Voice of the Traveller, April 2009

8/8/2019 Voice of the Traveller, April 2009

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Submissions for inclusion in the next edition ofVoice of the Traveller musbe with us on or before Friday, May 8, 2009.Contact the Voice of the TravellerteamJenny (Editor): [email protected] (Reporter): [email protected] (Reporter): [email protected] (Design and Development): [email protected] (Sales and Marketing): [email protected] (Sales and Marketing): [email protected]

Voice of the Traveller, NATC, Unit 1, Monksland Business Park,Athlone, Co. RoscommonEmail: [email protected]

Please note print outs of photographs are no longeraccepted. All photos must be emails as jpegs or posteddirectly to us at the address above. Voice of the Travellerassumes that the full permission of anyone featured ina photograph has been secured prior to being submitted.Views expressed in Voice of the Travellerdo notnecessarily reflect policies of the editor or the NationalAssociation of Travellers Centres.Some photossubmitted to the magazine may be used on our website.

Helloagain,

Imdelightedtohaveyouwith

usforthespecialAprilissueof

VoiceoftheTraveller. Ihope

yourekeepingwell. Iknowits

noteasystayingupbeatlately

butweregoingtogiveyou

somethingtosmileabout.

Oksoweknowtherewereafew

negativestoriesaboutTravellersin

the

headlineslately.Butinrealityther

earemoregood

storiesthanbad.Thatswhyweve

packedour

pageswithphotosofsmilingpeop

leworkingfor

theircommunity.Icontinuetobeh

eartenedbythe

lovelyreportsyousendus. Keepup

thegoodwork

andkeeptellingusaboutit!

Ourthoughtsarewiththoseofyou

studyingforthe

LeavingandJuniorCertificateexams. Remember

allyourhardworkwillpayoff. Keep

studyingand

makingbigplansforthefuture. M

oreTravellers

aregoingontofurthereducationth

aneverbefore.

Thatssomethingtobeproudof.

Weretakingtotheroadoverthen

extfewmonths

andwewanttomeetyou! Areyou

involvedwitha

communitygroup,trainingcentre,s

chool,etc? Let

usknowifyoudlikeustovisityou

.Welltakesome

photos,haveachatandwelleven

haveaspecial

offeronsubscriptionstothemaga

zine.

Seeyousoon!

TheBeat

goeson!

Voice of the Traveller isfunded and supported bythe following:

SUBS AD

WHY NOT

SUBSCRIBE?6 issues a year costs only35Call us on 090 6498016 or

visit us on www.natc.ie

Travellervoiceofth

e

February2009 Iss

ue 67 4.25

FinbarFureyLookin

gbackonfou

r

decadesofmu

sicfrom

oneofIreland

sgreatest

musicians

win

350

BackinBusines

s:NewDVDlaun

ched

GerryRyanspe

aksout...Newsr

ound-up

Iftheshoefits:T

hework of afa

rrier

thebigdebate

Whoistheboss

ofthehouse?

FrancescoAlesi

sexhibitionof

Travellerlife

TheItal

ianPerspective

Final.indd 1

26/03/2009 1

1:51:42

2

VOTT April 09 Olga.indd 2 17/04/2009


3/36

Regulars4 Photo of the Month

5 Beanz on why we cant say that!

6 News Round-Up

10 Memory Lane

12 The Big Debate: Do Travellers marry too young?24 Ellen

28 Dear Annie

29 Letters

30 Wedding Profile

32 Out and About

30 14

funinthepark LauraGreenetoototheroadsofMunstertomeetsomeofourreaders.Seehowshegotoninside!

Wetaketimetoexplorethepopularsmithfieldmarket.

16

weddingprofile

Spotthedifferencein

thismonthsprofile

ofRitaandOwen

McDonagh,Finglas!

Inthisissue

Features18 Troubling Times: Life up North22 Bridie gets an MBE from the

Queen

23 How the Budget will affect you25 History comes to life in Navan

On the CoverAl talented tinsmith at work

3



4/36

Photo

ofthemonth

Thismonthspho

to:

AboyshowinghowitsdoneinSmithfeldMarket

03.04.09.

SmithfeldMarket,Dublin

PhotocourtesyoJu

lieLynch(www.julielynchphotography.co

m)

Emailyourphotosto

voiceothetra

[email protected]

VoiceoftheT

raveller,

NATC,

Unit1,

MonkslandR

etailPark,

Athlone,

Co.

Roscommon



5/36

Cant is a languagE rom the Travelling

people o Ireland, but what does cant

mean to us today? It means something we

cant understand ourselves.Sure enough you might see the Traveller

break out o your aunt or uncle as they

wrestle a neighbour to the ground in a

dispute over who has the best lurcher.

But seldom in a moment o sheer verbal

animosity do you hear their traditional

tongue come into play.

My mother is a great one or the lash o

the tongue.

Youre this, youre that, youre not this

and youre not that.

You wouldnt know what you were when

she nished. I walked around thinking Iwas Polish or a week ater one o those

traumatic ordeals.

When I was in school we had some o the

rougher Traveller lads in our class.They

would speak really low and rough and at a

speed that would require a lip reader with

R.E.M to determine what was said.

The buer lads in the class used to think

they were speaking in a dierent language.

So now we have words like beoure being

used by settled people and words like

mortgage being used by Travellers.

Andfene is known now by all as a lad or

man, and there are a ew others but I cant

mention because o the censorship on this

article.

We all have seen that lm Snatch with

Brad Pitt in it. Now all my

riends who happen to be

buers all said to me,

Jesus Beanz he takeso the Travellers well.

Now I dont know any

Traveller who speaks like

he swallowed a washing

machine. But i thats what

people consider to be our

dialect then were doomed to

act in silent lms or TV programmes that

have the old 888 subtitles activated.

Cant is something Travellers have spoken

or years and yet we dont use it.

To be air it can be an advantage. I we

spoke it there would be more jobs in the

Guards or interpreters. The word tinker,

now that was a word used by all or years

and without any malice. But now i the

word is used someone is going to end up in

casualty or six hours trying to determine

whether or not it was a punch or a kick that

put his jaw somewhere near his shoulder.

