Representatives from Connolly’s Irish Pub met with Jason Cassidy, Dean of Students, on Tuesday, February 4 to discuss the prevalence of fake IDs among Furman students.
During the meeting, they focused on ways they could collaborate to mitigate fake ID usage.
“The head of security for Connolly’s had a bag full of fake IDs – hundreds. They did not all belong to Furman students. Furman did not keep any of the IDs, but we told her she could notify my office anytime they confiscate a fake ID belonging to a Furman student and we would take student conduct action. Additionally, I let her know that they could call Furman Police to let us know of any medical emergencies involving Furman students so our Student Life On-Call Professionals could respond to provide support,” Cassidy said.
Furman’s Off-Campus Conduct Policy allows the university jurisdiction over student misconduct that takes place off-campus.
“The minimum consequences at Furman for the possession or use of a false ID is a $150 fine and parental notification. In the past, the Greenville City Police have arrested Furman students for possession of fake IDs and charged them with a misdemeanor,” Cassidy said.
According to South Carolina law, Section 56-1-510, using a fake ID is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $200 and a 30-day jail stay for a first offense.
When asked about the motivation behind meeting with Dean Cassidy, Nikki Harkins, head of security at Connolly’s Irish Pub, said, “We are a safe place and we want to keep it that way. We are upholding the law like all bars in Greenville.”
Bar security are trained to be able to identify fake IDs, and the penalties for serving alcohol to minors can be as severe as losing one’s liquor license. These severe punishments, along with the 2017 South Carolina bill that mandates the purchase of liquor liability insurance of at least $1 million have caused bars in South Carolina to take on more responsibility for the well-being of their guests. Blind Horse Saloon, a Greenville staple in the Wade Hampton area known for its line dancing, closed its doors in May 2024 citing rising insurance rates.
Rumors of this meeting have been circulating since Saturday, February 1, and students have mixed opinions.
On YikYak, a popular anonymous online forum, one student wrote, “why are people acting like Conns is the villain for obeying the law?”
Other students were frustrated. One wrote in YikYak, “Imagine going to college and the only bars you can go to create a partnership with Furman to take fake IDs to get you in trouble.”
One Furman junior commented, “I agree with Connolly’s stance as a business. From a business standpoint, this is their livelihood and they do not want to get shut down by the cops. But off-campus use of fake IDs has nothing to do with Furman. They are not affiliated with Connolly’s.”
“Just be 21, It’s not that deep,” said Gran Kennedy ‘25.
“Improving relations between colleges and communities is nothing new. Furman and colleges everywhere have been doing this for decades,” Cassidy says. “At the end of the day, we want Furman students to be law-abiding citizens and make low-risk choices in their lives.”
The Greenville Police Department did not respond to a request for comment.
The photograph above is not at Connolly’s Irish Pub, as they declined to allow photos to be taken. It is instead at Bond Night Club.
