Students attending the Irish language school Colasite Mhuire in Louganure are to get esorts home from ceilis and discos after an incident in which a number were attacked with hurley sticks last year.
A meeting between Gardai, college authorities, public representatives and Mna Ti was held yesterday to discuss measures aimed at stopping a repeat of last year’s attack.
The incident, in which a number of students from Northern Ireland were attacked by older locals, put a serious question mark over this year’s courses taking place.
Former Armagh footballer, school teacher and BBC football pundit Jarlath Burns, whose 15 year old son was struck with a hurley stuck and needed hospital treatment, asked afterwards if people in Donegal really wanted visiters from Northern Ireland or not.
Othe students from the group were punched and kicked and one was dragged across a road.
Earlier this week letters were sent to mna ti of Colaiste Mhuire in Loughanure asking them to attend the meeting at which the health and safety of tudents coming into the area for Easter week and the summer months would be discussed.
The media were not allowed into the meeting and nobody from Colaiste Mhuire would speak about the meeting afterwards.
However a number of decisions were made in an effort to ensure that students continue to come to the college while still guaranteeing their safety.
These include an agreement that a man or woman aged 18 or over from each house where students stay accompany them from ceilis and discos back to their homes.
Students have also been prohibited from taking pictures in the homes where they are staying while a special emphasis has also been put on road safety.
Last year’s vicious attack does not appear to have had an impact on the numbers of students with all three courses at Colasite Mhuire already booked out this summer.
More than 100 pupils are about to start a week long Easter revision course.
Among some of the many teachers involved in the famous Donegal college was Michaela Harte, the tragic daughter of Tyrone GAA boss Mickey Harte who was killed on honeymoon at the beginning of this year.
A source at Colaiste Mhuire admitted that some ‘tough-talking’ had taken place atfer last year’s incident but he said it was all for the betterment of the college.
“What happened last year was a disgrace and it must never be allowed to happen again. Parents were concerned and that was very understandable.
“However the vast majority of people in Loughanure love to see the students coming. These measures simply had to be put in place to make sure nothing else like this happens again,” he said.
It is estimated that between students and their families, more than 1,000 visitors come to te Loughanure area each generating almost €1 million for the local economy.
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