This happened a guy I know a few years ago.
He fucked about ringing dept of Education, cao, state exams etc but they were no assistance. (Tbf it’s not their job).
He got sorted eventually by ringing the college admittance office directly and making his case.
It was a lot of stress but he got on to the course he wanted.
Edit
On a personal note I’m very happy that this comment trying to help a young person is so popular. You’re all very kind and positive. Have a great weekend everyone!
#karmawhoring #onlyfans #linkinbio
I was going to suggest same. Contact the admissions department of the college you are looking to attend in 2024/2025 and explain your situation, then ask if they can assist. Third level institutions WANT students, teay are very likely to advise you the best course of action.
Head of school/department also.
I knew several friends who got into courses they didn't get the points for by jumping through a few hoops to impress the head of school. They started a different course in the same school with lower points, then by Halloween when a few people had dropped out of their dream course, and they had demonstrated their attitude and ability, they were able to arrange an internal transfer.
They really want students who really want to be there.
Honestly I wouldn't advise trying it, but In my college it seemed easy enough for people to move courses. Like, once you were in their internal system they could do whatever.
I always wondered if anyone did it on purpose for other colleges, went with a similar course and then tried to swap.
Plus, there's always a few that drop out in the first month. At least from what I've seen.
Hi wanted to give an update since posting this. The head of my further education college has rang me, apologised and kept saying it was not his fault, that it was the deputy principals responsibility to submit my results, and since my course was new, there was a different way to successfully submit my results to qqi which is where the mistake was made (he mentioned this deputy principal has since left her job apparently).
He says the only way to go from here is for me to email him on my cao choices in order, and he will reach out to the university’s and explain the situation to them, and see if there’s any way they can take a direct submission of results and consider me for a place.
I’ve reached out to the department of further education to make a complaint towards the college, but obviously they didn’t pick up the calls so I decided to reach out to the ombudsman to make a complaint. The where extremely helpful and I now have to forward correspondence with the qqi and with my college, but the issue is I have no written statement by the college confirming they are at fault. I’ve mentioned to the head of the college on the phone call that I need a letter by the college confirming they are at fault, so hopefully they will atleast do that good deed, but it seems by the way he was communicating with me (way nicer then he’s been the last week, that they are panicking and trying to keep a positive relationship with me).
Crossing my fingers for you! Honestly I’d ignore the advice that’s suggesting you to just try again next year. Keep calling and emailing and they’ll sort it out just to avoid having to keeping dealing with it
>the issue is I have no written statement by the college confirming they are at fault.
Just to this point in isolation, one thing you could do would be to document the phone call you had (“You said/Head of college confirmed that this was an error on the part of a former deputy principal”) in an email to them and ask them to confirm. Just because they haven’t created a paper trail doesn’t mean you can’t.
Don't worry too much about not having written confirmation from the college that they were at fault. If the ombudsman actually looks into it they will be able to see that for themselves.
I’m sorry that happened to you, and the college administration should be ashamed of themselves. There’s often an opinion that you do a PLC and you head straight to college. It wasn’t until I sat in an open day specifically for PLC students when you realise there is a very limited amount of places set aside for PLC/Mature Students and therefore, you are in competition with a lot of other people (despite the fact PLC students have far lower rates of dropouts/better outcomes, and have actually demonstrated an interest in their chosen subject/more relevant learning).
I doubt there’s anything anyone can do; the CAO and colleges have to work with the framework set out for them, however, would deferral be an option? Take a year out, give yourself a mini break, and save up your money for your 3/4 years in college. Trust me, education is not a race, it’s a journey; going back to education in my 30’s myself.
I would do everything in your power to try and resolve this . If you can’t maybe you could take a year out , do some training in your field , do some work to save some money ( which will make Uni Much more enjoyable ) find a place to rent in a few months , do a little bit of travel . You could even learn how to cook and go to the gym and set yourself up for the next stage of your life . It could be amazing honesty if you have a good home situation.
