Traveller Pride event in Louth to celebrate storytelling, crafts, music and games

Samantha Maguire began to feel pride in her Irish Traveller heritage while living in New York and after 15 years in America. On returning home, she met regularly with other women from the Traveller background and helped establish the Louth Traveller Movement. Weekly meetings took place in the Louth Local Development office in Dundalk, and her experience brought renewed energy and momentum. A committee was formed to organise Louth Traveller Pride on Friday May 29 from 11am to 3pm at the Redeemer Resource Centre. The event celebrates culture and heritage, offers younger people insight into past Traveller life, and includes activities such as entering a traditional Traveller wagon, traditional crafts, storytelling, music, and games. Performances include songs passed down by Margaret Barry’s family, with storytelling by Nellmarie McDonagh. The event is inclusive and open to everyone, with expected participation from 200 local schoolchildren.

"I was living in America for 15 years and when I was there I was so proud of my heritage,"

"They were meeting up every week in the Louth Local Development office in Dundalk,"

"I brought a different kind of energy as I had been living in the United States and I wanted to turn it into something bigger and better rather than just meeting up for a bit of craic. I think it just took a bit of fresh blood to get things going as they were fed up with the rug being pulled out from under them on previous occasions."

"There will be a chance to step inside a traditional Traveller wagon to see what life on the road was like, as well as traditional crafts, story-telling, music and games. The Barry family, grandchildren and great grandchildren of the legendary singer Margaret Barry , will be performing songs that she passed down, while story-teller Nellmarie McDonagh will be giving an insight into the rich cullture of the Travelling community."

Read at Irish Independent