Irish Travellers

Travellers are:

“… a small indigenous minority group that has been part of Irish society for centuries. They have a value system, language, customs and traditions, which make them an identifiable group both to themselves and to others. Their distinctive lifestyle and culture, based on a nomadic tradition, sets them apart from the general population.”

(AITHS 2010: 9)

Facts about Travellers:

• Estimated total Traveller population is 40,129 on the island of Ireland
• 29,000 – 36,000 Travellers in ROI and they represent 1% of nations population
• Travellers fare poorly on every indicator used to measure socio-economic status: health, accommodation, education and employment
• Travellers experience high levels of racism and discrimination

“Their experience of low social status and exclusion, which can prevent them from participating in society as equals is often aggravated by hostility and misconceptions of people towards them”

(Helleiner 2000, AITHS 2010:9)

Myths and realities about Travellers:

• Travellers are not settled people pushed off their lands during various land clearances in the past few hundred years
• References to a group identified as similar to present day Travellers is sited as far back as the 5 th Century BC – long before the Irish land clearances of Cromwell (1649 – 1652) or those caused by the Great Famine 1845 (Sources: Pavee Point, Gmelch & Gmelch, 1976)
• Travellers have their own culture – key features are: nomadism, family, the importance of extended family, economic activity and faith
• One cannot become a Traveller; one has to be born into the Traveller community
• Travellers have their own language; Cant, Gammon
• Travellers who have settled into housing are still Travellers