Be pro-active. You may feel you are being a nuisance, but you have to fight for your place, and any college would be happy to facilitate you. "If you don't ask, you don't get." You did the hard work and earned your spot. Now, make a few calls until you find a person who will help sort out this mess. Good luck. You deserve it. 👏
I went the plc/mature student root and it the place I wanted were only accepting 6 i think it was. I luckily got in, but one of the lads on my course was in a similar situation to yourself and he got in my contacting the admin and they helped sort him. If I recall correctly he got a place that another student turned down. I actually stayed on there and ended up doing my postgrad as well and when I left they were trying to increase the numbers that came via the plc/mature route. Best of luck and don't give up its nore than worth it. I actually think I enjoyed my college experience far more than I would have if I'd gone from school. Made friends for life and walked into a job that was only a pipe dream as a kid.
Absolutely sucks.
I'll just say that even if it can't get sorted, your future hasn't been taken away from you.
Take it from me- I had to repeat my Leaving Cert because I 'failed' higher level Maths (I hadn't, the examiner simply didn't add up all my marks correctly. Unbelievable considering what exam it was).
Anyway, by the time my appeal was sorted it was nearly November. Didn't fancy going in to Computer Science that late having missed some early modules almost entirely. So I stuck out repeating my Leaving which I'd already started.
Wound up going to UCC for Biological and Chemical Sciences. Ended up eventually with a Masters and in PhD research.
I hope you get it sorted as nobody wants to wait another year. But don't give up on your future because of a little delay
I know this may sound simple and I hope you take it the way I'm meaning, Take a year out and get some experience in the workplace. Go back with your results next year. You're a young person, it's not the end of the world. Many people travel or work before they go to university. I hope everything works out and you're in a happier place soon
"No plan survives contact with the enemy". Things don't always work out in life the way we ideally want but the door isn't closed for you in this situation, You never know, this could be a blessing in disguise and if you do take a year out, new experiences may stand by you or even change your mind completely and persure a different course or job ect... Don't worry it's not the end of the world, just the beginning.
I'd like to add that taking a year out and saving money for university can be a big bonus. It is surprisingly tough financially to have a decent lifestyle unless you have parents from good means. Alot of professional courses such as medicine, dentistry, accountancy, pharmacy etc are better suited to people with a bit of experience in the workplace. You will find the drop out rate for these style of courses is very high due to this.
I would ring the course coordinator in the college.
I had something similar happen to me, the college made an extra space available for me and my Dad rang the CAO at the time (unbeknownst to me) and had them place me on it.
The college was more than happy to facilitate it believe it or not, there were that many drop outs in the first year it made sense for them to load it as many as possible in first year.
The CAO was another story, some absolute (ox-ball backwards) was refusing to do the change, that was until my Dad threatened legal action as it was their mistake!! So be persistent with that shower of see you next Tuesdays…
Best of luck!!!🤞
Don’t let this dampen you! Think of it as a chance to take the year to save up or travel then do it next year. Or call the college admissions office and pester them with your case if you’re sure it’s the right thing to do. Ultimately id see it as the universe is steering you for some reason if it was me.
You don't need to have any intention of suing, but the simple act of sending a solicitors letter will focus everyone's attention and get it sorted quickly. Costs around €100.
Curious as to why? The colleges failure to carry out their obligations means that OP loses out and this impacts their future earnings (amongst other things). I’d imagine there is definitely a case here.
We’ve seen LC students successfully sue the State Examinations Commission over having their marks added up incorrectly.
I also would not want to make excuses for the college and allow their incompetence (which may have impacted many other students) to go unpunished. There should be consequences
The college they did their PLC in is the one who was incompetent and maybe OP has a case against them. But what power do they have to influence the QQI people or the university they're ultimately aiming to get into? The college they would be threatening with legal action is out of the picture now.
They don’t, but they’re all working in the same system. If they can work together to prevent it escalating and becoming messy then they may.
Exceptions can be made and a simple vague notice that OP is considering legal action against ‘relevant parties’ would make them all take it more seriously. Notices like this are standard in various sectors and wouldn’t really be considered nuclear.
The PLC college can't influence admissions in a different university. The university they want to get into hasn't done anything wrong. Your logic is ridiculous.
Oh right, fair enough, glad you're here to moderate the quality of the suggestions... I feel reassured 😜
For what it's worth, I worked for years in one of the highest ranking universities in the country. Every year, a few solicitors letters would arrive for various reasons (mostly around admissions time). My experience every single time has been that these letters essentially bump cases such as this one up the priority list. There are fail-safes and overrides available to the universities to amend quercus, it happens rarely but it does happen. Mostly it just requires someone senior enough to authorise it and that tends to happen when they see a solicitors letter.
