J1 students 'booze like lunatics' in RTÉ documentary

Ken Sweeney Entertainment Editor

Party time down Mexico way for Irish students

Irish parents whose children travel to the US each year on J1 visas will be in for a shock when they watch a new TV series set to hit the screens next month.

A fly-on-the-wall documentary called J1 Summer, which will air on RTÉ Two, will reveal the antics of Irish students while on working holidays in the US.

Made by Motive TV, the six-part series, which starts on Monday 17 November, charts the adventures of four students from Dublin who travel to San Diego, nine from Galway who move to Chicago and five more from Dundalk who journey to live and work in Hawaii.

Footage shows students stealing from employers, indulging in screaming rows with one another and jumping off balconies.

A programme source said, "It's the first time many of these kids have been out of Ireland and it shows.

"They booze like lunatics, fight among themselves and nick from their American employers. There's one girl who has a job in the sandwich bar and she's shown talking to the camera as she openly fills her handbag full of stolen food which she tells viewers she's stealing for her friends."

The four Dublin students based in San Diego are filmed making a dangerous journey over the border to Mexico to indulge in underage drinking.

"These four Dublin guys can't get into any bars in the US because they're underage," said the programme source, "so they get a bus over the border to Tijuana in Mexico where for $12 they can go drinking all night. It all goes to plan until they lose one of their group and have to go looking for him on the notoriously dangerous streets outside."

Another student featured has to undergo hospital treatment after he jumps off a balcony. He then has to play down the injury to employers to get a job.

In other scenes students admit how they mislead landlords about the number of tenants staying in their property to save money.

No students are seen damaging property in J1 Summer but in 2005 Irish students on J1 visas were accused of causing $15,000 worth of damage to apartments in the US.

October 19, 2008

Comments

#1 Jason Sparks commented, on October 19, 2008 at 3:47 p.m.:

Students binge drink - stop the press!

#2 Orla Millen commented, on October 19, 2008 at 8:44 p.m.:

How much are the students playing up to the camera? That's what I'd like to know!

#3 Finn McDuffie commented, on October 20, 2008 at 10:28 a.m.:

And this is what all students do on their J1? Let's hope RTE viewers can see a stereotype when they see one.

#4 Liam Purcell commented, on October 20, 2008 at 11:51 a.m.:

It's lads like these that spoil it for the rest of us. I went to New York last year and worked hard. Sure I had the odd drink but I never did anything to let my family down.

#5 Mark Dempsey commented, on October 20, 2008 at 12:15 p.m.:

I never went on a J1, my parents wouldn't pay for it because of the stories they heard like this. I really felt that I missed out on something because I always wanted to go to San Francisco. I've met loads of guys online from there, they seem like great guys but I missed out on all the fun basically because of people abusing their parents goodwill. Hopefully the recession will prevent all this care-free drinking in other countries. Was anyone ever in San Fran? Are the clubs as great as they say they are?

#6 Paddy commented, on October 20, 2008 at 4:05 p.m.:

I know the Dublin lads. They never mentioned them streaking!

#7 Moby commented, on October 20, 2008 at 5:04 p.m.:

Ths is in unbelievable. Wow! Students drink and rob sandwiches. They'll be smoking pot next. Was never like that in my day.
I can't wait for this series to hit the screens. Sounds deadly!
This country needs a tsar to marshall our youth. Sign up now!

#8 ciara commented, on October 20, 2008 at 7:25 p.m.:

Down with that sort of thing!

#9 HEREHERE commented, on October 20, 2008 at 7:57 p.m.:

PEOPLE get over it!! What do you think Irish students go to America for? TO HAVE THE CRAIC duuuuuh!!
The show's gonna be class... Bring it on! :)

#10 MR. Shankly commented, on October 20, 2008 at 9:38 p.m.:

Wow, I'm shocked and disappointed to hear this...
I had really hoped Irish journalism had become a bit more creative than resorting back to jaded stereotypes and pot shot headlines.

#11 i know more that u think commented, on October 20, 2008 at 10 p.m.:

Ah it was all good clean fun. Went to Mexico and had a laugh. Don't American students all head to Mexico for spring break? So what difference does it make that they are Irish?

#12 TayTay commented, on October 21, 2008 at 9:16 a.m.:

They went streaking? What a coincidence...

#13 Dave commented, on October 21, 2008 at 11:54 a.m.:

Where does the article mention streaking Paddy and TayTay?

#14 shane tuohy commented, on October 21, 2008 at 2:32 p.m.:

The boys are on their holidays. Don't be giving them grief!!!!

#15 DuignanD commented, on October 22, 2008 at 1:47 p.m.:

Hey the Dublin guys sound cool...I know one of them..he's a hottie

#16 Eire32 commented, on October 22, 2008 at 4:33 p.m.:

Guys I know for a fact, half of this was scripted!

#17 vicky commented, on October 22, 2008 at 7:14 p.m.:

I hung out with the Dublin lads all summer. They're gas and Ireland's going to love them. Proinsios didnt jump off a balcony it was a deck in the back garden that was slightly raised from the ground. I can't speak for the students in Chicago and Hawaii but the Dublin lads did nothing wrong...
P.S. There was no underage drinking in Tijuana, the legal drinking age there is 18.

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