Irish Travellers in Ireland
Irish Travellers are sometimes mistakenly called gypsies. They refer to themselves as Pavees, Minkiers or ‘an lucht siúil’ meaning ‘the walking people’. An Irish Traveller presence dates back to 12th century Ireland, with migrations to Britain in the early 19th century. Since 2002, Travellers have been an ethnic group protected under legislation.
Identity and Culture
Irish Travellers have identity, heritage and culture separate to the Irish community. Genetically, Travellers show differences with the settled Irish community. Travellers’ appearance varies; genetic heritage contributes to traits more common among them than the Irish population.
Where do Irish Travellers live in the US?
Irish Travellers have origins in families crossing the Atlantic in the 1830s. Most US Travellers were spray painting and peddling by the 1960s. Concerning education and health, Travellers are among the most deficient groups in Britain. Unemployment is high in the Traveller population, although Travellers work in more occupations than in the past.