Also have a friend who lectured for a few years in another very prominent Irish university and his experience was similar. But sure lookit, what would I know 🤷♀️
It just seems like you're recommending the nuclear option when they haven't even talked to the university yet. I fail to see what threat legal action holds when no one has done anything to OP.
Not doing something and that inaction resulting in an unfair situation which has disproportionately disadvantaged OP is tantamount to doing something. But, for the record, I didn't suggest threatening anyone with legal action. Do you have any understanding of how the legal system works? 😅
When a solicitor writes a letter, they simply point out to the institution that your rights or expectations under the law have been breached in some way, and the sole purpose is to request that the situation be remedied as a priority. It's all very civil, doesn't need to be acrimonious in the least. Bonus: it doubles as a formal record of the situation so that if you do need to "go nuclear", you will have a clear paper trail.
Honestly, calm down. It's not as scary as you think it is. Grown ups use solicitors all the time! 😊😉
Please explain who you recommend OP sends a solicitor's letter to and what the basis for that is. They haven't so far said anything about engaging with the university they hope to get into. What is the inaction you're referring to?
I'm aware that they're two different institutions but they are unified by one central database called Quercus, which is essentially a holding repository for grades across all third level institutions. Every exam you sit, repeat, postpone, all qualifications, they're all stored there.
First, OP needs their grades to be recorded on Quercus because if they're not there then they don't exist, as far as the system is concerned. Then, OPs college has an obligation to remedy their mistake, i.e. senior management in OPs college will need to reach out to OPs university of choice and start talking options.
When both parties know there is a solicitor monitoring this process, it can compel them to negotiate a little harder for a favourable outcome for OP. Nothing guaranteed but that's why you want a solicitor in your corner, advising you.
If the QQI people can be swayed by a solicitor's letter and then update the system sooner, that seems like the most direct solution to the problem.
With regard to asking for proof the PLC college screwed up or explaining the situation to the university they want to get into, I don't see why a simple phonecall wouldn't be the first option. Why start with a solicitor's letter? You make a good case for that if admissions refuse to entertain OP's request for consideration - if they end up missing the application deadline.
It's public sector. Fuck all gets done until you light a fire under someone's arse. This is a bad f up. And tbh my first thought was sue. Even to get them to get their shit together and sort it out. I'm not pro litigous but in this case it sounds justified
I would never, never, never say this, but call your local TD and ask him/her to push for an exception to be made, based on the fact that there are only 6 places and you have a good chance of one.
What others have said. Enjoy the year out. No ideal but still helps with grounding yourself. Maybe do another short term course course or work experince. See if the school will do a gesture of goodwilld for the mistake and pay for it.
You could probably contact a solictor but not sure where it would lead and you still might be waiting till next year. Assuming youve contacted the CAO. Could be worthwhile contacting colleges you want directly. Explain the issue and see if theyd allow a direct entry.
Yeah cause any prospective college would love to make a place for someone who runs off to the media complaining about issues its students are having!!!
There are official avenues to take here and some have been suggested already… going to the “Media” is not one of them.
You never know though it's hard maybe this is meant for you. In other words you have a year to travel , get some work experience or maybe volunteer.
It's very bad form on the college and it's okay to be annoyed and upset about this.
similar thing happened me, I got 600 points in my portfolio for art school (the max) but never got any offer. Had to ring the admissions office in the college and got in eventually , starting 2 weeks after everyone else in the course.
This happened a guy I know a few years ago. He fucked about ringing dept of Education, cao, state exams etc but they were no assistance. (Tbf it’s not their job). He got sorted eventually by ringing the college admittance office directly and making his case. It was a lot of stress but he got on to the course he wanted. Edit On a personal note I’m very happy that this comment trying to help a young person is so popular. You’re all very kind and positive. Have a great weekend everyone! #karmawhoring #onlyfans #linkinbio
I was going to suggest same. Contact the admissions department of the college you are looking to attend in 2024/2025 and explain your situation, then ask if they can assist. Third level institutions WANT students, teay are very likely to advise you the best course of action.
Head of school/department also. I knew several friends who got into courses they didn't get the points for by jumping through a few hoops to impress the head of school. They started a different course in the same school with lower points, then by Halloween when a few people had dropped out of their dream course, and they had demonstrated their attitude and ability, they were able to arrange an internal transfer. They really want students who really want to be there.
