Running the gauntlet

Continued from previous page societies including hockey, soccer and hillwalking.

Dundalk RTC: Dundalk, one of the most progressive of the RTCs, is in the middle of a major £8.3 million building programme at present 50 there is some disruption to club activities.

The clubs remain vibrant, though, with a number of rugby, soccer and GAA teams and a highly successful rock-climbing society which scaled the Welsh peaks last year. The union is also introducing a Campus Watch security programme this year. Muirheanna and the Sunshine Bar are popular with students.

Letterkenny RTC: Spread over two campuses, Port Road and St Conal's, and a mere 10 minutes from Letterkenny town centre, the RTC boasts a range of student amenities and students' union representatives on both campuses to help students with any problems that may arise. The sports sector is particularly strong, complemented by a variety of clubs and societies, and popular student venues are The Pulse, McCarry's Pub and The Orchard Inn.

Sligo RTC: Sligo has a nice big sports hall and a list of clubs and societies which is expanding each year, among them the sub-aqua club, canoeing and horse riding.

The Sligo RTC students' union guide is health-worryingly well-informed about the city's drinking dens, including the ever popular Equinox nite club, the student club of choice on Mondays and Thursdays. The nod of approval also goes to (deep breath) The Leitrim Bar, Beezies, Fiddlers Creak, Shoot the Crows (good for traditional music), Connolly's, The Village Inn, Harp Tavern, McGarrigles, The Weir and Diceys.

Tralee RTC: Tralee continues to have a strong sporting tradition, bolstered by a good Gaelic football team which performed well in the Sigerson Cup last year. Hurling and rugby are also popular and the union will be hoping to repeat the success of last year's indoor soccer tournament, in which 60 teams participated. The outdoor pursuits club has also attracted a great deal of attention. The Haven, The White House, Hennessy's, Horan's Bar, The Blasket, The Rambling House and The Brogue Inn are all popular student haunts.

Waterford RTC: Waterford is the largest of the RTCs, with its own on-campus bar (The Dome) and a comprehensive entertainments service, bolstered this year by the appointment of a full-time entertainments manager. The union runs two discos in Waterford, Preachers and Club LA, while the main student haunts are The Pulpit, Bad Bob's, Shefflins, The Olde Rogue, The Junction Bar and Peigs. Plans are underway for the union's largest ever Fresbers' Week, assisted by over 20 sporting clubs and faculty-based societies, as well as more esoteric groups covering alternative music and quizzes.