Has NUIG lost the RAG?
By Lia Stokes
Rag Week, a week eagerly
removing some of the bad
Though a number of
anticipated by freshers and
feelings surrounding the
people are involved in the
remembered nostalgically
event, sadly that seemed to
organisation of such
by alumni, a
do little to curb the
events, it must be asked;
phantasmagorical frenzy of
enthusiasm of the students
do those taking part truly
fun and frolics for a full
or the rage of the people
appreciate it as a week to
week. The buzz of Rag
of Galway. In a last ditch
raise money, or do they
Week is well and truly in
attempt to salvage what
simply see it as a week
the air once more. Off-
was previously seen as a
dedicated to binge-
licences are selling out of
fun and admirable way for
drinking and raucous
naggins and no doubt the
young people to raise
behaviour?
College Bar has stocked up
money and do some good,
on kegs of Fosters.
the colleges decided to
After asking a number of
However, after the
once again host separate
students how they
negative backlash the
fundraising weeks.
perceived the yearly movement, the general
occasion has received over the past couple of years
For years the Rag Week
consensus seemed to be
there is a worry that
proceedings were focused
that although they are
‘College Week’ has lost its
on the charity element
supportive and aware of
ethos, threatening the
while the drinking and the
the week’s objective they
future of the age old
craic were a part of it.
do see it as a week of fun,
extravaganza which has
However, all of the bad
propelled for the most part
become something of a rite
press that the annual
by alcohol. Despite this,
of passage for students
fundraiser has received in
the alcohol based events
over the years.
recent years seems to have
are not the one’s attracting
overshadowed the main
all of the attention this
Since 2008 NUIG and
objective of the week
year. Instead, events such
GMIT have organised their
which is ‘Raising and
as the charity sky-dive,
respective Rag Weeks on
Giving’ money to worthy
comedy gigs and triathlon
the same week and as a
charities. Between 2008
are drumming up a lot of
result Galway residents
and 2010 NUIG Rag Week
interest. While previous
have experienced damage
has raised almost €70,000
Rag or College Weeks have
to property and
for various charitable
been dragged down by a
threatening behaviour
organisations. It is hoped
small minority of rogues,
while hundreds of drunken
that last year’s €20,000 will
there seems to be a more
students populated the
be exceeded to go towards
positive vibe surrounding
streets by day and night. It
this year’s charities of
this year’s operation.
is no surprise then that the
choice; The Alan Kerins
Thankfully Rag Week or
supposedly charitable
Projects and Ability West.
College Week is back on
week earned quite a bad
This kind of fundraising is
university territory and
name for its self not only
not to be frowned upon.
this year NUIG will only
locally but nationally with
have to take the slack of its
RTE news covering the
It is obvious that the
own rowdy students. And
‘mayhem’ of it all in 2009.
Student’s Union put in a
regardless of the negative
Although most of those
huge amount of work and
reputation proceedings
taking part in the
effort to make the week
have earned in the past, it
festivities do not cause
both fun and worthwhile,
seems NUIG has not lost
trouble, it seems that due
organising plenty of events
the RAG in fact the RAG is
to the sheer volume of
not all of which are
alive and well and truly
intoxicated students on
centred around drinking,
kicking.
the streets during the
from gigs and triathlons to
event, disruptive behaviour
art classes and rugby blitz’.
is somewhat inevitable.
Not to mention those
Last year NUIG changed
which do include alcohol
the name to ‘College
such as the infamous Beer
Week’ in the hopes of
Olympics and 90’s Night.