Travellers shouldn’t have to win gold to be accepted

AMBASSADOR: Tom Delaney of Tipperary with the Electric Ireland Best & Fairest Award for his major performance in the Electric Ireland GAA All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship Semi-Final. Photo by Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile

Travellers shouldn’t have to excel in sport to be accepted, says Irish Travellers Movement director Bernard Joyce.

On Travellers Pride week where 14-year-old Catherine Reilly claimed an award for captaining her club St Brigid’s to Dublin and All-Ireland Feile championships, Joyce has welcomed the growing number of achievements by Travellers in Gaelic games. 

Tom Delaney was the star of the Tipperary minor hurlers’ recent All-Ireland winning campaign.

Boxing has also provided many Traveller success stories but Joyce maintains sports stars never mind teenagers shouldn’t be tasked with breaking down negative preconceived opinions of the ethnic minority.

“I applaud any Traveller who is out there in sport and engage but many Travellers aren’t going to be scoring goals, winning gold or silver medals. An Irish Sports Council study last year reported only 32% of people felt sports clubs would welcome Travellers or those only 34% says their clubs try and reach out to minority communities.

“Tom Delaney is a great ambassador and is doing massively well but there are so many others who don’t feel welcome and don’t feel included or supported and aren’t the star player. How many goals do you have to score before somebody accepts you? How many wins before somebody accepts you? And what about the child who isn’t going to do either, just wants to be part of a team. What do they have to do to be accepted? It’s more about people accepting people for what and how they are.

“Racism towards Travellers in Ireland is so embedded and that has to be addressed but placing that responsibility on the shoulders of those who are doing well on the sports field is not fair or right. It should be a case where the clubs are showing what steps they are taking.” 

That’s not to say Joyce doesn’t see the value of sport in fighting stigmas and encouraging inclusion. “We have Travellers who are playing in the Welsh team (Samson Lee). You have young Travellers excelling in GAA, particularly handball.

“It shows if opportunities are given it shows people can excel. Sport has a significant role in promoting participation and inclusion of all people including Travellers and stamping out racism not just for selective groups but everyone.

“It’s so important that Travellers are reaching new heights in sport and leading teams can stand proud of who they are. That didn’t happen by itself. They can be proud of their families and communities for helping them what they have achieved.”