After more than 70 students were arrested last year, police are calling this year's "Blarney Blowout" at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst a success.
This year, just eight people were arrested during the annual pre-St. Patrick's Day celebration.
This comes after police were forced to use riot gear and pepper spray to get last year's crowds under control.
Thomas Donovan, a UMass student, filed a civil rights lawsuit in February against Amherst police alleging he was wrongly arrested last year. Donovan says he was assaulted after using his smartphone to videotape police officers appearing to use excessive force while making an arrest.
Part of this year's success is credited to the fact that the streets to off-campus apartments, where thousands of students gathered last year, were blocked off.
The university had also banned dormitory residents from having out-of-town guests over the weekend.
Six downtown Amherst bars voluntarily delayed their openings in an effort to head off the rowdiness.
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There were no reports of any serious injuries or property damage this year.
Police say the students were very respectful, and hope this year's success passes on to future events.
