Unruly Goan youth disrupt Goa Day festival in Ireland

A section of the crowd at the Goa Day festival at Greystones-Wicklow in Ireland.

DUBLIN

Bad weather may have delayed the Goa Day festival at Greystones-Wicklow in Ireland on August 30, but it was the bad behaviour by a few Goan youth which disrupted the event, compelling the Irish police and organisers to cut short the festival and bring it to an abrupt end.

More importantly, the incident has dented the reputation of the Goan community in Ireland and has upset the organisers to such an extent that they had decided not to organise the Goa Day festival in the near future.

According to members of the Irish-Goan community, organisers of the event, the event was originally scheduled to start at 12 pm and continue late into the evening.

“Unfortunately, we were very unlucky with the weather. It rained steadily until 3 pm, which led to a delay in the day's events. The skies then began to clear, and the show gradually got underway,’ said Milla Hancock, a Goan who hails from Arambol and one of the organisers.

“Despite the difficult weather conditions, the event featured many stalls offering a wide variety of food and goods. Some stalls were, unfortunately, cancelled due to the rain, but the Goa food stall was up and running. They served Chouriço Pão, Chouriço pulao, beef tongue bread, and other Goan delicacies.”

THE ENTERTAINMENT

The festival included several performances by Goan and Irish musicians.

Music was provided by Melroy, a Goan star from Dublin, the band ‘Black Horizon’, an Irish singer John Ward, Elnish Rodrigues, MC Victor Evans and Seby De Costa.

At about 4.45 pm, the UK-based band ‘Rainbow's End’ took to the stage and had the crowds grooving for about 30 minutes.

UNTOWARD INCIDENT

The festival then took an untoward turn while the band was still performing on stage.

“About 2-3 individuals who were clearly intoxicated began causing serious trouble. They were abusive, both towards the crowd and the Garda (Irish police), and appeared to be looking for a fight,” according to one member from the organising team.

“They were shouting, swearing, and running around with bottles of whiskey in hand, creating a frightening and aggressive environment for the other people. Many people were visibly scared and upset by the situation.”

“Sensing trouble, the police requested MC Seby to announce the closing of the show, and then went on stage and asked the band to stop playing music. They then announced that the show had been called off two hours ahead of the scheduled close and asked the stalls to stop selling food and refreshments. The police also requested the people to disperse from the site.”

Police officials have now invited the organisers for a meeting to discuss the incident with authorities and the county council to take stock of the matter, and to prevent such unruly incidents in future.

IMPACT ON GOAN COMMUNITY

Milla said it was deeply disappointing to witness such behaviour, especially at a cultural event meant to bring people together.

“As someone who has lived in Ireland for 30 years, I must say this was one of the saddest and most shocking experiences I’ve had at a public gathering. We were so upset and angry at the same time. The behaviour of those few individuals cast a shadow over what was meant to be a joyful and inclusive celebration of Goan and Irish culture,” regretted Milla.

“Disrespect, lack of basic manners, and disruptive behaviour turned a positive community event into something it should never have been. This event was organised with a lot of heart, time, and effort — all with the intention of bringing our community together to celebrate our culture. Sadly, the behaviour of a few overshadowed all of that.” 

Robin and Lester admitted that while there is no harm in enjoyment and having a drink, there should be a limit.

“Such behaviour disrupted the mood of the event and made others feel uncomfortable and unsafe. Such behaviour is not acceptable at a community gathering or elsewhere. Hopefully, this will be the last time we see something like this, and the Goan community can move forward in a more respectful and peaceful way,” they stated.

“The organisers have now decided that they will no longer organise the Goa Day festival in the near future. We believe in respect, unity, and responsibility, and when those values are ignored, the purpose of the event is lost.”

“To those who misbehaved, think about the impact of your actions. It's not just about one day — it's about the message you send and the damage you cause to a community trying to come together,” said Milla.

“We appeal to Goans to protect our unity and peace. Let's demonstrate the true spirit of Goa, one of respect, love, culture, and togetherness. Let's stand united and prove that we come from a proud and good background. Let's lift each other up, not tear each other down.”

ACKNOWLEDGMENT, APPRECIATION

Youth volunteers at the Goa Day festival [From L to R] Robin D’Souza, Lynson Vaz, Julius D’Costa, Lester Fernandes, Stoffer Rodrigues and Frenz Cardozo. 

While Milla and Nora Hayden had worked behind the scenes to coordinate the event, Milla praised her young team for their dedication and passion to organise the festival.

“Our six young organisers, Robin D'Souza, Lester Fernandes, Julious D’Costa, Lynson Vaz, Frenz Cardozo and Stoffel Rodrigues who took the lead in putting together the Goa Day festival. They did a brilliant job, showing great initiative, teamwork, and dedication in organising such a big event despite the many challenges,” said Milla.

“Our goal was to empower these young individuals, helping them to step forward and take responsibility as the future leaders of our community.”

“We are incredibly proud of what they achieved. Organising an event of this scale is never easy, and it's even harder for young people who are just starting out. They showed resilience and courage.”

“We sincerely hope that unfortunate disruption does not discourage them, but rather motivates them to keep going, from the experience, and to come back even stronger in future. The future belongs to them, and with the right support, there's no doubt they can achieve even greater things in life and for our Goan community,” Milla added.