Press Release December 2006
Tuesday 5th December 2006 Events
Traveller Focus Week 4th-9th December 2006 PARTICIPATION
Launch of Photo Exhibition Dunsink Memories
Venue: Finglas Library
Time: 12 pm
Symposium on Traveller Ethnicity
Venue: The Equality Authority
Time: 1-2pm
A Photo Exhibition ‘Dunsink Memories’ will be launched today at 12pm in Finglas Library as part of Traveller Focus Week. The exhibition was organised by Pavee Point Culture and Heritage Programme and will be launched by Bairbre Ni Fhloinn, Department of Folklore UCD.
The exhibition consists of interviews with a number of Travellers who have lived in Dunsink, many of whom have been in Dunsink since Travellers first began to live there permanently in the 1970’s. As well as interviews with Travellers the exhibition includes a number of different photographs which help to highlight the hardships of living in Dunsink but also show the strong sense of community evident in Dunsink.
The exhibition takes a look at the different families who have lived in Dunsink over the last 35 years, through interviews and photographs their stories and memories help to tell the valuable history of Dunsink.
The exhibition offers a unique insight into everyday life in Dunsink and also picks up on the difficulties Travellers have experienced in Dunsink over the years. These difficulties include poor living conditions, poor access to education and health services and general issues of exclusion and discrimination, culminating in the erection of the wall in 2004. The campaign to have the wall removed and other stories some happier and others more tragic are touched upon in the interviews.
“Interviewing the Travellers of Dunsink Lane brought back a lot of memories, both of sad and happy ones” says Ms Winnie Kerrigan Pavee Point Culture and Heritage Coordinator. “It’s a testament to the Travellers who have lived there that they have retained a strong sense of community spirit and there is a real vibrancy and enthusiasm among the community,” says Ms Kerrigan.
A Symposium and Briefing on Traveller Ethnicity focusing on the Equality Authority’s publication of a position paper on Traveller ethnicity will take place in the Equality Authority from 1-2pm. For copies of the position paper log on to
www.equality.ie/index.asp?locID=107&docID=556
Contact Patrick O’ Leary, Equality Authority
A series of events will take place throughout the country this week as part of Traveller focus week. For a full list of events please see Programme attached or log on to
www.paveepoint.ie/focus-week.html
For Further details Contact: Terry Battles 01 8780255
Issued by Pavee Point Travellers Centre 46 North Great Charles St Dublin 1