The National Museum of Ireland, in collaboration with representatives from Ireland’s Travelling community, a team of historians, and advertising agency TBWA Dublin, launched the Mincéirí Archives. This pioneering audiovisual initiative gathers tales from Traveller elders, serving to maintain and advocate for the rich heritage of the Travelling community.
The Mincéirí, also referred to as Irish Travellers, are spotlighted in this collection of oral accounts and narrations documenting their experiences. The absence of compulsory Traveller history in Ireland’s school curriculum fuels the project’s ambition to serve as an educational resource for primary schools. The mission is to let future Irish children grow up with a more comprehensive awareness and regard for the Traveller community.
Presently, the collection features 10 videos, more of which are in the pipeline. These videos shed light on the Traveller’s invaluable contributions to various facets of Irish culture including art, music, sport, language, and traditional customs.
Chrissie Donoghue Ward, a Traveller, expressed the sentiment that if children are educated about the settled lifestyle, the same level of dedication should be given to learning about the travellers’ way of life.
The project’s urgency is underscored by demographics. Only 10% of the Traveller population is aged over 65, and the last census showed that only five were above the age of 85. Oein DeBhairduin, Traveller cultural collections officer at the National Museum of Ireland and himself a Traveller, highlighted the lack of measures to integrate Traveller history into the broader narrative of the island’s past. He mentions that teaching a version of history without their inclusion means teaching an inaccurate narrative, adding that people’s understanding of Travellers is often limited to their challenges and struggles. The reality of Traveller culture, he suggests, is often overlooked.
DeBhairduin emphasises the importance of increasing efforts to educate people about the history and culture of the Travelling community and believes that the Mincéirí Archives can serve as a valuable educational tool for educators and parents. He also took into account the negative images and information that is often found online when researching Travellers, stating “you’ll likely encounter a flood of unfavourable views, we hardly seem visible”.
DeBhairduin sees the Mincéirí Archive as a promising beginning, envisaging it as an opportunity to prominently feature the voices of the elder members of the community, hence firmly establishing the archives and providing exposure to their rich culture. He also deems it as a chance for the younger generation to reconnect with their roots.
Chrissie Donoghue Ward, an elder participant in the video series, highlights the significance of passing down historical knowledge, a tradition she has observed first-hand from her mother and continued with her own children. She suggests that these archives should be integrated into the education system; even suggesting their use in Government training programmes.
She draws attention to the limited representation of Traveller culture in the education material available in schools, where the primary focus is on the lives and cultures of the settled community. She believes the settled community should also be exposed to the culture of the Travelling community.
Niall Callan from Shelleybanks Educate Together National School in Dublin’s Sandymount (who played a role in the project) echoes the sentiment that the Travelling community are possibly the most disenfranchised minority group in the country, pointing out their lower life expectancy and limited access to educational resources.
Niall Callan, from Shellybanks Educate Together National School, underscored that their young learners gain vital insights on the historic prejudice faced by the Travelling community. However, a significant issue of concern, he pointed out, is that the narrative often underscores the negativity, the biases and hardships endured by this community. Such a lens may make the kids perceive these experiences primarily in a negative light.
On teaching the culture of the Travellers, the Mincéirí Archives presents itself as a resourceful and effective tool offering thought-provoking material, explained Callan. Too often, he continued, lessons on discrimination and equality revolve around the struggles a minority community endures rather than glorifying their unique culture. The archives counter this trend, spotlighting the Travelling community’s rich cultural standpoint that goes beyond the usual narrative of discrimination.
The long-standing issue has been that there aren’t enough resources available that cover the culture and history of the Travelling community, Callan mentioned. He added that he hasn’t encountered any history book that references the Travellers, with the few available resources being confined to the National Museum’s website and Traveller organizations like Pavee Point.
The availability of the Mincéirí Archives as a brilliant resource, therefore, comes as a relief, especially for teachers hoping to educate their learners on Traveller culture.
Dr Hannagh McGinley, the third Traveller to earn a PhD in the country’s history, and currently serving as education officer at the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, also lauded the presence of the archives in teaching Traveller history and culture in schools.
Reshaping the norm: A mother becomes a beacon of inspiration by completing a third-level education journey, a feat achieved by only 1.4% in her community. “One of my greatest mistakes, being a Traveller, was not documenting the tales shared by my grandparents. Their usage of the language was extraordinary. As a child, I mistakenly thought of it as gibberish,” Dr. McGinley laments. “The oral nature and tradition of the community makes it extremely crucial to preserve such anecdotes, once lost they can never be reclaimed.” She advocates for the importance of preserving these cultural narratives.