RAG Week 2022: What’s in store?

By Orla Leahy, News EditorRaise and Give (RAG) Week 2022, organised and facilitated by the UCC Students’ Union and UCC Ents, began yesterday, and remains in full swing until Friday. This year’s charity partners include the Sexual Violence Centre Cork, Cork City Missing Persons Search and Recovery, and Age Action South. UCC societies and clubs have been invited to include their own events in the week’s line-up. All profits from the Students’ Union’s events will be donated to this year’s three chosen charity partners. Sunday evening, the first night of the week kicked off with Shane Codd and Xero in Cyprus Avenue. Yesterday evening, DJ Eugene McCauley, with Ladrin and Emily Dunne, were also welcomed to the venue. Cyprus Avenue will open its doors again tonight for UCC students to attend Tommy Holohan’s gig. Tommy Holohan is well known for his performance at AVA festival last year. He will perform at AVA again this year, as well as at Life and Glitch. Yesterday saw the Students’ Union welcome Owen Colgan back, for another performance in Devere Hall, following his “phenomenal performance'' during Freshers’ Week 2021. Marcus O’Laoire then took to the stage in Devere Hall in the afternoon. Society and club events during the week include yesterday’s Bingo Bangers with the Law Society in Gaia, today’s RAG race on main campus with BioMed Science, tomorrow’s Irish Céili with An Chuallacht at 1pm, and Abbaesque with the Commerce Society from 2pm, amongst other promising events. Other events this week include a strong line-up for the New Bar in the Student Centre. The New Bar will host the Battle of the DJs on Thursday, from 12pm to 5pm, and welcome DJ Ken Perrott, Dashka, and Bongo Steve at other various times this week. The Students Community Support (SCS), composed of volunteer students, have operated successfully over the last few years to support both students and the wider UCC community.  They are volunteering again this week to ensure a more enjoyable week for all. Speaking in an email issued to all students in advance of RAG week, Interim Registrar, Professor Stephen Byrne, stated that he hopes students, “will engage with some of the many activities planned and safely enjoy Raise & Give Week in the spirit of Respect and Responsibility and that it will be particularly successful for the chosen charities.”The SU have urged students to remember that the purpose of RAG is to support this year’s chosen charity partners. Students can donate to the Sexual Violence Centre Cork, Cork City Missing Persons Search and Recovery, and Age Action South on the Students’ Union iDonate page, or via the collection points around campus. The complete line-up for RAG this week may be found on the UCCSU Instagram page. Queries may be directed to the SU Ents Officer, Luke Mulcahy, ents@uccsu.ie, or any of the SU officers.