Student held over public order offence

AN 18-YEAR-OLD student was arrested and questioned by gardaí following a row outside a nightclub in Temple Bar on Sunday night.

Gardaí were called by staff in the Purty Kitchen pub at about 11.30pm when 60 students, some of whom were from Blackrock College inDublin, attempted to enter the club before closing time. It is understood that most of the students had been to a graduation ceremony and mass earlier in the day.

A Garda spokesman said: “Gardaí from Pearse Street arrested an 18-year-old male for public order offences on East Essex Street on May 17th”. He added that the matter was still under investigation and that no charges have been brought to date.

A former student who did not identify the college or give his full name and who said he was at the scene, told RTÉ’s Liveline programme yesterday they had not been rowdy, and he said that one of their party had his nose broken. He claimed they had also been subject to verbal abuse.

Events promoter Buzz O’Neill, who witnessed the row while promoting an event at the venue, said the behaviour of the students was “totally unacceptable” irrespective of where they had come from.

Blackrock College refused to comment.