I love bouncers

Those scary, massive, muscly, intimidating people that skulk in the corners of nightclubs and bars? Yeah, I love those guys.

You’ve seen what bouncers think of us but what do we think of them?

Most of us seem to hate them, but I think they’re just misunderstood.

Behind those macho exteriors there is a soft side to every bouncer that most club revellers don’t witness but does surprisingly exist.

Fair enough, bouncers are quite possibly the most hated people in the club – the stern stance, the constant judgemental pacing, the withering look of “you’re a dick I can have you out of this joint before you make up some stupid excuse for your pathetic drunken behaviour.”

Okay, so maybe they aren’t always the most friendly of people when they analyse and question the details of your ID and are constantly telling you to keep the noise down in the smoking area, but there are reasons we should love these big friendly giants.

Firstly, they are there to look after you, your friends, and fellow clubgoers as well as look after their colleagues and the establishment that you are there to enjoy.

It’s because of these guys that everyone can feel safe and have fun. When it’s you or your mate kicked out it may not be great but for everyone else they are grateful that some girl won’t be sick on the dancefloor again and that fella won’t try and start another bash up over someone talking to “my gal”.

You’ll happily hate on them, but when the time comes that it’s you or your friend in trouble the bouncer can suddenly become the knight in shining armour. They kindly take you outside, offer help to those now responsible for the drunken mess.

And if you get yourself in an even bigger state, it’ll be the bouncers who’ll be ringing your taxi (or ambulance) while your mates are busy taking photos of the drunken victim.

English and History third year (and fellow bouncer enthusiast) Grainne McKinney says: “One of my friends got into a fight in a club and the bouncers helped me take him outside, clean him up, calm him down and rang the ambulance.

“It was so scary and the bouncers really helped to keep everything under control. I appreciated it so much.”

Bouncers can be great craic. If you are a regular to a certain club they can soon become firm acquaintances, commenting on your outfit (“Boobs cold yet are they love?”), getting you to the front of the queue and giving you a cosy cuddle.

Sometimes the only male attention a poor girl gets on a night out.

However, when they know your name, ask how your course is going and what’s the update on “that romantic situation” you question whether you should probably start going somewhere else for a change.

Ultimately, bouncers are there to do their job. They are employed for a reason – so that they can maintain the safety of the establishment and the people within it – and this is what they do.

Just because you might have one bad experience with a bouncer doesn’t mean they are all evil, and let’s be honest, it was probably your own fault anyway.

Give bouncers a break from your crap and leave them to do their jobs.

And maybe if you actually chat to one or two instead of stereotyping them as party poopers you’ll realise they aren’t all that bad.