Travellers refused disco entry

LEGAL action is being considered after bouncers blocked 15 young Traveller cousins from attending a teenage Hallowe’en disco in Cork’s City Hall.

The group of 11 girls and four boys from the McCarthy family in Blackpool, ranging in age from 14 to 16, were on an organised family trip to the non-alcohol Cidona Roadshow Disco on Tuesday night.

Una Murray, a coordinator with the Cork Traveller Women’s Network, spent €300 on tickets for the group.

The teenagers were dropped by six parents outside City Hall just after 7pm. Four parents were due to collect them at midnight.

Bouncers singled out one of the boys and accused him of causing trouble at last year’s event — an accusation he denies. Within minutes, the whole McCarthy group was turned away as friends from the settled community were allowed in.

Margaret McCarthy, the mother of one of the group, said she was furious.

“They were wearing their Christmas clothes and were looking forward to going to the disco for weeks,” she said.

She lost two sons to suicide last year and said there is nowhere for young people to go. “We were sending them to this disco because it’s alcohol free, it’s safe and there’s loads of security.

“And then when they try to go, they are discriminated against.”

Maureen Ryan, Cork City Council’s social worker for Travellers for the last 26 years, also condemned the bouncers for discriminating against young Travellers.

“I’ve had enough. Society should have moved on some bit,” she said. She plans to raise the matter with senior city officials who are responsible for hiring City Hall’s concert hall for teenage discos.

A council spokeswoman said security and admission were matters for event organisers, The Grooveyard.

Its managing director, James Galvin, defended the action of his door staff.

“I don’t care whether people are Travellers or not, black or white.

“If we get any indication of anything untoward, any boisterous activity, any back-chat or anything like that, it’s a case of ‘you’re not coming in, end of story’. We have zero tolerance.”

Mr Galvin said all his staff are fully trained and ” are also fully versed on the Equal Status Act 2002”.

Thirty five people were refused access to the disco on Halloween night.

The McCarthys are meeting with a solicitor from the Equality Authority next week to consider possible legal action.