The students voice their opinion on RAG week

By Meghann Scully

RAG week has been cancelled with a one day festival replacing it. The feeling among students is one of shock as most say they don’t care.

Over 65% of students questioned on campus were first years. Rebecca Melvin, 17, said its ‘brilliant’ and Barry Quigg, 18, said “I don’t really mind that much”. Sophie Connolly from Ballybane said “I don’t really mind because it’s going to continue regardless”.

That was the mindset of numerous other NUIG students. Although the University don’t support a weeklong event, many students will party on. Groups of boys gathered in the bialann joked as they said they didn’t mind that rag week would be a one day festival and uttered that they will have their own rag week elsewhere.

The reason for RAG week being as some say downgraded was known to all students. Everyone said it was because of the mayhem caused last year. Sophie Connolly said “it’s like ridiculous , there was vomit on streets, people were taking it to far”. Rebecca Melvin said “NUI was getting a bad name”. The QS world ranking poll showed that NUIG has dropped 60 places academically. Some students felt Rag week was partially to blame for this.

President of the students union, Emmet Connolly outlined his five points that will replace RAG week in a meeting on Monday last. They are as follows:

1.       Support for a one-day concert/festival to replace RAG Week

2.       An extra €60,000 a year contribution to the Student Assistance Fund (SAF), to assist students that are in jeopardy of dropping out of college

3.       A proposal to abolish health centre fees that stand at €5

4.       The abolition of the current €2 Kingfisher charge for members of University sports clubs,

5.       The provision of a number of prominent, permanent SU notice boards around campus.

Although this new one day festival proposes to put a five point plan in place of the weeklong event, some student feels they are missing out. First year students Róisín, 22, from Fermoy said “I’m very disappointed because it’s my first year in NUI”.

The feelings among students are very mature and responsible given last years mayhem. The feelings are echoed by staff in NUIG. Mary Cunnane from Galway city said “I think it’s a good idea because residence have been effected”.

For more information: http://www.su.nuigalway.ie/