By John Madden On Friday 17th November, 12 young Travellers from across Galway took on the roles of museum guides in the Galway City Museum as part of Takeover Day 2017. It was the second year that the museum was involved in this unique initiative but it was the first year that it involved a…
By David Jo Murphy. Leanne McDonagh is a name that will be familiar to many of our readers. She was the breakaway success on the RTE TV series Norah’s Traveller Academy where she launched her fledgeling art career. Since completing the RTE series Leanne has built upon her existing body of artwork to expand…
By John Madden Across the country there are several horse projects in operation. One such project is the Offaly Traveller Movement (OTM). The project began as a six-month pilot scheme and after a successful trial run; it was decided to continue it and to roll out a separate one in Laois. These began in 2011…
By David Jo Murphy. Irish society is becoming more varied and culturally diverse with each passing generation and our schools are at the forefront of these changes. Whilst there is excellent work taking place in schools to ensure that they are inclusive places I still regularly hear terrible accounts from Travellers about the…
By Noelle Mann Growing up and accepting yourself and your identity is tough for everyone. Belonging to an ethnic minority group can make things even more complicated, and many Irish Travellers and Roma struggle to find their place in Irish society. If you also add in the issue of sexuality or feeling that your…
When offered a place in a Masters in Community Music at the Irish World Academy, Limerick, last August, I was presented with the opportunity of discovering new musical genres, people and cultures. I set a goal at the start of my year’s study to open my mind as much as possible to the many music…
Travellers’ Voice always encourages readers to share their stories with others. We also encourage them to make sure their voices are heard and show others what makes them great in their own unique way. In this article, we tell the story of a young Traveller girl who hopes to make her future a very successful…
This article is taken from our archives and was published in The Voice of the Traveller Magazine (Now known as Voice of the Traveller Magazine) by David Lynch. The fatal shootings of two British soldiers and a PSNI officer by ‘dissident’ republicans in 2011 fired the North back into the headlines. Over 3,000 people lost…
Have you ever wondered where the term ‘sulky’ comes from? Supposedly it comes from the fact that the sulky cart only has one seat so the driver prefers to sit on his own! Sulky racing is a popular sport in many countries around the world, in Norway and Finland it is as popular as greyhound…
Miriam Kerins chats with BT Young Scientist entrant Ian McDonagh who shows us just what young Traveller teens are capable of achieving when given a chance. If you’re the parent of a teenager, you may often find yourself on the receiving end of endless eye rolls, slammed doors, disagreements and major attitudes; much as I…
By Noelle Mann In a previous issue of Travellers’ Voice, we featured Muló, a new short film set in London, which explores some of the issues affecting Roma communities in the UK and beyond. Muló is currently in post-production and will be completed later this year. Bobi Rostas, who plays the leading role of Nicu,…
By David Lynch From the blistering heat of Iraq during the Great War, to border duty at the height of the Troubles, Irish Travellers have a long, proud history of military service. Tales have passed down within families but among the wider community little is known about this tradition. David Lynch talks to Travellers about…
By David Lynch Christmas is a time of faith and family for Travellers. Thousands of Irish Travellers live in Britain and many will return for the festive season. David Lynch spoke to Martin Moloney-Naughton, ex Irish Traveller Co-ordinator for the North of England. For many Travellers the Irish Sea is not an important barrier. Family…
By Julieanne Doorley & David Lynch Fr. Paddy, tell us a little about your background? I was born in Limerick city in October 1944. I’ve two sisters, one of whom is a nun in Limerick and the other is married and living in Dublin. My mother was a Limerick woman and, my father was from…