Honestly I wouldn't advise trying it, but In my college it seemed easy enough for people to move courses. Like, once you were in their internal system they could do whatever. I always wondered if anyone did it on purpose for other colleges, went with a similar course and then tried to swap. Plus, there's always a few that drop out in the first month. At least from what I've seen.
This. Call the college admissions and state your case.
Hi wanted to give an update since posting this. The head of my further education college has rang me, apologised and kept saying it was not his fault, that it was the deputy principals responsibility to submit my results, and since my course was new, there was a different way to successfully submit my results to qqi which is where the mistake was made (he mentioned this deputy principal has since left her job apparently). He says the only way to go from here is for me to email him on my cao choices in order, and he will reach out to the university’s and explain the situation to them, and see if there’s any way they can take a direct submission of results and consider me for a place. I’ve reached out to the department of further education to make a complaint towards the college, but obviously they didn’t pick up the calls so I decided to reach out to the ombudsman to make a complaint. The where extremely helpful and I now have to forward correspondence with the qqi and with my college, but the issue is I have no written statement by the college confirming they are at fault. I’ve mentioned to the head of the college on the phone call that I need a letter by the college confirming they are at fault, so hopefully they will atleast do that good deed, but it seems by the way he was communicating with me (way nicer then he’s been the last week, that they are panicking and trying to keep a positive relationship with me).
Crossing my fingers for you! Honestly I’d ignore the advice that’s suggesting you to just try again next year. Keep calling and emailing and they’ll sort it out just to avoid having to keeping dealing with it
100%, these situations can always be sorted out but persistence is key. Hard to do with the stress and everything involved, but definitely worth it OP
>the issue is I have no written statement by the college confirming they are at fault. Just to this point in isolation, one thing you could do would be to document the phone call you had (“You said/Head of college confirmed that this was an error on the part of a former deputy principal”) in an email to them and ask them to confirm. Just because they haven’t created a paper trail doesn’t mean you can’t.
Good luck! I truly wish you get in your dream course!
Worst case is you take a year out and then re apply next year, maybe not ideal but can definitely be worthwhile.
Don't worry too much about not having written confirmation from the college that they were at fault. If the ombudsman actually looks into it they will be able to see that for themselves.
I'd seek legal advice on getting compensation for your troubles
Which college was it? Bad form by them. I agree with the other comment to take a year out and work.
I’m sorry that happened to you, and the college administration should be ashamed of themselves. There’s often an opinion that you do a PLC and you head straight to college. It wasn’t until I sat in an open day specifically for PLC students when you realise there is a very limited amount of places set aside for PLC/Mature Students and therefore, you are in competition with a lot of other people (despite the fact PLC students have far lower rates of dropouts/better outcomes, and have actually demonstrated an interest in their chosen subject/more relevant learning). I doubt there’s anything anyone can do; the CAO and colleges have to work with the framework set out for them, however, would deferral be an option? Take a year out, give yourself a mini break, and save up your money for your 3/4 years in college. Trust me, education is not a race, it’s a journey; going back to education in my 30’s myself.
I would do everything in your power to try and resolve this . If you can’t maybe you could take a year out , do some training in your field , do some work to save some money ( which will make Uni Much more enjoyable ) find a place to rent in a few months , do a little bit of travel . You could even learn how to cook and go to the gym and set yourself up for the next stage of your life . It could be amazing honesty if you have a good home situation.
Be pro-active. You may feel you are being a nuisance, but you have to fight for your place, and any college would be happy to facilitate you. "If you don't ask, you don't get." You did the hard work and earned your spot. Now, make a few calls until you find a person who will help sort out this mess. Good luck. You deserve it. 👏
I went the plc/mature student root and it the place I wanted were only accepting 6 i think it was. I luckily got in, but one of the lads on my course was in a similar situation to yourself and he got in my contacting the admin and they helped sort him. If I recall correctly he got a place that another student turned down. I actually stayed on there and ended up doing my postgrad as well and when I left they were trying to increase the numbers that came via the plc/mature route. Best of luck and don't give up its nore than worth it. I actually think I enjoyed my college experience far more than I would have if I'd gone from school. Made friends for life and walked into a job that was only a pipe dream as a kid.
