PRP - Travellers Part II

So, after a couple weeks of searching, I've come up with lots of empty hands but a few more leads to pursue as I delve into this research project. I've narrowed my focus to study the Irish-American Traveller population here in the US. However, I'm amazed at the number of times I've contacted specialists in Irish culture at the Irish Consulate, and even Traveller organizations based in Ireland, and I feel a bit like I'm asking them if they know the sound of one hand clapping.

However, there is hope! I had the bright idea to ask John M., one of the VPs at the company I work for, what his opinion was on where to search. He's much more connected with his Irish roots than I am, and a very intelligent man to boot. He actually had some really good suggestions, such as:

• RTE (the Irish BBC)
• Irish Echo (a newspaper out of NYC)
• Quinnipiac University (in Connectict with a robust Irish studies department)
• Irish America (a magazine here in the US)
• Out of Ireland (a show on WLIW)

So that ought to keep me busy for a while! I will post links and information for those sources as soon as I have a chance to research them. However, I think a quick recap of what I've accomplished so far is in order.

Organizations & people I have contacted:

• Professor David V. : Quinnipiac University
  
• Emma N. : Friends, Families & Travellers
• Nicola Mc. : Travellers Tairing
  
• Irish Travellers Movement

On to the next portion of my research!

Personal Research Project - Travellers Part I

I've started up an interesting new personal research project. (Because, of course, I don't have nearly enough stuff to keep me occupied between my three pets, family that lives 2 1/2 hours away, boyfriend, job, MBA, etc. etc. etc...).

I was recently doing some general research online (during my lunch break, of course), and I came across the plight of a minority that I have only become acquainted with through the misconceptions of popular culture and a brief glimpse on the side of the road when my family was traveling through Ireland in 2001.

The Travellers of Ireland are a minority that have been continuously subjugated and rated as second-class citizens on both an individual and organizational level. Whether it is through over acts of violence against these people, social exclusion from public places such as pubs and other buildings, or even the systemic enforcement of using seperate facilities from the general population for applying for welfare, Travellers are forced to take a second-row seat to what the rest of us enjoy as a normal life.

What really spurred on my interest in this were some statistics I read in a paper that you can read here titled "Racism In Ireland: Travellers Fighting Back". Some of the details included were these:

• Travellers have more than double the national rate of stillbirths.
• Infant mortality rates are three times higher than the national rate.
• Traveller women live, on average, 12 years less than settled women.
• Traveller men live, on average, 10 years less than settled men.
• Travellers' life expectancy is now at the level that settled people reached in the 1940's.

There is actually a relatively 'large' population of Travellers living here in the US. I've written to the Irish Traveller's Movement (based in Dublin) for information about any possible information they may have regarding Travellers in America.

The closest I've ever come to getting any sort of understanding of this group is by watching The Riches. I'd like to really know who these people are. My heritage may not be directly Traveller, but they are still Irish and that is certainly a large part of who I am. I'm excited to learn more about this group - tune in later for more details.