I nd it ironic that when Travellers

talk about buers they say it with the

utmost contempt and in a way that is

undermining. But i someone was to say,

I dont trust the Travellers. well be sure

there would be 175 banners about equality

stuck onto the windows o Leinster House.

I remember when I was young my ather

would occasionally use words I wouldnt

understand. It was around then that I

realised my ather was up to devilment and

no good. I realised this ater I asked my

grand mother what a certain word was and

got a right hook slap to the mouth.

And as or the word itinerant, well that

word has no use in the English language.

Itinerant, sure that sounds like some sort o

mechanical part or the details you get ona fight.

So with all the, tinkers,minciurs, pavees,

Travellers, buers and whatever else that is

out there- isnt it time to make a decision to

stick to one overall name?

MartinBeanz

onwhywe

Cantsaythat

Now I dont knowany Traveller who

speaks like heswallowed a

washing machine

5



6/36

ITWASLAUGHaminuteinStJose

phsTrainingCen-

treinEnnis-whenJonKennydrop

pedin.

Halfoffamouscomedyduo-theD

Unbelievables,Jon

washappytohelpoutduringthe

AontasAdultLearn-

ingFestival.Awidevarietyofacti

vitieswereheldin

thecentretomarktheweek.

Bothstaffandlearnersenteredin

tothefestivities

wholeheartedly,DeirdreDenning

toldVoiceofthe

Traveller.

Theactivitiesincludedliteracy

themeddays,bowl-

ingforallatthecentre.JonKennythecomedian

sharedsomeofhisreadingproble

mswiththecentre

andalsoentertainedstaffandlea

rners.

AreceptionwasheldintheAubu

rnLodgeHotelto

celebratetheFETACandLCAachie

vementsofthe

learners.

Averyenjoyableweekwashadby

everyoneatthe

centreandwehopeitwillbeanan

nualevent.

News

ThedeathofEllen

Lawrence(27)inMaynoothlastmo

nthleftthecommunity

inCo.Kildareandelsewhereinsho

ck.Aminutesilencemarkedherpa

ssing

attheTravellingtoWellbeingconf

erenceinCrokePark.

Ellenwasdescribedasayounglea

derinthecommunity.Shewasstud

ying

atNUIMaynoothandhadworkedo

nalocalCommunityEmployment

Scheme. Shewasalsoatalentedpo

et.Herdeathwaswidelycoveredin

thelocalKildaremediaandherloss

wasfeltinboththelocalsettledand

Travellercommunity.

Shewasstruckbyacaron14,Marc

hwhilecrossingtheDublinRoadou

tside

Maynooth.Maysherestinpeace.

Tragicdeathofyoungcommunityleader

DUnbelievableweekinEnnis!

nolaughingmatter

TomSherlockandPatrickMcCarthy

withJonKennyinSt.

JosephsCentre,Ennis.

Travellersmustberecognisedasa

n

integralpartofethnicdiversity-

accordingto

formerEqualityAuthoritychief

executiveNiallCrowley.Travellers

shouldbeincludedintheofficial

briefheldbytheMinisterofState

forIntegration,MrCrowleysaid

inNUIGalwaylastmonth.Mr

CrowleysaidTravellersrepresente

d

Irelandslargestminorityethnic

groupatthestartoftheeconomic

boom.

Travellersethnicityrecognised

6



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8/36

WIN50!

CantLoseCantCompetition

News

Thedeadlinefora

pplicationsforthe

STEPSForwardProgrammehasbee

n

extendedtoSeptember.

Placesarelimited-sogetintouch

soon!

TheprogrammehelpsTravellersto

developskillsingettingjobs,asself

employedfacilitatorsoraccessthir

d

leveleducation.

Theresponsetothisprogrammeh

as

beenextremelypositive,saidCarm

el

CumminsTrainingandEducation

Co-ordinator.

Thisisthefirsttimethistypeof

programmehasbeenrun.

ContactNATC(Tel)0906498017for

an

applicationform.

ASTEPintherightdirection

Whatdoesdoramean?Textyour

answerto0872384431.Eachcorrec

tentrywillbeput

inadrawtowin50anditcouldbe

you!OurFebruarywinnerwasDon

naMonganfrom

Headford,CoGalway.Congratulation

sDonna,yourprizeisonthewayto

you!

FlyingtheflaginTuam

StBeninsEducationCentreinTuam

wasrecentlyawardeda

renewalofitsGreenFlagbyAnTais

ce.

Theflagwasunfurledataceremony

intheGalwayBayHotel.

Studentsandstaffofthecentreare

delightedtheireffortsto

conserveandrecyclehavebeenreco

gnisedatanationallevel.

Everyoneinvolvediscommittedtok

eepingupthegoodwork

inthefuture.

STAFFTOOK Abackseat

intheCarlowCentrefor

EducationandTraining

recently-astheLearnerstook

charge.

AspartoftheAontas

LearnersFestivaltheytook

overtheirownlearningand

organisedtheirownevents

involvingstaffandthelocal

community.

Thelearnershadthefull

supportofMarianDuffy

PresidentofAontas.

Aquestionsandanswer

sessionwithlocalpolitician

JenniferMurnanewas

organised,bythelearners.

Alsotherewasasocial

coffeemorningandaGrowa

LearningTreeevent,where

theyidentified thepositive

benefitsoflearningintheir

lives.

Theseeventswereco-ordinatedbyImel

daKelly.

NigelQuirke-Bolt,Director

oftheCentre,saidafterthe

week;Theadultsre-entry

intoalearningenvironment,

inmanyinstances,requiresa

profoundleapofcourage.

Andyettheirlearning

successisintegraltothe

healthofourcommunities

andoureconomy.

Weblinks >> www.natc.ie MichaelCollins,StaffPav

eePointwithJosephMcDonough,5t

h

yearStudentatChanelCollege,Coolock,

Dublin.Josephison

workexperienceatPaveePoint.Seepage26formorepics!

TakeoverinCarlow!



9/36


10/36

Memory Lanemartin and biddy mcdonagh withtheir daughter on her Holy Communion day

martinward,johnny,kathl

eenward,margaretmcdona

gh,

amandamcdonagh,annmcd

onagh,jimmygavin,johnmc

donagh.

