This afternoon at Maynooth University the John O’Connell Award was posthumously awarded to Seán Regan in memory of his community work for human rights.
A guest lecture was delivered by Michael O’Flaherty, Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner. Michael began by paying tribute to both Pavee Point and the Maynooth University Department of Applied Social Studies, affirming that their 40 years of collaboration marks “an alliance of two remarkable partners”.
He offered that: “Pavee Point is an international example of good practice of engagement and impact in standing up for the human rights of Travellers and Roma. The Department of Applied Social Studies, for its part, has been a groundbreaking bridge between academia and society”.
Michael went on to pay tribute to the work of Anastasia Crickley, her late husband John O’Connell, and the late Seán Regan and his partner Rachel Doyle.
Identifying “a shifting of global tectonic plates” with regards to power alliances, diplomacy and global crises, Michael stated that he could no longer believe in an arc of the moral universe that bends automatically towards justice.
But, in that, he asserted a belief, “in the endless possibility of change, including for the better”. He cited his belief in people, and in the decency of people that he sees everywhere he goes.
Michael concluded on a note of hope for the future: “I have a solid evidence-based belief that human rights can prevail, and that they can be embedded at the heart of humanity’s new era”.
Prior to Michael’s guest lecture, Bridgie Collins gave a rendition of ‘One Starry Night’. Anastasia Crickley followed Michael O’Flaherty with a few words in praise of the collaboration between Maynooth University (MU) and Pavee Point. Rudolf Simonic and Annie McDonnell of Pavee Point also spoke of their fruitful collaborations with MU, with Rudolf offering a tribute to Seán Regan.
Rachel Doyle, the wife of Seán, accepted the John O’Connell Award on his behalf, and shared a few words about the passion he had for the Traveller and Roma communities that he worked for in Longford. Rudolf Simonic then presented Sean’s sons with the Roma flag.
Seán Regan dedicated his life to standing with marginalised communities, advocating tirelessly for equality and human rights with courage and conviction.
In recent years, in his role as Social Inclusion Programmes Manager for Longford Community Resources (LCRL), he managed the Roma Community Project and also oversaw the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme and the Empowering Communities Programme.
Seán’s impact has endured, and is carried forward by the communities and colleagues he worked with and inspired.
The event ended with the launch of Pavee Point’s Guidelines for Research with Travellers and Roma. Lynsey Kavanagh of Pavee Point introduced the guidelines, stating their purpose being to promote good research and to consider the implications of academic and institutional research proposals for the Travellers and Roma, along with the various practical and ethical questions that come with carrying out research on minority groups. All research requests are subject to assessment by Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre Research Advisory Group.
Martin Collins of Pavee Point rounded off the afternoon, stating that partnerships and collaboration are necessary to fight racism and discrimination against Travellers and Roma, and offering: ” You have to believe that positive change is possible”.
The afternoon was led by Dr Ciara Bradley of MU Department of Applied Social Studies, and Programme Lead on Community and Youth.
Access Pavee Point’s Guidelines for research with Travellers and Roma here: Pavee-Approach-to-Inclusive-Research-With-Travellers-and-Roma.pdf