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

On Thursday, 23rd April 2026, University College Cork Access UCC hosted a Traveller Living History Exhibition as part of the Lifelong Learning Festival, celebrating 21 years of learning, connection, and community engagement. As a proud festival partner, UCC continued to champion widening participation and the creation of inclusive, welcoming spaces for all learners.

The event celebrated Traveller culture, heritage, and identity, while also acknowledging the ongoing barriers faced by Traveller communities, particularly anti-Traveller racism. It brought together Traveller organisations, students, staff, and members of the wider public, placing Traveller voices and lived experience at the centre of the day.

We were 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 explored the exhibition, attended a talk on Traveller history, and took part in interactive workshops including flower making, poster design, and traditional craft activities. The positive feedback from both attendees and workshop facilitators highlighted the importance and impact of creating these shared cultural spaces.

Event Highlights

Traveller Living History Exhibition
Held outside The Hub, this live cultural experience featured a traditional barrel-top wagon, storytelling, a traditional fire scene, tinsmith demonstrations, homemade bread sampling, and paper flower-making demonstrations.

Alen MacWeeney Photographic Archive
Hosted in The Atrium, The Hub, this powerful exhibition from UCC Library showcased MacWeeney’s acclaimed Traveller photography, while also reflecting on the historical impact of state legislation from the 1963 Commission on Itinerancy onwards, which sought to assimilate Travellers into settled society and undermine Traveller identity and traditions.

Art & Advocacy Exhibition
Presented by The Glucksman, this exhibition reflected on projects developed with the Traveller community over the past decade, including the Cork Travellers’ Flag, the Meelagh Creative Project, In Touch with Tradition, and Access All Areas. These projects celebrated creativity, cultural pride, and community collaboration.

The Cork Traveller Flag, first created in partnership with Traveller Visibility Group and Cork Travellers Women’s Network, was also proudly flown on campus during the event, symbolising visibility, recognition, and pride.

Traveller Organisations Showcase
Traveller Visibility Group and Travellers of North Cork showcased the important work they do across communities to promote inclusion, awareness, education, and advocacy for Traveller rights and representation.

Live Music Performance
The day featured a live performance by Steo Wall, whose music draws on Traveller identity, heritage, and lived experience, bringing an authentic and powerful voice to the celebration.

Traveller Cultural Awareness Training
This session provided participants with a deeper understanding of Traveller culture and history while highlighting the significant barriers Travellers continue to face in education, employment, and wider society.

Traveller Transitions: Racialised Inequalities in Education
Held at The Glucksman Gallery, this important research report launch explored how unequal educational experiences impact Traveller students’ journeys and futures, opening important conversations around change and educational equity. This 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).

Why This Matters

Irish Travellers continue to experience significant inequalities in education and wider society. This event created an important opportunity not only to celebrate Traveller culture, but also to challenge stereotypes, encourage dialogue, and strengthen understanding across the university community.

The Traveller Living History Exhibition reflected UCC’s ongoing commitment to inclusion, access, and belonging, aligning with both the Race Equality Action Plan and the UCC Strategic Plan. It demonstrated the value of meaningful partnership, visibility, and shared learning in building a more equitable university for all.

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.