GARDAÍ IN GALWAY have urged people to stay safe, as the unofficial rag week celebrations began in full swing in the city this morning.
Queues began well before noon this morning to get into get into the Hole in the Wall bar on Eyre Street, and gardaí expect “Donegal Tuesday” to be its busiest night of the week.
The annual rag – raise and give – week used to be an initiative organised by NUI Galway and GMIT, but both have withdrawn their support for the yearly event.
A local garda spokesperson told TheJournal.ie that there had been no trouble reported so far, and that gardaí in Galway city were taking the necessary precautions.
“Like every unofficial rag week, there will be extra patrols on the street day and night,” they said.
Gardaí have attempted to be proactive to combat the anti-social behaviour that has become associated with such events in recent years, and have said that they want people to enjoy themselves responsibly this year.
They said: “We want everyone to enjoy themselves, but also take people’s welfare and safety into account. In regards to people drinking, we want everyone to be safe and take others around them into account.”
During unofficial Rag Week celebrations in 2013, a number of people were arrested in the city and video footage showed large noisy crowds – some topless young men – gathered outside fast food restaurants. Several fights broke out in the square.
In 2014, gardaí shut down an event at a night club after a crush outside the venue. Again, the students’ unions said this had not been an official event as they scrapped the official Rag Week a number of years ago.
Christened Donegal Tuesday, crowds have been queuing to get into bars since this morning but no trouble has been reported yet.
The garda spokesperson added: “Despite those queues, there’s been no trouble so far. The event at the Hole in the Wall was well run by the management there. Tonight will certainly be our busiest night around the city.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say