By Patrick Nevin St. Joseph’s National School in Rathkeale, County Limerick are well known for its deep culture of reading. Books line the walls, and stories fill the classroom. Every week, students make a familiar trip to the local library. For years, students have wandered through the shelves, choosing stories from far and wide across…
Submitted by Treasa Sheahan A much-loved community radio show is back on the airwaves this January! Community Health Matters, from the West Limerick Primary Healthcare Project for Travellers (West Limerick Resources), is making a welcome return on West Limerick 102fm. First aired over ten years ago, the programme quickly became a trusted space for open…
By Connor Robertson Imbolc, falling on the 1st of February, marks the first quiet stirring of spring. It’s the festival that bridges the long, dark nights of winter with the first signs of returning light. In pre-Christian Ireland, Imbolc was tied to the fertility of the land and livestock, to the birth of lambs and…
By Rachel Kellaghan Rethink Ireland recently celebrated the launch of its Equity in Education Fund report. Many students from the Traveller community and other backgrounds face barriers to education. The event highlighted the crucial work needed to address educational inequalities prevalent throughout Ireland. Introduced by Professor Judith Harford, the Equity in Education Fund report highlighted…
By Patrick Nevin Music has a way of finding the people it belongs to, and for Jerry O’Connor, it found him when he was just eight years old. In 1979, he picked up his very first tin whistle, inspired by his brother, who was taking lessons in school. At home, the air was always filled…
By Rachel Kellaghan The Women’s Group from Clare Traveller Community Development Group launched their Cookery Book, Traditional & Modern Traveller Recipes on October 29th at the College of Further Education and Training (FET) in Ennis. The launch of their cookery book celebrates the tradition and heritage that the Women’s Group has worked hard to document,…
By Connor Robertson Gambling is a common activity in Ireland, whether it’s sports, horses, casino or online. For most people, it remains an occasional form of entertainment. But for a growing number, gambling can become something more serious. Something that affects finances, relationships, and mental health. This is known as problem gambling, and recent data suggests it may be…
Would you like to shape the future of Traveller Children and Young People’s participation and outcomes in Tusla services. This initiative from Tusla and in partnership with Laois Traveller Action Group and Dormant Accounts Funding is looking to recruit members for the new Traveller Youth Advisory Group. If you have experience of Tusla Services –…
By Connor Robertson As the evenings darken and a chill creeps into the air, Ireland prepares for one of its oldest festivals, Samhain. Long before Halloween became costumes and sweets, Samhain marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of the dark half of the year. Celebrated from sunset on the 31st of October…
By Mary Mitchell Sometimes the most transformative experiences come from the most unexpected places. For me, that moment arrived when I joined a podcasting course, a collaborative initiative between Blanchardstown Adult Services (BAES) and the Blanchardstown Traveller Development Group (BTDG). It was through this partnership that I first encountered the Blanchardstown Traveller Development Group (BTDG),…