Ninth Level Ireland

“NUI Galway (NUIG) faces criticism online for emails sent to some of its students telling them to remove Twitter memes they posted about another student. The memes in question depicted Simeon Burke, a second year NUIG student, holding up a piece of paper in an online Student Union Council meeting, edited to appear as though the paper had disparaging statements on it …” (more)

[James McCarron, The College View, 26 February]

“The president of the University of Limerick has expressed her ‘huge disappointment’ at some of the comments made by students on national radio earlier this week. Professor Kerstin Mey was reacting to a report on RTÉ’s Drivetime during which several UL students, living in off-campus accommodation, openly admitted attending house parties and social gatherings in breach of the current Level 5 restrictions …” (more)

[David Hurley, Limerick Leader, 25 February]

“Gardaí will be conducting high visibility patrols every evening around the University of Limerick (UL) due to concerns about student gatherings, according to the President of the university. The move comes after the university began mass testing their students, to manage an outbreak of Covid-19 among the student population earlier this week …” (more)

[Tadgh McNally, TheJournal.ie, 25 February]

“Fears are growing that St Patrick’s Day celebrations will rage through Belfast’s student area after ‘alarming’ reports of multiple house parties on Monday night. Residents in the Holyland area said young people have been gathering ‘from far and wide’ for drunken festivities, and blatantly disregarding current lockdown restrictions …” (more)

[Claire McNeilly, Belfast Telegraph, 23 February]

“The Junior Common Room (JCR) and Trinity College Dublin’s Students’ Union (TCDSU) have said they are concerned about ‘claims of harshness’ in the implementation of Covid-19 restrictions in student accommodation. The two groups have released joint communication to Trinity Hall (Halls) residents regarding recent concerns raised about fines that have been issued to residents …” (more)

[Shannon Connolly, Trinity News, 1 February]

“Students who feel ‘terrorized’ by a strict implementation of social restrictions at Trinity Hall (Halls) have raised their concerns ahead of the upcoming semester. In a meeting of the newly-established Trinity College Dublin’s Renters Union (TCDRU) this evening, an issue was raised about the conditions Trinity Halls (Halls) residents have been experiencing over the last few months …” (more)

[Shannon Connolly and Kate Henshaw, Trinity News, 28 January]

“IT Tralee says it hasn’t had to initiate proceedings against students for alleged breaches of COVID-19 restrictions such as house parties …” (more)

[Radio Kerry, 17 December]

“Dublin City University (DCU) has issued a warning to students living in on-campus accommodation, following a party in ‘serious breach’ of the college’s Covid-19 rules. The warning came following a party in a student apartment on November 11th in the College Park Residences. One source confirmed the gathering was hosted by a short-stay renter on the north Dublin campus and that people from outside of the college were also in attendance …” (more)

[Niamh Quinlan, Irish Times, 11 December]

“A series of gatherings in breach of Covid-19 restrictions have caused DCU Campus Residences to increase disciplinary actions towards tenants. This comes after a party with a gathering was hosted on the 11th of this month in House 11 in College Park Residences on campus. An inside source confirmed that the gathering was hosted by a short stay renter and had people from outside of DCU in attendance, including some students from Queens University Belfast …” (more)

[Niamh Quinlan, The College View, 25 November]

“Hundreds of Northern Irish students have been suspended and hit with fines totalling over €14,000 for breaking lockdown restrictions. Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) has imposed sanctions on 109 students for coronavirus-related offences, while Ulster University (UU) said it has dealt with 146 transgressions …” (more)

[Claire McNeilly, Independent, 19 November]

“Six residents in Trinity Hall (Halls) were this week fined €250 each for hosting an indoor gathering, which is forbidden under the complex’s coronavirus restrictions. Two of the students involved confirmed to The University Times that they and four others were called to a disciplinary meeting, held over Zoom, where they were issued the fines …” (more)

[Emer Moreau, University Times, 6 November]

“Labour Party councillor for Limerick City East, Elena Secas is making a strong plea to people for respectful behaviour in residential areas around UL ‘Residents in housing estates adjacent to UL have big concerns about quite large groups of people socializing in their area …'” (more)

[Donal O’Regan, Limerick Leader, 18 October]

“This week, eight students spoke with The University Times about a culture of intimidation and fear at Trinity Hall during the coronavirus pandemic. Students are facing evictions and threats of fines worth hundreds of euros if they break the complex’s strict rules, making residents feel afraid, unwelcome and as if they are in ‘prison’ …” (more)

[University Times, 18 October]

“Trinity Hall – billed by College as ‘an ideal place to make friends and get acquainted’ – has become like a ‘prison’ during the coronavirus pandemic, in which students face threats of severe punishments, evictions and fines worth hundreds of euro for breaking the complex’s strict rules …” (more)

[Jane Cook and Amy Cox, University Times, 16 October]

“Queen’s University Belfast has launched an investigation into a video that appears to show around 20 of its students dancing to ‘Rock the Boat’ in one of its accommodation buildings last week. The video, which was obtained by The University Times, shows the students – none of whom are wearing masks or practicing social distancing – dancing in two rows to the popular 1973 song …” (more)

[Cormac Watson, University Times, 5 October]

“Simon Harris has warned critics to lay off students – while urging young people to party safely – as Ireland is engulfed by the dreaded second wave of Covid-19. In a wide-ranging interview with the Irish Sun, the Higher Education Minister hits out at the ‘complete bull’ stereotypes that students are ignoring health rules following wild scenes in Galway, Limerick and Cork …” (more)

[Adam Higgins, Irish Sun, 4 October]

“Over the last week, a number of student gatherings have been shut down by An Garda Síochána. According to the Irish Times, Gardaí have shut down 35 ‘student house parties’ over Freshers’ Week at the University of Limerick (UL). Gardaí have also arrested five people as part of the policing plan around UL …” (more)

[Shannon Connolly, Trinity News, 3 October]

“University College Cork has confirmed that 11 students have been suspended on a temporary basis following breaches of student rules relating to public health. In a statement issued this afternoon, UCC acknowledge that while the vast majority of their students have been adhering to national public health guidelines, its Campus Watch had received 11 complaints since the term recommenced earlier this week …” (more)

[Jennie O’Sullivan, RTÉ News, 1 October]

“Galway Gardai say they will not provide specific addresses of student house parties to NUIG but will continue the practice of highlighting problem areas to the university. It had been understood that Gardai would provide the addresses of student house parties they have broken up to NUIG in an effort to enforce regulations on mass gatherings …” (more)

[Galway Bay FM, 30 September]

“NUI Galway students who breach public health guidelines face expulsion from the university. On Monday night up to 1,000 students in Galway gathered along the Claddagh Basin across from the Spanish Arch to celebrate Freshers Week …” (more)

[Eavan Murray, Independent, 30 September]