Adoubleweddingoftwosistersin

Dublin15yearsago,photosentin

byNancyMcDonagh

martinandbiddyandpatrickmcdonaghtakingsometimeouttohaveapint

10



11/36

patrick with his father martin

mcdonagh, martin mongan ripand nephew having an early cup of tea...

Do you recognise anyone in these photos? Wed love to hear more

about the people featured. If you have old pics send them into us [email protected] and theyll appear on these pages!

seamusmcdonagh(RIP)withMaggieandpaddydoyleLondonMarket,March1983

christymcdonaghrip,michael

mongans,brianandmartin

mcdonagh,Banagher1980s

BackFarleft,jimmymcdonaghbesidehimanthonnevin,johnmcdonaghnexttohimincheckpadd

nevin, nexttohimmichaelmcdonaghandfarright paddysoldiermcdonagh.Inmiddlerow(L-R)maryharperneeMcDonagh,besideher sallynevin neeMcDonaghjoycemcdonaghspeggyandbesideinthefurcoatjanenevinneeMcDonagh.Infrontrow:paddymcdonaghwithgreatgrandsonmartinmcdonagh onhislapandhiswifebesidehimcatherinemcdonaghneeWardwiththeirgrand-daughterkathleennevin.

With thanks to Mary Joyce, Trim, for pointing out themistakes in last months caption of this photo.

11



12/36

Despite changes in recent years, marriage remains a popular institution in Ireland. In thewider community the age at which couples tie the knot has got much older. However amongTravellers, weddings between young couples are still very common. Voice of the Travelleropens its pages to differing voices in the community on this controversial question..DoTravellers marry too young?

Yes!We think a girl getting married young is part

of our culture. Our parents and their parentsand their parents were all married young.

Most Travellers get married young

because their friends get married and

they dont want to be the last one left

out of all their friends. They want to

be a woman before their age. When

your 17 years old you are still only a child.

If young women rush into getting married

they could miss out on life and have to rear

their own family while still young. They are

missing out on their own freedom. It is not a

good reason to get married young because it

could affect your thoughts of having a career.

There is a lot of pressure for you and your

family to see how the wedding will turn

out. Also there is a lot of pressure for you

to make sure that you are not the last one

getting married.

The legal age is 18 years of age to get

married, but some people would prefer it to be

moved up to 20 or older. Then some Travellerswouldnt be thinking of getting married so

young. So different ages for marriage suit

different people.

It is as much pressure for the boy to marry

young among Travellers. However the girl

is the one left doing all the organising and

planning and that is a lot of pressure for a

young woman. It is more important to be in

love with someone but also it is important to

be the right age. There is no point in getting

married if you dont love him.

Mary Lou Keenan, Sheila Keenan and Ashling

Mc Donagh, Finglas

they want to be women before their age.When you are 17 years old you are still onlya child

The Big Debate:Do Travellers marry too young?

What doYOU think?Too many girls are thinking about getting

married and having kids instead of

thinking what they can get out of life.

ELAINE SHERLOCK, GALWAY

Yes, it puts desperate financial pressure on

young people when theyre trying to provide

for a family. To get a good job they need

education but because they got married so

young theyve missed out on that.

MICHAEL STOKES, ATHLONE

1212



13/36

Interested in getting involved in this debate? Why not send an email to [email protected] or post a letter to the Editor.

No!No, I dont think that Travellers get married

too young at all. I mean if a boy and girl

love each other and want to marry then

what problem is in that? There are lots of

settled people who marry young too.

Years ago when there was no law in the

country to marry, I knew Traveller girls who

actually married at 13 and 14 years young,

had big families and are still together living

happily. In the older generation parents

were happy for their kids to be married at

this age. I think in todays society getting

married at 13, 14 or 15 is too young to be

married or have kids, but I dont think 16

or 17 is too young to marry. In the Traveller

community young boys and girls become

young men and women at a very early age

and are very mature for their age as well.

They take up responsibilities like minding

the children, helping the mothers and

fathers at home and with the business. This

is a part of life that will never change with

Travellers.

When a couple wants to get married

at 16/17 they may have to go to court for

permission to marry in which they are

granted or go to England or Northern

Ireland.Every parent wants whats best for

their children, to stay on in school and do

well for themselves but getting married at

a young age doesnt mean all this has to

stop. There are more young married women

going to training centres and going back to

education than ever before and marriage

dosent seem to stop them from doing it.

I personally believe if you fall in

love and you both want the same

thing in life to settle down and get

married, start a family then so be

it, get married. Once you are happy

and your parents are happy with

your decision go for it because

you are not going to please everyone and

life is about you and what you make of it no

matter what anyone says.

I was 19 and my husband was 21 when we

were married. We had nine lovely children

and 19 beautiful grand-kids whom we are

very proud of and love very much and most

of all we have no regrets.

Biddy McDonagh, Offaly

In the Traveller community young boys

and girls become young men and womenat a very early age and are very maturefor their age as well.

Statistically they often marry young but

for Travellers theyre not too young to get

married.

JOHN MCDONAGH, NAVAN

Its better for young fellas to get married

early because theyll stay out of trouble

and the women will help keep them under

control.

SANDRA MCCARTHY, CORK

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14/36

At the famousSmithfield MarketPhotos: Julie Lynch / www.julielynchphotography.com

Horsingaround

IT LOOKS LIKE A ONE HORSE TOWN- SMITHFIELDMARKET AT 8AM. Despite the pleasant spring

sunshine, the north Dublin cobblestone square is

nearly deserted at dawn.

Since the 17th century, horse traders have gathered

at this point, to haggle, admire, buy and sell horses of

all types and sizes. The modern market is held on the

first Sunday of every month and still attracts many

hundreds of settled and Traveller horse owners.

Smithfield is certainly not what it used to be. The

old cobblestones were replaced by new ones in

1999 and the horse trading takes place against the

backdrop of a massive new apartment complex, hotel

and bar. Young couples sit out on balconies sipping

their Sunday morning lattes looking down on the

equine events below.

