STANDING in the midst of yesterday’s student protest, you could be forgiven for thinking that you had stumbled into a bizarre, slow-moving nightclub of some sort.
The march across Dublin had all the elements of a popular after-hours spot; loud banging beats courtesy of countless drums that made conversation with the person beside you a constant strain; girls dressed in attire not chosen for its practicality; and a sizeable amount of “smuggled” drink being passed around in a variety of disguised containers.
In Galway, students waiting for buses outside the cathedral earlier in the day had to get past two bouncers at each bus who were helping with security.
But it would be wrong to portray yesterday’s march as a drinking party, as the vast majority of those present were genuine in their concern about the threatened reintroduction of fees and mooted cuts to grants.
“We were here for a bit of both to be honest. It was good craic but fees really do matter,” said Florence McGowan, a first-year arts student in NUI Galway.
Brian Grant, the welfare officer with the university’s students’ union, said he was in contact each day with students who relied on the maintenance grant to get by. Any cut to that source of income would see large numbers dropping out, he said.
For the travelling band of NUI Galway students, excitement about the march truly began as they came within sight of the capital. The first sign of the protest awaiting was a large banner draped across the Ha’penny Bridge that stated “I don’t have €5,000” and “Education First”.
Soon all minds were firmly on the march as the thousands on O’Connell Street, carrying an array of placards, came into view.
Almost 200 buses from around the country joined the 18 coming from Galway, dropping off at Parnell Square.
Chants, drums, whistles and songs kept the energy up through what was a long day of slow walking. It was four hours before they would be hopping back on buses home.
For some it was all a bit too much and several pubs along the way picked up weary walkers who decided that a mid-march break was in order.
Most managed to make it to the end, however, where they were greeted by a large stage and video footage of Fine Gael and Labour politicians making pre-election promises.
Organisers will be happy that the day passed without the violence seen last year, both in Dublin and in England, and at the end of proceedings at 4.30pm the thousands of students made their way back to the buses.
“I was surprised that it was so quiet. I thought it would be a bit like London last year,” said NUI Galway arts student, Brendan Aiken, as he boarded a bus home, sounding a little disappointed.