh weighed in on the debate over the contentious week which ran from Sunday 11 – Friday 16 February. He said that while he ‘wasn’t conscious enough of any particular issue’ arising during the week, ultimately students attending university in Galway should have respect for the city …” (more)
[SIN, 21 February]
“When you likely read this, it will be the middle of Raise and Give Week. An annual event to raise money for various charities, it is also seen, by some, as an excuse for drinking, debauchery and vandalism. There are three constants to RAG Week, it seems: money is raised for some fantastic causes, house parties spill out onto the streets of College Road, and perturbed residents ring up the likes of Neil Prendeville and PJ Coogan to complain about ‘those feckin students’ …” (more)
[Rob O’Sullivan, UCC Express, 13 February]
“UCC’s Raise and Give (RAG) Week has in the past brought negative attention to the university through disruptive behaviour, and this year UCC has told the Evening Echo that they will be taking a more ‘hardline approach’, namely introducing a number of initiatives to respond swiftly and decisively to students who are in breach of university rules …” (more)
[Michelle Beazley, UCC Express, 13 February]
“University College Cork (UCC) President Patrick O’Shea is preparing a major clampdown on student anti-social behaviour by introducing new fines and restrictions that aim to ease the longstanding concerns of local residents. Community gardaí and college chiefs have been working to ease the fears of residents ahead of RAG week in February …” (more)
[Roisin Burke, Evening Echo, 29 January]
“‘There was shenanigans in Galway again this year during Rag Week.’ That is the oft-repeated statement which I was confronted with yet again at a recent family gathering. Previously, I would have taken the easy option by simply nodding as if in agreement. However, having completed one exciting Erasmus semester at a University in Germany, one of the many changes that I noticed within myself is that the nod had developed into an emphatic shake of the head …” (more)
[Alison O’Brien, Irish Times, 12 May]
