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

mightdomighty

So with the unofficial start of Rag week, on a walk through the city center it seemed like every asshole this side of the shannon was in Galway last night causing fights and generally being a drunken mess.


I mean normally it's just me. Well put out by this

TheCosmicFrog

Are you sure that wasn't the last of the Novena crowd?

ethernet

It seemed very quiet around town today :-/

ciano1

Seen a load of groups with beer crates leaving centra and one or 2 house parties on the way home from college earlier. Nothing too crazy so far....

JupiterKid

If the city isn't a burnt out shell by next Monday then I reckon that the rag week will have been a relatively "quiet" one.:D:pac:

Utopia Parkway

Definitely a lot quieter than years gone by so far. Even the Hole in the Wall seemed reasonably civilized this afternoon when I passed it.

ciano1

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

Definitely a lot quieter than years gone by so far. Even the Hole in the Wall seemed reasonably civilized this afternoon when I passed it.

If you can say the same thing this time tomorrow, it'll be some sort of miracle!

Utopia Parkway

ciano1 wrote: »

If you can say the same thing this time tomorrow, it'll be some sort of miracle!

Usually there is mayhem there by Monday afternoon but there were only a small handful of hardy souls drinking there when I went past it earlier. That was mid-afternoon though. I'd say it's picked up a bit since.

foxy_19-89

Tomorrow is apparently 'Donegal Day'

AKA "wreck the city you're not from" day.

I think it's known to be one of the worst (drunken) of the 'rag' days, if last year is anything to go by....

Amik

About 3 or 4 house parties in progress in Newcastle at the moment. Haven't had my bin knocked over yet but have endured some singing and screaming. Quite a few Donegal flags hanging out of windows, so wheeling in my bin early tomorrow. :P

BhoscaCapall

This will be my first year sitting it out. Just can't be bothered with the queues and packed clubs any more. The best craic was always drinking at home during the day but it's hard to get away with much these days without complaints from neighbours and/or Gardai. It's a shame really, Corrib Village is probably the only place in Galway you should be able to do it but even they try their hardest to put a stop to it.

thesandeman

All the established nightclubs seemed to have taken heed of the warnings so far (one of them even moved their barriers in from the road a bit) and closed the doors once they were full.
The only place I saw getting a bit of attention from AGS was the place which wasn't around for the previous RuinAllGalwayStudents.
However this led to them heading down through town at midnight to try and find somewhere else to get in to but they were all pretty civilised for a change so far.
Not been out at closing time so don't know what's happened since but was satisfied enough with what I saw earlier (except for the smashing bottles bit) WHY? Just WHY?? is that supposed to be cool???

empacher

eyre sqquare was the same as last year minus the flairs, went up with my camera. got some great shots and video that I can hopefully sell.

hoody

Already a video or two floating around from last night

Mr. Chrome

Oh to be young and carefree !!!!

Mrs OBumble

Lots of inner city street noise overnight.

And Donegal shirts spotted in Eyre Square at 9am.

snubbleste

Dunnnnnnnygaaaaaaaaaawll

Spotted a taxi full of Donegal shirts heading off at about 9.40am

_Puma_

According to my "sources" on Facebook there was a 53 seater bus full of Donegal people with flags and banners outside Dunnes at 10am. I honestly don't get this, put on a Donegal shirt and wreck the city your not from or have any affiliation with, cause at the end of the day students from NUIG and GMIT are gonna get the blame. Not saying that Galway students are saints here but bussing people down from other counties for a day on the tear to trash the city should not be tolerated by the Gardai.

jewelstar

The place didn't look too bad early this morning on the walk into work. Few broken bottles along the way but nothing major. Dun na Coiribe was even quiet enough last night, usually Monday is mayhem.

Today may be a different story but we've all been there. I say let them off.

dastardly00

I cycled past The Hole in the Wall pub at around 10am and there were a couple of hundred people queuing, waiting to get in. About 99.9% of them were wearing Donegal jerseys!

jamesdiver

photos going around facebook of the que outside the Hole in the Wall. Mulhollands should be giving odds on how long it takes to be shut down.

paconnors

look at this

https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/35998/241731.jpg

squonk

What a bunch of feckin eejits. It's great they have so little to be doing for the day.

snubbleste

paconnors wrote: »

look at thishttps://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/35998/241731.jpg

Very orderly polite queue..pedestrians forced onto the road and there is the ubiquitous metal barrier

squonk

What's the deal with the Hole In The Wall anyway? (Not having been a student here). Do they get cheap drink in there or something? I'd be off somewhere else tbh rather than queuing to get into a pub that was guaranteed to be mobbed out when I eventually got in. Not my idea of a fun time.

ciano1

squonk wrote: »

What's the deal with the Hole In The Wall anyway? (Not having been a student here). Do they get cheap drink in there or something? I'd be off somewhere else tbh rather than queuing to get into a pub that was guaranteed to be mobbed out when I eventually got in. Not my idea of a fun time.