As we approach 8.30am larger numbers of horses

arrive. Bareback teenage riders seem totally in control

on their high horses as they race at high speed

through the square.



15/36

JulieLyn

chisafr

eelance

photogr

apherliving

andwor

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inDubli

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ithaBAH

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The hooves click loudly along the cobblestones whileowners jostle for the best position from which to tie their

horses.

Stubborn mules make a constant racket while small meek

ponies stand silently beside their owners.

By 9am the market is alive and buzzing, with all the smells

and sounds you associate with horse markets. This is no

Ballinasloe or Borris Horse Fair with their competitions, fun

rides and music- Smithfield is a stripped down working-

horse market with constant business taking place.

A few stalls sell saddles and various pieces of tack, while a

farrier gets working on the west side of the square.

Interested foreign tourists mix with young horse owners

from the estates of West Dublin, and middle-aged Traveller

men use their many years of horse sense in making deals.

It may be chaotic at times, with horses sometimes

breaking free, but Smithfield Horse Market is a living Dublin

institution with roots in a distant past. And there are not

many of those anymore.

Words: David Lynch

15



16/36

16

Here in Voice of the Travellerwe know

there are good news stories of hope in the

community from across the island. So we

have decided to get out on the road to see

some of these for ourselves. This month our

very own Laura Greene hit the highways andbyways of Munster.

VOICE

AROUNDTHE

COUNTRY

First stop on my whirlwind tour of the south wasthe Rebel City itself and the Fun in the Park

Festival.

This colourful occasion is organised by the Cork

Traveller Womens Network and Cork City Council.

Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr. Brian Bermingham,

officially got things underway.

Education and training are more important than

ever before and this festival is a wonderful chance

for the people of Cork to see the opportunities

available to them, said Mayor Bermingham.

Mary O Sullivan, Cork Travellers Womens

Network, welcomed everyone and after the

formalities ended, the fun truly started. My guide

was the wonderful Patsy Toomey and she helped

me find my way through the many workshops, a

nature stall, information on herbal cures and help

with planting herb gardens. After the hectic excitement of the Cork fes-tival it was off to Mallow for a more mellowcoffee and chat. I was given a wonderfulwelcome by the ladies of Our Ladys Train-ing and Education Centre.Everyone there is obviously very proud oftheir busy centre. The group have recentlyproduced a beautiful prayer book. Thecollection of prayers, thoughts and photo-graphs is dedicated to the younger genera-tion and was produced in conjunction withCounty Cork VEC Junior Certificate SchoolsProgramme.Some of the trainees in the centre werebusy taking tests while others were prepar-ing for FETAC Award inspections in varioussubjects.The centre is a bright, cheery and warmplace with fantastic work on display and anexcellent exhibit of old photographs.

MadelineDunne,withherbrothers,To

mmyandStephenpresen

theLordMayorwithaCDofPec

kerDunneslatestrelea

TraineesatOurLadysCentreMallow

Festival Fun in Cork

Coffee and a chat in Mallow



17/36

Next stop was the very active Rathkealeand the Riverside Training Centre. Thecentre caters for boys and girls from 15

years upwards.I met some of the trainees and got their

views on the magazine.

They were very vocal about their likesand dislikes and promised to submitarticles and news for future issues.They are currently rehearsing for apantomime which we hope to attend inJuneThe aim of the centre is to respond tothe educational and training needs of

younger Travellers. It was easy to seethat some great work was taking place,keep it up folks!

Leaving Limerick and heading toClare, I stopped next in Ennis tomeet with Nicola Cullinan at thebeautiful offices of Clare CountyCouncil.Nicola has a very long job title!She is the Co-ordinator of theStrategy for the Co-ordination ofPublic Services to the Traveller

Community in Clare. Her role isto help the interaction betweenagencies providing servicesto Travellers and the commu-nity itself. As part of this Nicolaproduces an excellent newsletterfor Travellers by Travellers calledClare Traveller Focus News.

Then it was the short trip to the Traveller Enterprise & Em-ployment Officer at the Adult Education Centre in ClonroadBusiness Park.There I met with Michael Flanagan, who provides a freeservice to Travellers in County Clare who want to find a jobor start their own business. Michael is a firm believer thateducation and training are key to success and encouragesanyone with a business start-up idea to get in touch. Tel: 0656893771 or email: [email protected].

WehopetomakeVoiceAroundthe

Country aregularfeaturesoifyouwo

uld

likearepresentativefromtheVoiceof

the

Travellertovisityourcentre,pleasege

t

intouchwithLaura.Emaillaura.greene

@

natc.ieorphone0906498017.

TiptoethroughthetulipsattheFunintheParkFestival, theMcCarthysisters,Sally,JessicaandAlicewithDarraghLawlor.

RiversideTrainingCentreRathkealeNo

raHarty,Mary-Anne

OShoughnessy,KathleenSheridan,Es

therEnright,MichelleGannell,

BridMeehan(Teacher)Frontrow:Anni

eODonohoe,ItaKehoe(Teacher)

SharonNeville(Teacher)and JeanSher

idan

Stepping in on Riverside

The News from the Banner

Budding Ennis Enterpreneurs

17



18/36

.

The forgotten legacy of Travellers and the TroublesTroubling Times

Photos courtesy of Derek Speirs

18



19/36

The fatal shootings last month of

two British soldiers and a PSNI officer

by dissident republicans fired the

North back into the headlines. Over3,000 people lost their lives during

three decades of what was called

the Troubles. A fascinating newreport shows that Travellers were

not unaffected. David Lynch talks tothe author of the report, discusses

the future and reprints the voices of

Travellers from both sides of the border.

Travellers never got involved- wehad our own problems. We stuck toourselves- we were too busy protect-ing each other to worry about stuff.The words of this unidentified Travel-ler echo the belief of many.

In official histories of the violence inthe North, Travellers are rarely men-tioned. It was as if the Troubles pastthe community by.

However as the author of a newreport Irish Travellers and theTroubles says the idea of not beinginvolved is very different than Trav-ellers not being affected. Dr RobbieMcVeigs report was commissionedby the Donegal Travellers Project.

