Traveller Living History Exhibition at UCC: Promoting Inclusion Through Visibility and Engagement

On Thursday, 23rd April, Access UCC will host a Traveller Living History Exhibition at University College Cork as part of the Lifelong Learning Festival, celebrating 21 years of learning, connection, and community engagement. As a proud partner of the festival, UCC continues to champion widening participation and the creation of inclusive, welcoming spaces for all learners.

This event honours Traveller culture, heritage, and identity, while also acknowledging the ongoing barriers, particularly anti-Traveller racism, that continue to affect Traveller communities. The day brings together Traveller organisations, students, staff, and the wider public, centring Traveller voices and lived experience.
We are especially pleased to welcome Traveller primary and secondary school students to campus, supporting early engagement and fostering a sense of belonging within higher education. Throughout the morning, students will have the opportunity to explore the exhibition, attend a talk on Traveller history, and take part in interactive workshops, including flower making and poster design. The programme will also create opportunities for students to engage directly with Traveller organisations and community representatives, strengthening connections and sharing lived experiences.

Event Highlights

• Traveller Living History Exhibition (10am - 4pm, The Hub)

A live cultural experience featuring a barrel‑top wagon, storytelling, a traditional fire scene, tinsmith demonstrations, homemade bread sampling, and paper‑flower making demonstrations. 

• Alen MacWeeney Photographic Archive (10am - 4pm, The Atrium, The Hub) 

A powerful UCC Library exhibition showcasing MacWeeney’s acclaimed Traveller photography. The exhibition also highlights the historical impact of state legislation - from the 1963 Commission on Itinerancy onwards - which often sought to assimilate Travellers into settled society, undermining their nomadic way of life, culture, and traditions. Through this lens, the exhibition invites reflection on the resilience of Traveller identity and the ongoing importance of cultural recognition and inclusion. 

• Art & Advocacy Exhibition (10am - 4pm, The Atrium, The Hub)

The Glucksman’s showcase, Art & Advocacy, reflects on projects developed with the Traveller community in the museum over the past decade. These projects include:

 1. Cork Travellers’ Flag

In 2018, members of Cork Traveller Visibility Group and Cork Travellers Women’s Network were invited to The Glucksman to work with artists Helen O’Keeffe and Claire Coughlan on the design and creation of the first Cork Travellers’ flag. In a historic moment for the city, the flag was raised over Cork City Hall during Traveller Pride Week.

 2. Meelagh Creative Project

The Meelagh Girls’ Creative Project in 2021 saw teenagers explore their cultural heritage through large-scale artworks and music. The mural created by the group focused on unity, friendship, and tradition, and transformed the appearance of their community hub.

 3. In Touch with Tradition

As part of Cork Heritage Week in 2018, The Glucksman showcased the creativity of local Traveller girls in the exhibition In Touch with Tradition. The young participants from the Spring Lane halting site created portraits, paintings, and sculptures that explored the challenges the Traveller community faces in maintaining its heritage and traditions in the 21st century.

 4. Access All Areas

Access All Areas: Snapshots of a Day in University College Cork was an exhibition of photography by secondary school students who visited the university as part of the Traveller Student Engagement Initiative. 
In 2022, The Glucksman was one of fifteen organisations in Cork City to be recognised at the inaugural Traveller Ally Awards. The Traveller Ally Award recognises the work of organisations and also serves as a signal to the Traveller community that these organisations respect Traveller culture and are open to working with and supporting it.

• Traveller Organisations Showcase (10am–1pm, The Atrium, The Hub)

Traveller Visibility Group (TVG) and Travellers of North Cork (TNC) will showcase the impactful work they carry out across the wider community to promote inclusion, awareness, and advocacy. This includes engaging directly with schools, delivering sessions on Traveller culture, history, and traditions, while also advocating for Traveller rights and representation. Through this work, they help to foster understanding, challenge discrimination, and build a stronger sense of respect and belonging among young people and the wider community. 

• Live Music (10am–1pm, The Hub) 

Performance by Steo Wall, an Irish singer-songwriter and proud member of the Traveller community. His music draws on personal experience, culture and identity, exploring themes of heritage and belonging while celebrating Traveller traditions. He has performed at major festivals and appeared on RTÉ Radio 1, the RTÉ Folk Awards, and television programmes including The Late Late Show and The Tommy Tiernan Show. Through his work, he brings an authentic voice to Traveller culture and to the Traveller Living History event.

• Traveller Cultural Awareness Training (11am–1pm) 

Traveller Culture Awareness Training (TCAT) gives participants a deeper understanding of Traveller culture and history while clearly highlighting the significant barriers Travellers continue to face. The session explores discrimination, structural inequalities, and the everyday obstacles that impact Traveller access to education, employment, and wider society.

• Traveller Transitions: Racialised Inequalities in Education (2:00 pm – 4:00 pm, The Glucksman Gallery)

Join us as we launch our research report highlighting how unequal educational experiences impact Traveller students’ journeys and futures.

This in-person event will explore the experiences of Traveller young people and the challenges they face in education due to racialised inequalities. The report is co-authored by Dr. Gemma Campion (University College Cork - UCC), Anne Burke (Traveller Visibility Group - TVG), Professor Nicola Ingram (UCC), Dr. Aoife Neary (UCC), and Ann-Marie Rogan (Traveller Education Unit - TEU). Join us for this important discussion on the possibilities for change and a better future for Traveller young people.

Booking is available via Eventbrite:https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/traveller-transitions-racialised-inequalities-in-education-tickets-1983890626268?aff=oddtdtcreator

Why This Matters

Irish Travellers continue to experience significant inequalities in education and broader society. This event seeks not only to raise awareness but also to challenge stereotypes, encourage dialogue, and build cultural understanding across the university community.

Supporting UCC's Commitments

This initiative reflects UCC’s Race Equality Action Plan (REAP) 2026–2028 and aligns with the UCC Strategic Plan 2023–2028, where inclusion, access, and belonging are central pillars. The exhibition demonstrates UCC’s ongoing commitment to visibility, representation, and partnership with Traveller communities. 

We encourage colleagues and students to attend, participate, and support this important event, contributing to a more inclusive and equitable university for all.

How do I get in contact?

Access UCC are located on the 1st floor, The Hub Building, UCC Main Campus, College Road, Cork, UCC.

Please get in touch with access@ucc.ie, GButler@ucc.ie if you have any queries and we will get back to you within regular daytime office hours.