Gardaí called as Junior Cert disco becomes chaotic
The alcohol-free event at Garryowen Rugby Club in Limerick was organised by Dropzone Disco and had a capacity for 400 people.
However, parents say at least 300 extra teenagers arrived seeking to gain access to the disco, which cost €15 a head.
Admission was granted on production of vouchers, which organisers insist were distributed through the “normal channels”.
However, there were chaotic scenes less than an hour into the event when a group of people forced their way into disco and the music had to be stopped.
“After about 45 minutes the approximately 300 students who were locked out lost patience and started kicking in a side door. A large pane of glass was broken and the crowd started to spill in,” said Trevor Hickey, whose daughter Caoimhe attended the disco.
“At this point the disco had to be stopped on advice from the gardaí. The security staff were unable to contain the situation and gardaí had to intervene,” he added.
Other parents complained of serious overcrowding and lack of crowd control.
One of the many callers to Limerick radio station Live 95FM yesterday complained that her daughter returned home with a bloody nose after a fight broke out in the disco hall.
Dropzone Disco said the number of coupons it printed was similar to previous events it had organised and claimed fake vouchers were in circulation.
“Regrettably, fake tickets were also in circulation. This created a difficulty in that the numbers seeking admission were in excess of the capacity of the hall. Once this became evident the gardaí were contacted,” the statement read.
“A refund is the preferable option for those who paid at the door. To explore this option you are invited to send an email to Dropzonediscos27@hotmail.com giving your name, address and contact number plus the name and address of the person from whom you received your ticket,” the statement concluded.
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