With an extensive series of interviews

with unnamed Travellers this inter-esting document shines a light on aforgotten part of Irish history. With anomadic community, the creation ofthe border in the 1920s was to have ahuge impact on Travellers.

With the explosion of violence in thelate 1960s movement across the bor-der became very difficult for familiesand traders. The border affected mewhen I was young. My parents wenthawking but they never did Northern

Ireland because of the Troubles,says one Traveller in the report.Wetravelled through the north but neverlived there.We were always feared of the northand of the guns. Once the (British)Army came to the campsite, theytalked to my husband. I was scaredand I never felt safe in the north afterthat.

Dr McVeig told Voice of the Travellerthe border had a massive impact onthe community. I think the border

affected Travellers as a nomadicgroup in ways that were profoundlydifferent from settled people,he said. The border completelyinvented a false distinction betweenTravellers whose whole identity was

about Irishness not northernnessor southernness.

He thinks the border led more Travel-lers to become sedentary and settle.It was harder for people to travel

north and south freely. Looking backon the early part of the Troublesone person said My family settledbecause of the Troubles as it wassafer to be settled- safer when in acommunity as opposed to being onthe side of the road.In those times you were alwaysafraid, we had no protection.However with the peace processmovement across the border hasbecome easier.

Just the last couple of years therehas been more Travellers comingdown across the border, says oneTraveller living close to the border.We would see more Travellers com-ing from Derry and Strabane andOmagh. There are some coming nowfrom Belfast although not so many.And more of us from this side goingover too.

Centres like the Tara Workshop inDundalk have many years of crossborder work within the community.And this type of cross border co-operation seems set to become even

stronger. Dr McVeigh agrees.We see an increase in movementcertainly but not necessarily a re-turn to some of the nomadic patternsof movement that were disrupted bythe border.

My family settled

because of theTroubles as it wassafer to be settledin a community, asopposed to being onthe side of the road

19



20/36

Hope that history does not repeat itself

The shootings by dissident republicans which happened in theNorth in March has left Travellers very worried. That is accord-ing to one Traveller in Belfast contacted by Voice of the Traveller.

It has not just been those shootings, there has been cars andtrucks burnt out in West Belfast, bomb alerts and other thingsgoing on here in recent weeks, said the man who wanted toremain unnamed.Travellers are the same as settled peoplearound here, we just hope history does not repeat itself. Life canbe hard anyway and no one wants the violence back again.

Dr McVeigh said there is concern across the community.My observation would be that Travellers have seen few tangi-

ble benefits of peace apart from peace itself. At the same time,all the negative aspects of the Troubles and their effect on Trav-ellers detailed in my report would be likely to kick in again. Sothe general trepidation felt across the settled community wouldbe shared specifically among Travellers.

Irish Travellers and the Troubles is availablefrom the Donegal Travellers Project. You cancontact the Building, Ethnic and Peace teamin Donegal at Mountain Top, Letterkenny, CoDonegal. Phone: 074 91 29281.

Or contact the project researcher Dr RobbieMcVeigh at [email protected]

Colin Glen site. Josie and Christina Doherty and Berry

13.2.92. Belfast.St Pauls primary school.

14.2.92. Belfast.

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20



21/36

MONEY ADVICE & BUDGETING SERVICE (MABS)

The cost ofcommunions

ITS THAT time of the year again when the children are

preparing for First Holy Communion. When I think of thisoccasion I have images in my head of a miniature wedding.The whole concept of Holy Communion is lost. Years agowhen I was preparing for my Communion it was based onCatholic beliefs, getting closer to God, learning your prayersand not committing sins. Nowadays its about the biggestdress, the nicest dress, the biggest party etc. Travellers makesuch a big deal out of it. It is expected of the childs parentsto fund the whole day for families. Travellers start to save forthis occasion months beforehand or even apply for loans fromCredit Unions, putting themselves in debt just so that they cangive the child a party and also accommodate the adults with aparty later in the evening. I think sometimes it is also to provethat they have money, even though it may take them over ayear to pay back to the Credit Union!

I myself have a little girl, Mary, who is making her First HolyCommunion in May. I am keeping it very simple and I amgoing to make it her day. When I went shopping for Marysdress, I had an image in my mind of exactly what I wanted forher. I also put a budget of 300 to cover everything from thedress down to the shoes. In your imagination you want themto look nice but in reality it is only for one day. So why paymassive amounts of money for a communion outfit that willonly be worn that day and never again. I decided to go in theJanuary sales because it gave me plenty of time to organiseother things, and also to cut costs.

I organised for a clown to come to the house on the day of thecommunion, for 2 hrs it will cost me 100.The cost of food to

the house is 200 The cost of the photography is 250 and alsthe party for kids 150. So the total cost of Marys communionis 1,000 I know that all parents wants to give their child aday to remember, and sometimes it may seem like a miniaturewedding, but really it is the childs communion day!

>>www.mabs.ie

Weblinks

Monagh Road site

15.6.93. Belfast.

Travellersatanunofficialsiteoutside

Belfast

19.3.92.NorthernIreland.

Submitted by one of our readers

21



22/36

Its a long journey from Moate tomeeting a monarch- but Traveller

rights campaignerBridie Jones

completed that trip when she

received her MBE from the BritishQueen at Buckingham Palace lastmonth, writes David Lynch.

AT FIRST SHE THOUGHT THAT MAYBE IT

WAS A JOKE. When a Traveller activistoriginally from Co. Westmeath got a letter

last year saying she was to be awarded an

MBE from the British Queen, she could

not believe it.

Bridie (Bridget) Jones, now living in

Canterbury England, was awarded an

MBE for services through her work with

the Canterbury Gypsy Traveller SupportGroup and elsewhere.

It was a glamorous occasion and the

new MBE got to meet Formula One

champion Lewis Hamilton among other

award recipients. Bridie has many years

experience of activism for Traveller rights

in Britain. Having lived in Britain now for

many years she has been heavily involved

in the Irish Traveller movement.

She is one of the founders of the

Canterbury Gypsy Traveller Support

Group. Her work has taken her through

the corridors of power and to some of themost famous buildings in the UK.

