Statement from Kerry Traveller Health Community Development Project on the ‘Travelling Rose’ event, 5-7 August 2016, Listowel, Co. Kerry

August 4th 2016

Kerry Traveller Health Community Development Project would like to extend a warm welcome to Kerry to the contestants of the “Travelling Rose” event and their families.  We wholly support the contestants and wish them well.

We have had no part in organising the event and as a project we do not endorse events which are being filmed for TV programmes which may have a negative impact on the Traveller community.

While we do not endorse the event, we fully support the right of any group of people to organise an event in Kerry, free from any form of discrimination.

It has come to our attention that accommodation booked by the organisers of the “Travelling Rose” event has been cancelled by the hostel owner at late notice. We have been informed that some business owners have considered closing their business or hiring extra security.

We would ask people to treat this event as they would any other. It is hugely hurtful to the Traveller community in Listowel that such an issue has been made out of a relatively small delegation of visitors to the town, from the Traveller community.

While we understand the usual approach to festival organising is the coordination between organisers and the Gardaí to ensure safety, traffic and smooth event management, this is a small scale event and we are not aware of other festivals of this size being subject to additional security.

It has been very upsetting to the young people involved who are scared of the reception they might receive in Listowel.  It is grossly unfair to the contestants to be potentially faced with hostility, simply because they are Traveller.  If we heard of a situation in America where a town shut down for a Black beauty contest, we would all be rightly outraged. There is no need to fear these young women and their families. We ask the local councillor’s to show leadership in liaising with business owners in taking a sensible approach to such a small event.

We have been in contact with An Gardai, the organiser of the event and with members of the Traveller community in Listowel. We will have independent monitors at the event over the weekend. The National Traveller Organisations have been in touch and we all hope that each contestant is treated with the respect that she deserves and that the people of Listowel welcome the contestants and their families, as they would with any other delegation who are participating in events held in Listowel.
There are up to 100 summer festivals happening throughout the country from May – September.  In the county of Kerry, it would be unheard of for local business to consider closing their premises during Listowel writers week, the Puck Fair or indeed the Rose of Tralee at a time of trade opportunities.  Before this event takes place, these pointless impositions cause an “unwelcome” atmosphere, and contradict the nature of the Kerry welcome.