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You are > Home > Mayo plan for national symbol for Travellers
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Wednesday, August 03, 2005
Mayo plan for national symbol for Travellers
By Majella Loftus
A Mayo traveller is leading a major campaign for a Traveller Flag or symbol for their community.
The work which Bernard Sweeney is currently putting all of his time into and which he is hoping will result in something positive for his community, will be decided in September when the community will vote around the country for the acceptance or disregard of a national symbol for travellers.
A native of Ballinrobe, Bernard has been travelling around the county for the past number of weeks in the hope of convincing his comrades their community should have an overall symbol which he is hoping will be a flag.
As he explained, the idea came when a group of travellers got together to form a group called “Mincheir Whiden” or ‘Travellers Talking’. They were initially set up to discuss traveller’s issues and rights and this idea was then brought up within the members present. Bernard said they felt, “there was a need to have a traveller only space within the community development area because all other involved organisations are partnerships between the traveller and settled communities.”
The idea has now advanced onto a much broader platform and it has been decided that a vote should be taken within the community on September 15th next on a national level. “We decided to organise a vote which will take place in September in which people will decide on a symbol, a flag, or nothing at all. The democracy around it is very even handed. It will include travellers all over Ireland aged 15 and over.”
Despite much of the traveller community feeling this is a good idea, they have met opposition towards a symbol. “Some travellers feel we are diluting their Irishness, we already have one flag and why have another. Others have used tactics of scare mongering. People have been told they will lose their passports, driver’s licence, etc, to turn them against it.”
Bernard has now moved to live in Castlebar and works with Mayo Traveller Support Group. He is one of two workers who travel the county full time. “We need all the voluntary help we can get and we want travellers to get involved. It is low self esteem and confidence that plays a big part in it.”
He himself is 100% for the idea. “There are flags everywhere. There are town, county, boyscouts, club flags, etc, up to the National flag and it is all part of one’s identity. So we are just saying why not have a flag that represents travellers. It would identify us as Irish travellers.
Other ethnic groups around the world all have flags. Personally I think it would be a mark of respect for travellers who have died over the years. For me, we would have it on anti-racism days, celebrations as a badge of pride. It is nothing more than that and will never take away our Irishness.”
Bernard has his own theory on why people are against the concept. “People are against it because they are feeding off their own fear a lot. Being an ethnic minority group, even though we are not recognised by the Government as an ethnic minority group, we are recognised throughout England and the North but not the Republic. It think it is fear of identifying ourselves at all due to racism and discrimination. Maybe travellers are not ready for it yet.”
Despite this, there have been 30,000 voting cards printed and being distributed throughout the country with support groups holding the polling stations. “It’s like nothing that has been done before and is the most inclusive piece of work.”
Getting the community to vote for the idea on a majority basis, Bernard feels, is going to be difficult and will cause problems. “I don’t think we will get it. The scare mongering and fear is being put into it and we are a very vulnerable community in terms of what has happened in the last number of years through opression, etc.”
Members of the “Mincheir Whiden” group in Mayo include Rose Mary Maughan from Ballinrobe and Bernadette Commiskey who is part of the Traveller Support Group. In total there are 16 members but, “Those who are 20 years or 20 minutes involved have an equal say. The group themselves have decided not to take a stance on the flag because there are people within the group who are for and against it. “It will be the travellers themselves who will decide.”
On September 5th in The Linenhall Arts Centre, travellers are being invited to an information evening on the whole issue. “We have asked Martin Collins from Pavee Point and Rose Mary or Bernadette to give a speech on what the whole voting system is about and also the consequences of voting for and against. We are calling on anyone who is against the flag to come forward and speak about it and to put their points forwards. There is no settled influence on this. “
The response in his home county, Bernard says is good and he has not come across anyone, as yet, who is against it. Despite this the community in Sligo are 50/50 and some people in Galway are against it.
“Why have any flag if it is not a badge of honour and pride. We are asking support groups to help us out. If it goes ahead it will be a badge of pride which marks our identity. There is nothing political involved in it. We are not going away, this is who we are and we are proud of who we are,” Bernard concluded.
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