For some reason it's always been the 'home' of Donegal Tuesday.
And yes, cheap booze!

ben.schlomo

squonk wrote: »

What's the deal with the Hole In The Wall anyway? (Not having been a student here). Do they get cheap drink in there or something? I'd be off somewhere else tbh rather than queuing to get into a pub that was guaranteed to be mobbed out when I eventually got in. Not my idea of a fun time.[/QUOTE]
But then you arent 18.

squonk

That is true Ben

joeKel73

Town looking lively enough last night...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGmwtCffdgg

MadYaker

Me and a few friends were staggering through Eyre Square at about 3am last night and there was a huge crowd of people outside supermacs singing and shouting. No flares though. I'm still goosed tbh heading in to college bar now.

christina_x

squonk wrote: »

What a bunch of feckin eejits. It's great they have so little to be doing for the day.

Have to agree. I'm a final year student - from Donegal - and definitely will not be going out this week - especially tonight! Drunken students especially 1st and 2nd years (who i have a feeling comprise most of the crowd rag week) cannot handle their drink, they get obnoxious and rude and inconsiderate - and make me want to take the drink out of their hand and send them totting off to bed to sober up. I think a week like this is a really good idea in theory, but its eejits who act like tools because its rag week ruin it for everybody else.

/rant

BhoscaCapall

MadYaker wrote: »

Me and a few friends were staggering through Eyre Square at about 3am last night and there was a huge crowd of people outside supermacs singing and shouting. No flares though. I'm still goosed tbh heading in to college bar now.

Careful, that sort of fun is not tolerated on Boards.

vkid

J o e wrote: »

Town looking lively enough last night...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGmwtCffdgg

Looks like hell on earth to me.

GobSh!tes..no matter what age or where they are from,

Pure Sound

Drove through town last night and it seemed fairly orderly, I don't understand everyones problem, its better or at least as well behaved as the races and its only for one week. Those videos look fairly mild considering the amount of people in the area.

Mr_A

I thought some of the people above were getting a bit carried away, but reports are coming in that large areas of Newcastle and Renmore have been reduced to smoking ruins. Mobs of yellow clad students have been flipping over cars and setting fire to the elderly. They're chanting something about wanting Football Special. The end times are upon us. If you have an underground bunker this is the time to use it.

Amik

Gardaí out in force as Galway students gather for 'Donegal Day'

http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0219/368535-galway-students/

Mr_A

Update: Unruly Northwesterners have hijacked the German Coastguard vessel Seefalke. It is currently lodged upside down in the dome of the cathedral. It is not clear how this happened but there are reports of a strong smell of Buckfast and people singing "Jimmy's Crashing Boats".

In retaliation, the German air force has heavily bombed Bundoran, causing minor improvements.

GalwayGuy2

I thought some of the people above were getting a bit carried away, but reports are coming in that large areas of Newcastle and Renmore have been reduced to smoking ruins. Mobs of yellow clad students have been flipping over cars and setting fire to the elderly. They're chanting something about wanting Football Special. The end times are upon us. If you have an underground bunker this is the time to use it.

'Tis worse when the pensioners protest.

Thing is though that all those "students" that gathered in a city centre pub had just got off a bus in Eyre Square, really doubt they are just students from NUIG or GMIT.

If you search Rag Week on Twitter you'll see that loads are coming/ or now leaving from other counties.

Meh, let us have our fun. Ye older folk definitely act like ejits during race week.

_Puma_

Thing is though that all those "students" that gathered in a city centre pub had just got off a bus in Eyre Square, really doubt they are just students from NUIG or GMIT. Reminds me of race week where instead of wearing Donegal Jerseys young people, that have gathered from all around the country not just Galway, are falling around the place in suits and shirts! Hell that video reminds me of videos from Poznan. I think to just blame this on students is really ignoring the fact that 18-21 year old's in this country don't know how to enjoy alcohol sensibly and are going mad on cheap drink and wrecking the place for the "craic". Ala Oxegen, Sweedish House Mafia gig, Rag week, Race Week etc...

Im all for Rag week if ya have a bit of cop on!

BhoscaCapall

_Puma_ wrote: »

Im all for Rag week if ya have a bit of cop on!

Doesn't sound like you're all for Rag Week at all then!

empacher

Diabhal Beag

They've only gotten smugger since the AI. And that accent pierces your soul after a while.

Mr_A

Local politicians have now started reacting to the situation. Cllr. Pádraig Conneely has condemned council staff, local Gardai and the HSE for failing to control the situation, branding them "a useless shower of %&)(*s". He then called for the army to "rid Galway of the Nordie menace", before condemning the army for not having done so. He then refused to apologise, before expressing regret if his words had unintentionally caused offence.