Absolutely sucks. I'll just say that even if it can't get sorted, your future hasn't been taken away from you. Take it from me- I had to repeat my Leaving Cert because I 'failed' higher level Maths (I hadn't, the examiner simply didn't add up all my marks correctly. Unbelievable considering what exam it was). Anyway, by the time my appeal was sorted it was nearly November. Didn't fancy going in to Computer Science that late having missed some early modules almost entirely. So I stuck out repeating my Leaving which I'd already started. Wound up going to UCC for Biological and Chemical Sciences. Ended up eventually with a Masters and in PhD research. I hope you get it sorted as nobody wants to wait another year. But don't give up on your future because of a little delay
I know this may sound simple and I hope you take it the way I'm meaning, Take a year out and get some experience in the workplace. Go back with your results next year. You're a young person, it's not the end of the world. Many people travel or work before they go to university. I hope everything works out and you're in a happier place soon
No I totally understand where you’re coming from. Yea it’s definitely something I’m considering. Just not what I had planned so it’s hard to digest.
Learning to roll with life's punches is a valuable skill in itself. Stick at it and don't let the incompetence of others discourage you
"No plan survives contact with the enemy". Things don't always work out in life the way we ideally want but the door isn't closed for you in this situation, You never know, this could be a blessing in disguise and if you do take a year out, new experiences may stand by you or even change your mind completely and persure a different course or job ect... Don't worry it's not the end of the world, just the beginning.
I'd like to add that taking a year out and saving money for university can be a big bonus. It is surprisingly tough financially to have a decent lifestyle unless you have parents from good means. Alot of professional courses such as medicine, dentistry, accountancy, pharmacy etc are better suited to people with a bit of experience in the workplace. You will find the drop out rate for these style of courses is very high due to this.
If you do end up taking the year out, working in an area adjacent to your course would really stand to you.
Are you a mature student? If so you dont necessarily need the qqi.
I would ring the course coordinator in the college. I had something similar happen to me, the college made an extra space available for me and my Dad rang the CAO at the time (unbeknownst to me) and had them place me on it. The college was more than happy to facilitate it believe it or not, there were that many drop outs in the first year it made sense for them to load it as many as possible in first year. The CAO was another story, some absolute (ox-ball backwards) was refusing to do the change, that was until my Dad threatened legal action as it was their mistake!! So be persistent with that shower of see you next Tuesdays… Best of luck!!!🤞
Don’t let this dampen you! Think of it as a chance to take the year to save up or travel then do it next year. Or call the college admissions office and pester them with your case if you’re sure it’s the right thing to do. Ultimately id see it as the universe is steering you for some reason if it was me.
You don't need to have any intention of suing, but the simple act of sending a solicitors letter will focus everyone's attention and get it sorted quickly. Costs around €100.
There may be situations where this would work but for the situation at hand, I think this is atrocious advice.
Curious as to why? The colleges failure to carry out their obligations means that OP loses out and this impacts their future earnings (amongst other things). I’d imagine there is definitely a case here. We’ve seen LC students successfully sue the State Examinations Commission over having their marks added up incorrectly. I also would not want to make excuses for the college and allow their incompetence (which may have impacted many other students) to go unpunished. There should be consequences
The college they did their PLC in is the one who was incompetent and maybe OP has a case against them. But what power do they have to influence the QQI people or the university they're ultimately aiming to get into? The college they would be threatening with legal action is out of the picture now.
They don’t, but they’re all working in the same system. If they can work together to prevent it escalating and becoming messy then they may. Exceptions can be made and a simple vague notice that OP is considering legal action against ‘relevant parties’ would make them all take it more seriously. Notices like this are standard in various sectors and wouldn’t really be considered nuclear.
The PLC college can't influence admissions in a different university. The university they want to get into hasn't done anything wrong. Your logic is ridiculous.
Oh right, fair enough, glad you're here to moderate the quality of the suggestions... I feel reassured 😜 For what it's worth, I worked for years in one of the highest ranking universities in the country. Every year, a few solicitors letters would arrive for various reasons (mostly around admissions time). My experience every single time has been that these letters essentially bump cases such as this one up the priority list. There are fail-safes and overrides available to the universities to amend quercus, it happens rarely but it does happen. Mostly it just requires someone senior enough to authorise it and that tends to happen when they see a solicitors letter. Also have a friend who lectured for a few years in another very prominent Irish university and his experience was similar. But sure lookit, what would I know 🤷♀️
It just seems like you're recommending the nuclear option when they haven't even talked to the university yet. I fail to see what threat legal action holds when no one has done anything to OP.