She has been to Downing Street to

petition on behalf of Travellers, the House

of Commons and the House of Lords in

London.

Ive always tried to break down barriers

and build bridges, she told the media

after her award. When I get a phone call

now (from Travellers) I try to make sure

they get the right services and go to theright people. Its about bringing people

around a table and discussing problems.

During her 15 years of work in the

community she said that overt racism

against Gypsies and Travellers has

probably lessened in Britain but

discrimination against the community

still happens.

In fact since 2001 she has been fighting

to stay on the plot of land that she, her

partner Joe, her son, daughter and seven

grandchildren call home. It has been

seven long and depressing years, shesaid. Despite these problems, Bridie said

she believed the MBE was a symbolic step

in the right direction for the community

in Britain.

The RoyalTreatment

Ive always tried tobreak down barriersand build bridges

22



23/36

WE MIGHT PREFER TO TRY AND FORGET ABOUT THERECENT BUDGET AS RECESSION TAX INCREASES

AND RISING UNEMPLOYMENT CAN GET EVERYONEDOWN. BUT WE ALL HAVE TO LIVE WITH THECONSEQUENCES AND SOVOICE OF THE TRAVELLERTAKES A CLOSER LOOKREPORT: DAVID LYNCH.

If you are under 20 and going to be on the dole soon-

then you know all about it. If you are a taxpayer

looking at your rapidly dwindling pay cheque - then

you know all about it. If you are relying on your

Christmas welfare bonus this year to get you through

the expensive festive period- then you know all about

it.

In tough times Finance Minister Brian Lenihan has

called for tough measures. He said spending was too

high, and revenue too low, and the country had to face

up to this.

The minister said child benefit would be means tested

or taxed in the Budget next year and social welfare

rates may be reduced next time around.

The national Traveller organisations are waiting until

they see the detail in the Finance Bill before making

conclusive

statements on

the budget.

We have gota number of

queries into the

office about the

proposed cut

in the social

welfare for under 20s already, said Damien Walsh

from the Irish Traveller Movement (ITM).

Travellers are obviously concerned about it. The

thinking behind it might be that young people in

the wider community under 20 might still be living

at home. But for many Travellers at that age they are

already adults and living outside the home ITM and

other national Traveller organisations are also worried

about any further cutbacks in education- and whether

these will affect Travellers. There were already cut

backs in education for Travellers in last years budget.

Timetotightenallourbelts

>>www.finance.gov.ie

Weblinks

In tough times,

Minister Brian Lenihan

has called for tough

measures

Income levy rates doubled to 2%, 4% and 6%.

Cigarettes up 25 cent and diesel up five cent a litre.

Christmas welfare bonus will not be paid this year, while

from May new applicants under the age 20 will have their dole

payments halved.

New asset management agency to take bad loans off the

banks balance sheets.

Early childcare supplement halved from 1 May, and scrappedaltogether next year.

No increases in social welfare for the next couple of years, ratesmay be reviewed later.

A 10% cut in political expenses, while long-term payments to

TDs will be abolished.

Health Levy rates will double to 4% and 5%.

THE BUDGET AT A GLANCE

23



24/36

Ellen stayed with her father

while her mother went out

in the counry selling the

tin-ware. It was a beautiful

summers day and the sun shone so Ellen

decided that she would go fishing for

pinkeens (baby-fish) in the little stream

across the road from the wagons.

Ellen and her dog Pal set off with a

large glass jar tied with an old pair of

nylons onto a long stick. These made a

great fishing net. She was very excited

because she was intending to catch

loads of pinkeens and cook them for her

and her dads lunch.

Ellen sat for hours catching the

pinkeens. It was so peaceful and very

beautiful just sitting there listening to

the stream running between the rocks.

She caught thousands of pinkeens and

had them all in the glass jar. She decided

that she would set her net for later on as

it was now time to start lunch.

Ellen went across home and asked her

dad was he hungry while taking out the

pan. His reply was Yes, sure Id eat a

little bit now. So she went to the table

and took down the metal pan and placed

it on the stand on the open fireside.

Not looking at Ellen, as he hammered

away making his buckets her dad

shouted in to her Are you ok Ellen, what

are you doing? Ellen replied Im going

to make something to eat for me and

you.

Thats a great girl Ellen, but be careful

with that kettle the water is boiling dont

touch it, Ill make the tea and you butter

the bread

Ellen had the dripping in the pan

at boiling point at this stage, she was

dellighted that her father was hungryand she knew that he would be

delighted with all the fried pinkeens. She

had a full jar of them but they were very

small and she knew that her Dad would

eat a lot of them.

She emptied the water from the jar and

the pinkeens started jumping around in

the jar without water. She waited until

the grease was at boiling point in the

pan and threw all the pinkeens into it

they were sizzling in the pan and then

a blue blaze left the pan and Ellen ran

outside screaming.

Her father didnt know what had just

happened. Pulling the pan off the fire

filled with pinkeens he didnt know

which way to turn. Then he turned to

Ellen saying What in the name of God

have you done child?

Ellen was crying trying to explain to

him that she was trying to cook for him

because he said he was hungry. Then

looking at the pan of burnt pinkeens he

turned back to Ellen and put his face in

his hands saying, Good God Ellen what

have you done to the poor little things

wait until your mother hears about this!

Then to Ellens surprise he started to

laugh out loud, poor Ellen thought hehad gone mad!

Although he was mad at Ellen for what

she did to the poor little pinkeens he

gave her a chance and she promised

never to do it again especially not to

the live ones anyway!

She waited until the

grease was at boilingpoint in the panbefore throwing all the

pinkeens into it

The continuing tale of Ellen, the youngTraveller girl as she goes fishing for pinkeens

for her lunch.

Ellen



25/36

For young Travellers the age of tinsmithsand barrel top wagons is literally a

different world. They hear stories about

the past from older family members and

get a glimpse in fading black and whitephotographs. Yet for one day last month

in the Fairgreen in Navan, that world came

back to life. Voice of the Travellerspoke to

organisers and tinsmiths who took part.

