“I was always proud of being a Traveller and I always wanted my own culture and I always wanted to teach my own children about it so they could look forward to it too and they wouldn’t have to deny who they are.”
Those were the words of Cork woman Katie O’Donoghoe following confirmation that Irish Travellers are now recognised as a distinct ethnic group.
Cork Traveller Visibility Group celebrations at their offices at Lower John Street. Breda O’Donoghue, Chairperson, Cork Traveller Visibilty Group, Anne Burke, Co-ordinator, Southern Traveller Health Network, 73-year-old Katie O’Donoghue of The Traveller Women’s Network and Helen O’Sullivan of ‘Healthy Minds’. Pic; Larry Cummins
There were joyous scenes at the Traveller Visibility Group (TVG) in Cork yesterday as they welcomed the formal recognition of the ethnicity of Traveller people by the State.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny announced the news in a speech to the Dáil on Wednesday evening.
Breda O’Donoghue, chair of TVG, said: “I am delighted it is finally happening; sad that it took so long; yet hopeful that it will have a good impact on Travellers’ health.” Anne Burke, a co-founder of the TVG, said that she hopes it will make for better relationships between the community and the Government.
“If they only listened to us over 30 years ago; we always knew we were people in our own right. I just hope that this is not too little too late. When I look at all the damage that has been done, I hope that this will encourage Government departments to engage more meaningfully with us and that it brings about real equality for Travellers.”
Traveller Celebrations
Katie O’Donoghue, a 73-year-old Traveller woman said it was the best day of her life.
“I was always proud of being a Traveller and I always wanted my own culture and I always wanted to teach my own children about it so they could look forward to it too and they wouldn’t have to deny who they are if they wanted to do something and go for a job. Now they can lift their head high, say ‘Im a Traveller’ and be proud of it. Hopefully things will change and our young children won’t be ashamed to go to school and they won’t be called ‘Tinkers’.” The Cork Equal and Sustainable Communities Alliance (CESCA), of which TVG is a member, released a statement saying the recognition will finally allow Travellers to take their rightful place as full members of Irish society.
“There are many reasons why this recognition is such a positive development: it acknowledges the uniqueness of Irish Traveller culture, and the valuable contributions Travellers have made to Irish society,” the statement read.
Ethnicity – Anne Burke, Co-ordinator, Southern Traveller Health Network
“Acknowledging the dual identity of Irish Travellers – with positive references to their culture – will make them feel respected and included, a part of Irish society, rather than apart from it.
“It also takes us a significant step closer to reducing racism and discrimination against Travellers. Several international human rights bodies had criticised Ireland for failing to recognise Traveller ethnicity; it damaged Ireland’s reputation as a country that respects equality and human rights.
Ethnicity – Cork Traveller Visibility Group – What it means to them
“Since Travellers had not been recognised as an ethnic minority previously, they were usually excluded from anti-racism policies and protections. This lack of recognition also hampered data collection on Travellers: ethnic identifiers are vital in identifying and rectifying the inequalities that specific communities face.
Travellers: In their own words
KATIE O’DONOGHUE (TRAVELLER WOMENS’ NETWORK): “I’ve been 30 years coming and going from meetings and talking about ethnicity and a lot of other things. I’m so proud. I can hardly talk without tears in my eyes. When my daughter was able to phone me and tell me we were after getting through, it was the best thing that ever happened to me because I thought that I wouldn’t be around for it. I’m so glad that I am. I’m so glad for my grandchildren and all those that can enjoy it. They now know that they have their culture and their rights and they can look forward to things that they couldn’t beforehand.
Ethnicity – Reference to Children – Their perspective
HELEN O’SULLIVAN (TRAVELLER HEALTHY MINDS PROJECT): “It might not affect me now and my generation but it will for my two children. For me, growing up in Dublin, my aunt Catherine Joyce, she was a huge pillar and role model growing up and I always saw her on television talking about being a Traveller and fighting for Travellers’ rights. I tried to follow in her footsteps, a little bit differently, but with the same kind of dream, that one day, people would accept us for who we are and I just want the same for my children that every other child is entitled to. I tried to explain to my five-year-old what it means and how proud we are but I’m sure he’ll understand in 10 year’s time.
BREDA O’DONOGHUE (TVG): “For me, it means I no longer have to feel ashamed to say that I’m a Traveller in public. It means my children won’t be ashamed. For so long we’ve been known as people who fell off the land during the Famine, that we didn’t have our own culture, our own identity and the announcement means that we can finally put that to bed. We’ve been around for generations and we can finally just say that we are proud of it.”
Ethnicity – Anne Burke, Co-ordinator, Southern Traveller Health Network
ANN BURKE(TVG): “I sat in the gallery of the Dáil yesterday and when that announcement was made, I can’t even describe it. I haven’t even absorbed what it means for me yet. I spent 25 years of my life going on the train to Dublin, lobbying politicians and looking for Travellers’ rights and ethnicity. My whole life experience is that we have been treated differently but when we told them we’re different, the said ‘oh no, you’re no different from anybody else’. [The announcement] was a recognition of that difference and an affirmation for us that what we’ve been doing for the last 25 years hasn’t been in vain. We actually won something and we needed that win. I’m not naive, I don’t think it’s the answer to all our problems but it sets a level playing pitch.”
VIDEO: Ethnicity – John O’Sullivan, Men’s Development worker.
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