Web Page Owners Note: I received an email from one of the folks actually involved in "The Incident". There are a few things about the story that need clarified.

I was going to rewrite the email to make the salient points but realized everything I did just mucked it up. So here is the significant portion of the email just as I received it:

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While searching for some info about WARPS in Cork I stumbled across your  story 'The incident'. It brought back some fun memories alright. Although it wasn't very funny at the time when 2 of the 3 'IRA' team were on the ground with handguns pointed at them. No, the British Secret service didn't have MP5's. Actually, I don't think they're allowed have automatic weapons at all in Ireland. If they need protection they get the Guardia and the Army. But anyway I digress....

Just thought I'd brush up some of the facts of the situation.
1. They weren't an IRA team. But they were dressed as terrorists. Balaclavas, Combats and one guy had a 'Crossmaglen rangers' top on. That's a team from up north which is popular with Catholics... or at least used to be...
2. The game was called 'The Running Lee' after Arnie's movie 'The running man'. It was a charity event. Lee was the name of the guy.
3. They didn't actually catch Lee. They ran into the building after him but didn't know which way he went. When they got up the stairs there were secret service agents guarding the entrance of the hall and they produced their weapons and got the lads to the ground pretty fast. Actually, considering today's climate for terrorists they were very lucky they weren't shot on sight.

The aftermath of the whole thing was that we sat in the old college bar for about 2 hours drinking whiskey to calm the nerves. It wasn't a particularly fun day, but you'd have to look back and laugh alright. Since then the college makes a point of notifying the societies of visits such as this to make sure there's no clashes.

Shortly afterwards in 1997 there was a bank robbery on the campus where WARPS were approached by the Guardia to see if it had been another 'practical joke' that went wrong. Obviously they had nothing to do with it. Today, still wanted by the secret service, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire the IRA-Team. ;-)

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I'm thinking the difference between a handgun and an MP5 is pretty insignificant when it's pointed at your head, and drinking whiskey for several hours to calm my nerves would certainly be on my agenda, were I involved in this incident.

After I changed my pants, of course.

In any case, here is 'the incident' as we originally received it:

By the way, anybody who ever gets to talk to anybody in gaming circles in Cork, just refer to "the incident" and they'll know what  you're talking about.

Two years ago, WARPS, Cork Universities Gaming Society decided to hold an all day killer game. Killer is something of an  institution in Cork and it's played every year. (Quick Explanation for those who don't know Killer: Killer is a game of assassination, where opposing teams of assassins try to "kill" each other using water pistols, nerf guns, water bombs and other nefarious gear. It's played over a day or two (or a couple of weeks) and the person who accumulates the most kills wins).

This game was a special game called "Hunt Ray". The killers were split into teams and each was given a name, the IRA team, the  MIB team, the Mossad Team, the PLO team, etc. They were also given a picture of Ray, a member of the society, who ever managed to kill Ray the most won. Several of the teams came in costume, the IRA team in combat gear and balaclavas, the MIB's in suits and shades and so on.

About half way through the day, the IRA team spotted Ray wandering and gave chase. They chased him up three flights of stairs  and down a corridor. Ray couldn't be followed into conference rooms (they were *safe* areas) and he made for the only room that he knew to be free at the time, at the end of the corridor. He charged down the corridor and grabbed the door handle and as he did so he was tackled by all three IRA killers. The door gave way and they all staggered into the room.

Unbeknownst to the WARPS organizers however, the College had invited the British Ambassador to give a talk to several of the  faculties. The event was not advertised for "security reasons" and because only a couple of profs and college staff would attending. Unfortunately the Ambassador had chosen to make his speech in the very room Ray and the three IRA guys crashed into.

Within a couple of seconds, British Secret Service Agents were very much in evidence and waving MP5ks around. All four  gamers were pinned to the floor and severely beaten, their luminous pink water pistols taken from them.

But what we really remember is the laughter...

Eamon

-who once ran up to some Special Branch Agents yelling "Bang !"...but he was *very* drunk at the time. They drew but did not  fire...aww shucks.