IT WAS AS IF THE PEOPLE OF NAVANhad woken up in the morning and foundthemselves four decades or more in thepast. As part of the Co. Meaths towns

Shamrock Festival over the St Patricksweekend- Navan Traveller Workshop setup a living history display.

Barrel top wagons, music and story tell-ing attracted a large number of localswho braved the harsh weather at theFairgreen. Pride of place went to the tin-smiths, who displayed their ancient tradeto all that came. James Collins a tinsmithof many decades experience held the at-tention of the crowds. Among other skillshe showed how tin was made leak proofwithout a weld.

Long associated with the Travelling com-munity, Tinsmith are people who makeand repairs things made of light-colouredmetal, particularly tinware.Many decades ago tradesmen made aliving from the work- but that is no longerthe case.

According to Michael McDonagh, it wasnot just settled people who were fasci-nated by the work of James and the othercraftsmen- but also young Travellers.I though it was a wonderful day and thefeedback has been great- people reallyenjoyed the music, the storytelling andthe old trades like the tinsmith.

Michael said there are future plans todevelop this Living History display andbring it to local schools and other places.So while young Travellers are loggingon at Bebo, or studying for their LeavingCert- Navan last month provided a perfectopportunity to remember some of the

communitys history and culture.

STEPPING

INTOTHE PAST

Words: David LynchPhotos: Kyran OBrien



26/36

A message of

hope...

allsmilesfortheca

DavidKeenan,WillieGrant,John

AnneMarieMcDonnell,BlanchardstownTravellersDevelopmentRoscommonTravellersDevelopmentGrouGeraldineMcDonnellbothfromtheParish

givingthemagthethu

NancyCollinsandBridgetCollins,

Pave

Travellers and those working with the community have recognised it. New reports

have now confirmed it. The rate of suicide among Travellers is higher than in thewider community. The problem is most acute among young Traveller men. However

there was a sense of determination and optimism at a recent conference about

suicide in the community. The community wants to face the challenge and help

prevent suicide, reports David Lynch.

THERE WAS A MESSAGE OF HOPE from a recent suicide awareness conference. Its

a dark and difficult topic but over 230 Travellers and community workers who

attended left with new skills to help prevent suicide.

The Cross Care: Travelling to Wellbeing conference in Croke Park took place

with a worrying backdrop. Anecdotally, among service providers and Travellersorganisations there is a reported increase in suicides- particularly among young

Traveller men.That was according to Geoff Day the Director of the National Office

for Suicide Prevention who was the keynote speaker.

Mr Day said while there were currently no official figures on suicide among

Travellers- a series of reports and experiences from Travellers showed it was a

growing problem.

The report found Travellers are three times as likely to die by suicide as members of

the general population. Suicide was most likely to affect young Traveller men.

Traveller men not opening up and talking to friends and family about problems

they have was highlighted as a serious issue at the conference.

We need to encourage young men to come and try to seek help, said Mr Day.

The project co-ordinator Petra Daly said she was hugely encouraged by the numberof people in attendance at the conference. This shows there is willingness to take

action on this subject.

GOOD CONTACTS.:.If you are worried aboutyour own mental health,or a family or friend there

are a wide number oforganisations you cancontact for help, or justsomeone to talk to.These include your localTravellerorganisation, or any of thefollowing.

Aware Defeat DepressionHelpline: 1890 303 302

[email protected]

SamaritansHelpline: 1850 [email protected]

Cross Carewww.crosscare.ieTel: 01 836 0011

Parish of the TravellingPeoplewww.ptrav.ie

Weblinks >> www.nosp.ie

26



27/36

Remembrances

MartinOBrien(Luly)

Died08/03/08

Husband, father and brotherOur hearts are full of memories

We treasure them with care

The way you had to leave us

Will always seem unfair

A heart of gold stopped beating

Two smiling eyes at rest

God broke our hearts to prove

He only takes the best.

Sent in by sister Ellen OBrien

John (Bongers) Connors.

May he rest in peace.

Always remembered by his loving

wife Helen, children and family.

If youd like a remembrance printed t

your loved one then write or email us

at Voice of the Traveller today.

Ellen Lawrence Maynooth RIP

The recent death of Ellen Lawrence (27)

left the local community in Kildare indeep shock.

Described as a young leader in her

community- Ellen was killed when she

was knocked down by a car on the

Dublin Road outside Maynooth on 14,

March.

An exceptional woman, Ellen had

packed much into her young life.

There was an outpouring of grief locally

at the tragic loss and her death received

widespread coverage in the local media.

Ellens parents Martin and Ann

Lawrence are from Maynooth Traveller

site, where Ellen was from herself.

A very well educated, talented woman

she had been a student at NUI Maynooth

for the last two years. She had been

involved in various projects in the

Travellers movement circle and had been

training to be a teacher/youth worker.

She was in third level education course

and to all that knew her she came across

as a very pleasant and likeable young

lady.

The sad loss of such a talented young

woman has been a big loss to the

Traveller community and a mostdevastating blow to her parents Martin

and Ann and her large family of siblings

and friends.

May she Rest in Peace.

-Many Thanks to Tom McDonagh for

sending in information about Ellen.

rasandPatrickColl

ins,PaveePoint

,MaryMongan,ulineMcDonnell,eTravellingPeople.

sup!nt

27



28/36


29/36

TAURUSAt home you understand what people are thinking, and why, marking the

start of better times. Being calm, and a little tougher, Will help you make

shrewd love moves.

GEMINIBelief in yourself replaces doubt and you are ready to agree to new

opportunities. It takes courage to believe in happiness again but it is the

way forward for a relationship.

CANCERDuring family discussions, it is smart to listen without taking sides. Luck is

strongest when you meet a relative after a long absence.

LEOIf the strain is getting to you, take some time to wind down, relax.. An old

face will be a welcome surprise at a family gathering.

VIRGOIf you have children, they will appreciate your unique and delightful way

of expressing yourself. Staying calm in a heated situation will have a great

effect on family talks this month.

LIBRAYou need to make adjustments in your personal life, for your past may be

affecting the way you respond to your present. Travelling is not such a good

idea for you right now, so avoid it if you can.