Senetor Fidelma Healy Eames has denied reports that she has been operating a Buckfast stand without a permit to do so, saying she "meant to apply for a permit but forgot", and is also "very committed to education". She also said the intention had been to distribute pamphlets on the dangers of excessive drinking, but had accidentally followed the wrong plan and sold Buckfast instead.

ciano1

_Puma_ wrote: »

. Ala Oxegen, Sweedish House Mafia gig, Rag week, Race Week etc...

Really? :rolleyes:

squonk

squonk wrote: »

What a bunch of feckin eejits. It's great they have so little to be doing for the day.

Whats wrong with it, they are in college and there is no harm in enjoying the week they have plenty of years ahead of them when they wont be able to do it. You cant beat a day in the pub, I wouldn't be bothered about the donegal day part but for our rag week we were usually on the beer by 10am in the mornings, didn't do anything on us.

ben.schlomo wrote: »

But then you arent 18.

I'm 28 and I still like my all day sessions when I get the chance.

Mr_A

Update: The Galway branch of the Vintners association have released a short statement: "It's grand".

Meanwhile City Council workers are attempting to attach a clamp to the Seefalke. Cllr. Ollie Crowe is outraged, accusing them of targeting church goers.

Garda re-enforcements have arrived and baton charged unruly revellers near the top of the square. However there has been a mix up and they've actually attacked off duty members protesting about prospective cuts to their work conditions. Things briefly threaten to spill over into a full scale riot outside Supermacs before negotiations lead to a cessation of hostilities until Sunday, when double time kicks in.

Furious_George

That vid of eyre square last night doesn't look like they doing any harm, and its better there where very few residents. Looks boring to me, but I'm over 30 and have most of that ****e out of my system so I guess it should look boring.

_Puma_

BhoscaCapall wrote: »

Doesn't sound like you're all for Rag Week at all then!

Time for another Good Idea Bad Idea.

Good Idea:Heading to College bar for a few pints on Tuesday afternoon cause its Rag week ya know! Meet a few mates and go to a nightclub, get chatting to someone of the opposite sex who seems interested in me and been able to convince said person to come back to my place!

Bad Idea: Getting S**tfaced on cheap vodka at 10am running around the centre of the city, puking up my Taco fries in Eyre square in front of people going about their daily business. Trying to help someone who has passed out on the street after consuming a litre of vodka, said person getting hysterical and starts throwing slaps. Heading back to my place at 4am in a drunken stooper and setting the neighbours bin on fire.

The second case is what is happening more and more during Rag Week/Race week. Call me an buzzkill or whatever but I would be ashamed if this is what I got up to during Rag week when I was in college.

_Puma_

_Puma_ wrote: »

Time for another Good Idea Bad Idea.

Good Idea:Heading to College bar for a few pints on Tuesday afternoon cause its Rag week ya know! Meet a few mates and go to a nightclub, get chatting to someone of the opposite sex who seems interested in me and been able to convince said person to come back to my place!

Bad Idea: Getting S**tfaced on cheap vodka at 10am running around the centre of the city, puking up my Taco fries in Eyre square in front of people going about their daily business. Trying to help someone who has passed out on the street after consuming a litre of vodka, said person getting hysterical and starts throwing slaps. Heading back to my place at 4am in a drunken stooper and setting the neighbours bin on fire.

The second case is what is happening more and more during Rag Week/Race week. Call me an buzzkill or whatever but I would be ashamed if this is what I got up to during Rag week when I was in college.

As I said above my first rag week was 9 years ago and we would be up and on the beer in the house by 9 or 10am then into town as the clubs opened in the afternoon in those days, few hours in the club. Then food and either to the pub and back to the house for more drink before going clubbing again for the night.

The morning drinking is one of the best bits if rag week imo, not necessarily wedged into the hole in the wall but doing it somewhere.

_Puma_

Noah Easy Toothpaste wrote: »

As I said above my first rag week was 9 years ago and we would be up and on the beer in the house by 9 or 10am then into town as the clubs opened in the afternoon in those days, few hours in the club. Then food and either to the pub and back to the house for more drink before going clubbing again for the night.

The morning drinking is one of the best bits if rag week imo, not necessarily wedged into the hole in the wall but doing it somewhere.

That's fair enough but 9 years ago there wasn't bus loads of people coming down from Donegal or wherever, getting tanked on cheap vodka in Eyre Square with nowhere to go except the city centre. As I said before most of the recent trouble seems to be coming from young people not going to college in the city and just wrecking the place. This is why, as I see it, the Student Unions have distanced themselves from it cause it has turned into something they cant control with people coming from all over the country. I say keep rag week as a purely college thing confined to the campuses and sponsored clubs that enforce a college id policy for the week. Ya act the prick ya can expect to be hauled in front of the college disciplinary board.