The University of Limerick marked Traveller Pride Month on Friday, May 8th, with its inaugural Traveller Pride Day celebration, recognising Traveller heritage, culture, and identity.

The event honoured and celebrated Traveller voices from across the county and within the university community. As part of the celebrations, the Traveller Ethnicity Flag was raised on campus, making the University of Limerick the first university in Ireland to do so.

Speakers throughout the day highlighted the importance of visibility, representation, and inclusion within education and wider society. TikTok influencers Mike McCarthy and Shane McCarthy shared personal reflections on their experiences of education and life as Traveller men, while the Limerick Travellers Together Network was formally launched during the event.

Dr. Sindy Joyce spoke about the need for greater Traveller representation across all aspects of university life and the importance of creating spaces where Traveller voices can be heard and valued.

The East Limerick Primary Healthcare Team was represented by Noreen O’Reilly, currently a part-time student at UL, and Nora Mooney, who graduated earlier this year with a Masters in Sociology. Both spoke about the progress made for the Traveller community in areas such as education and healthcare, while also acknowledging the ongoing work needed to achieve greater equality and recognition of Traveller experiences and perspectives.

Primary and secondary school students from Kilmallock also attended the event and joined in the celebrations, including a special performance of This is Me from The Greatest Showman alongside Mike McCarthy.

The event marked a positive and inspiring beginning to Traveller Pride Month celebrations, highlighting the importance of culture, identity, education, and community connection.

East Limerick Traveller Project