'It's purely party central':  Cork city residents say students are putting the 'community at risk'

The Magazine Road and Surrounding Area Residents Association organised a demonstration to highlight the spate of student parties which have been taking place.

"They are putting the community at risk. They have no business coming into the city. The college is closed.

"The only reason they are here is to get together to throw house parties," said Catherine Clancy, Chairperson of the Magazine Road and Surrounding Area Residents Association and former Lord Mayor.

"It’s a clear two fingers to this community and to frontline workers."

"Parents who are financing their children to move into the city at this time need to seriously examine their conscience.

"The responsibility is also on landlords who felt it was okay to rent out the houses," she said.

Noel Doherty from Coolgarten Park said that during term time residents have the support of UCC to clamp down on unacceptable behaviour, but with the college closed there are "no constraints" to those who are causing a ruckus. 

"It’s purely party central. They’re off college, they’re not working and they have decided to descend on this area en masse and completely disrespect the community, urinating in the doorways, 30-40 people in a house at the one time, rambling from house to house shouting on the streets and it is completely and utterly stressful for all the neighbours," he said.

Mr Doherty said longterm residents have always tried to have a good relationship with students but that students are showing "no respect" at present.

He acknowledged the work Gardaí are doing to tackle the problem but stated that he believes Gardaí could be stricter about imposing fines on those who are breaching the Covid-19 travel restrictions.

Sarah, who did not wish to giver her surname, is a resident in the area and works in the Bon Secours Hospital.

She said it's impossible to sleep at night.

"Usually in the summertime, the area would quieten down because students have gone home but what has happened is, I believe, many of the students are availing of the lovely €350 a week and are living it up.

"My children are being woken up, it’s not fair. 

"I’m working every single day at 7am in the morning. I deserve to go to sleep at night.

"Young people are in the full of their health and they don’t realise that they’re going to be perhaps carrying it [Covid-19] and spreading it unknowingly and unwittingly."

Meanwhile, David O’Donovan from Highfield West said the students are showing "no empathy or understanding" towards elderly or vulnerable people in the area.

"It’s also no example for my kids to see people falling around the place drunk or going to the toilet in someone’s driveway," he said. 

Ms Clancy stated that the demonstrations will be ongoing until residents see some results.