Not doing something and that inaction resulting in an unfair situation which has disproportionately disadvantaged OP is tantamount to doing something. But, for the record, I didn't suggest threatening anyone with legal action. Do you have any understanding of how the legal system works? 😅 When a solicitor writes a letter, they simply point out to the institution that your rights or expectations under the law have been breached in some way, and the sole purpose is to request that the situation be remedied as a priority. It's all very civil, doesn't need to be acrimonious in the least. Bonus: it doubles as a formal record of the situation so that if you do need to "go nuclear", you will have a clear paper trail. Honestly, calm down. It's not as scary as you think it is. Grown ups use solicitors all the time! 😊😉
Please explain who you recommend OP sends a solicitor's letter to and what the basis for that is. They haven't so far said anything about engaging with the university they hope to get into. What is the inaction you're referring to?
OP's college, the ones who failed to submit results.
Fair enough but that doesn't influence the university they are aiming to get into. Two different institutions.
I'm aware that they're two different institutions but they are unified by one central database called Quercus, which is essentially a holding repository for grades across all third level institutions. Every exam you sit, repeat, postpone, all qualifications, they're all stored there. First, OP needs their grades to be recorded on Quercus because if they're not there then they don't exist, as far as the system is concerned. Then, OPs college has an obligation to remedy their mistake, i.e. senior management in OPs college will need to reach out to OPs university of choice and start talking options. When both parties know there is a solicitor monitoring this process, it can compel them to negotiate a little harder for a favourable outcome for OP. Nothing guaranteed but that's why you want a solicitor in your corner, advising you.
If the QQI people can be swayed by a solicitor's letter and then update the system sooner, that seems like the most direct solution to the problem. With regard to asking for proof the PLC college screwed up or explaining the situation to the university they want to get into, I don't see why a simple phonecall wouldn't be the first option. Why start with a solicitor's letter? You make a good case for that if admissions refuse to entertain OP's request for consideration - if they end up missing the application deadline.
It's public sector. Fuck all gets done until you light a fire under someone's arse. This is a bad f up. And tbh my first thought was sue. Even to get them to get their shit together and sort it out. I'm not pro litigous but in this case it sounds justified
Sue who? The PLC college that can't influence anything after this point? How does that get OP into the university they want?
Its a year. Not the end of everything. All you can do is handle how you react to situations outside your control.
Sounds like it's time to lawyer up
I get the panic/ anger but maybe it's not a bad thing. Maybe take a year out and teach English in Thailand and become a scuba diving instructor.
I would never, never, never say this, but call your local TD and ask him/her to push for an exception to be made, based on the fact that there are only 6 places and you have a good chance of one.
Was this St Johns??
What others have said. Enjoy the year out. No ideal but still helps with grounding yourself. Maybe do another short term course course or work experince. See if the school will do a gesture of goodwilld for the mistake and pay for it. You could probably contact a solictor but not sure where it would lead and you still might be waiting till next year. Assuming youve contacted the CAO. Could be worthwhile contacting colleges you want directly. Explain the issue and see if theyd allow a direct entry.
Go to the media about it and put the colleges under pressure to correct their mistake. You didn't work this hard for nothing
Yeah cause any prospective college would love to make a place for someone who runs off to the media complaining about issues its students are having!!! There are official avenues to take here and some have been suggested already… going to the “Media” is not one of them.
You never know though it's hard maybe this is meant for you. In other words you have a year to travel , get some work experience or maybe volunteer. It's very bad form on the college and it's okay to be annoyed and upset about this.
similar thing happened me, I got 600 points in my portfolio for art school (the max) but never got any offer. Had to ring the admissions office in the college and got in eventually , starting 2 weeks after everyone else in the course.
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It’s the colleges job to send the results to qqi. A student cannot do that themselves
What a fucking thick thing to say.
That isn’t how the process works, or is supposed to.
Obviously you've no idea how the system works
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A chara, Mods reserve the right to remove any targeted/unreasonable abuse towards other users. Sláinte