We highly police the event – the more guards you have on the more you are going to find
And so something different was always likely for this year’s iteration of the 7s. In addition to the specially commissioned signage, the ticketing system was changed. Where previously people went to the Kinsale community centre to get their wristbands, this year tickets had to be bought online with full ID.
It all made for a fun, boisterous atmosphere as players built like office blocks mingled with others dressed as dolphins, wielding inflatables and wearing Friar Tuck-style smocks. One team went by the name Craggy Island Over-75s; another was called “Enoch Burkes We keep coming back” ... Well, no one can say they weren’t warned.
Fleming stressed that he has no criticism of gardaí doing their work, but he also pointed out that in all the cases of the young professionals who came before the courts arising out of the 2019 event, none were convicted on appeal, with all receiving the benefit of the Probation Act on a donation to the court poor box and one conviction was overturned.