Travellers got talent in abundance
Travellers and gypsies have never been as famous, with supermodel Kate Moss revealing she was inspired to get married by the romance of the colourful series, Big Fat Gypsy Wedding; while traveller Paddy Doherty’s surprise win of Celebrity Big Brother came just weeks before the community faced eviction from Dale Farm.
The fairytale hooped dresses and unfamiliar customs in the wedding series sparked a huge fascination with the Traveller culture. Now Travellers and gypsies from all over Ireland and England are showing off their talents in Travellers Got Talent, part of the new Biography Channel series, A Gypsy Life for Me, which will be screened tomorrow night.
Irish Romany gypsy, Roisin Mullins, from Castletownroche in Co. Cork, who starred in Lord of the Dance, is one of the three judges on the show.
She said: “It’s a show based on X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent but you have to be an Irish Traveller or a Romany gypsy to enter.
“I’m quite unusual as I’m an Irish Romany gypsy. I toured with Lord of the Dance for a year and I have my own dance troupe called Raven.
“At the auditions a lot of Travellers came from Ireland and there were a lot of Irish Travellers there who were living in England. Some came from as far away as Europe.
X Factor’s Cher Lloyd is the most recent star with gypsy heritage, but Charlie Chaplin and the Gypsy Kings are also famous names from the community. The juggernaut ITV show has already asked some of the contestants from the gypsy show to appear in next year’s round of auditions.
Ms Mullins said shows like Big Fat Gypsy Wedding and A Gypsy Life for Me are beginning to change the perception of their communities.
“They are real people in Big Fat Gypsy Wedding and they do get married. It didn’t represent me personally, but there are lots of young girls who dream of a big wedding and want to get married young. There are also girls like me who have degrees and good jobs. So, there is a mixture.”
The series also aims to give a better understanding of Traveller culture by going to locations such as Dale Farm, The Epsom Derby and the Lee Gap Horse Fair in Yorkshire. In the new series, gypsy Jake Bowers and Tracy Nedic, who promote Travellers Got Talent, say the show will change attitudes towards the community.
A Gypsy Life for Me starts on the Biography Channel tomorrow, November 15 at 9pm.