SCORPIOUnless you really feel like a knock-down, drag-out fight, ignore the pettiness

of others. Have the heart to serve and your day should go well. Luck meets

you at a red door.

SAGITTARIUSYoull need to pay attention to your partner, mate, or best friends needs

before the heat gets turned up. Go somewhere different for lunch or meet

and old friend for a pleasant surprise.

CAPRICORNAs the pace of life increases and opportunities line up, be sure a partner

does not feel left out. If single the one voice you notice in a noisy room

could be the love of your life.

AQUARIUSPartners will feel more relaxed together and a place on a team will mean so

much. Prepare for something you always wanted to happen!

PISCESIf the strain is getting to you, take some time to wind down, relax.. An old

face will be a welcome surprise at a family gathering.

Dear Editor,

I would like to take this opportunity to

congratulate Anthony Dinnegan in hisposition as a trained farrier.

He is a great role model to all Traveller men

through out the country. He has an amazing

skill and we really wish him well and hope that he

continues on with his hard work.

We also feel that if at all possible he could offer training or

even talks to other groups of Traveller men who wish to go

down the same career path as Anthony.

If so it would be great if he could print his contact details in the

next issue of Voice of the Traveller.

Best of luck

FROM ALL THE TRAVELLER COMMUNITY IN KERRY

Voice of the Traveller got brilliant feedback on our feature with

Anthony. Hes happy to talk to people about his work and can be

contacted on 086 2537890.

LettersHoroscopes

LETTERof

theMonth

ARIES21 March - 20 April

Your mind is clear, confidence is strong andrestlessness is replaced by calm certainty.This will help you make the right decisionswhen theyre needed in the near future.

Available for Weddings, Anniversaries,

Communions & all Special Occasions.

We are based in the Midlands but can travelnationwide!

TRAVEL IN STYLE....THE ROMANTIC WAY WITH

McLynn Horsedrawn Carriages

Contact Michael

0879289202 or 090648554929



30/36

WeddingProfileThismonthsfeaturedweddingisRitaandOwen

McDonaghwhomarriedonSeptembe

r9,2008inFinglas.

thehappycouple

RitaandOwenasnewlyweds

thenewlyweds

Thelovelycoupleaftersigningthe

register

goingtothechapel

Ritaandherbridesmaidsposefor

aphotobeforeheadingtothe

church

beautifulbride

Ritawithherfabulouscrown

30



31/36

wecanboogieTheweddingpartytaketothedancefloor

welcometothefamilyRitaandOwenposewiththeirproudfamilies

anyoneforcake?Theamazingcakewithmultipletiers

checkout thetrain!Thebackofthe bridesdresscomple

te withlengthytrain

Photos courtesy of Otto Schrewder, Enniscorthy.31



32/36

Out&About

girlsaloud!LearnersatSt.CanicesPortlaoisegivethegirlgrouparunfortheirmoney!Backrow:Noreen

Harty,CharleneCash,MelissaMcDonagh,JulieanneCase,RoseHarty,NancyMcDonagh.

Frontrow:NanDonoghue,NoreenHarty,BarbaraDonoghue,HelenMcInerney.

ThismonthVoiceoftheTravelleris

delightedtoprintaselectionofou

rreadersphotographs!

Ifyouhaveaphoto

graphathomethatyouwouldlike

toseeinthemagazinepleasesend

itin

[email protected]

SandraOBrien,JonKennyandDir

ecto

St.JosephsEnnis,HelenOSullivan

enj

laughtogetherduringAontasWeek

.

NellMcDonaghanddancepartner

steppingitoutattherecentShamr

o

FestivalinNavan

smile for the cameraThe extended McCarthy family enjoying a day out at the Fun in the Park Festival in Cork recently!

32



33/36

welldone!LornaMartinfro

mMadonnaHouse,Ballinasloerec

eivingher

FetacLevel3AwardfromCouncill

orMichaelMullins.

acutabovetherest

Jodi Corcorancelebratingherfourthbirthday

party wearinga

gorgeouspinkprincessdressandsharingthe

funwithherfriend

Abbie Mongan!

theorganisers!

TinaNeylon,FestivalCo-ordinator,PatsyTwomey,VolunteerExtr

aordinaire

andSandraBrettCityofCorkVECattheFunintheParkFestival,

Cork

smile for the cameraCouncillor Michael Mullins presenting Kathleen Ward with herFetac Level 5 Award in Childcare in Madonna House, Ballinasloe.

havingfunintheparkNellQuilliganenjoyingthedaywithfamily.

33



34/36

Out&About

dramaqueens

MembersofClondalkinPrimary

HealthcareDramaGroupattheTr

avellingtoWellbeing

Conferencewhichtookplacerece

ntlyinCrokeParkConference

Centre.

Davy Ward and his wife Biddy Ward,

Tullamore sent in by their daughter

Geraldine

babykacischristening

KacisparentsPatrickandAnn,gra

ndparentsandfamily

AnneMarie,Olivia,JodiandAlans

entinbyproudgranny

AnneMarieCorcoran,Ballinasloe,

CoGalway.34



35/36

cinderella eat your heart out

Ita Kehoe, Mary Ann OShaughnessy, Esther Enright,

Ann McNamara, Nora Harty, Kristina McCarthy and

Brid Meehan from Riverside T.C. won 1st prize in

Rathkeales St. Patricks Day Parade!! Missing from

photo are Justine & Michelle Gammell.

here come the girls

Jessica McCarthy, Helen Dooley, Julie

McCarthy, Sandra McCarthy enjoying the

festival, Young Blackpool Travellers Group

beautifulbirrgirlsAlldressedupandlookingwell,agroupfromBirrTravellerProject,CoOffaly.

say cheese

Members of the BTEI group in St. Canices

Portlaoise, Elizabeth McDonagh, Rosaleen

Casey, Rena McDonagh, Teresa Ryan, Bridget

McInerney, Roseanne McInerney, Sharon Keenan

Kathleen Ward

congrats

AnthonyReilly

andMary

McDonagh,

Clondalkinon

theirwedding

dayFebruary4,

2009

35



36/36

Voice of the Traveller, April 2009

Documents

Transcript of Voice of the Traveller, April 2009