Kilkenny Travellers Project

Address: Claire Kenealy
C/o Loughboy Area Resource Centre
Bishop Birch Training Institute
Nuncio Road
Kilkenny

Contact Details

Telephone 056-64700
Fax 056-64964
Email: larckilkenny@eircom.net

History / Relevant Information

The Kilkenny Travellers Project was formed in 1998 as an organisation working towards the development and participation of Travellers in Kilkenny City and County. Its members include representatives of the Traveller community and of voluntary and statutory bodies such as Loughboy CDP, Kilkenny Community Action Network, Kilkenny County Council, the South Eastern Health Board, Word Aid and the Department of Education. All these organisations and agencies work together in a co-ordinated manner under the structures of the Kilkenny Travellers Project.

Relevant Projects

The project has been very successful in voicing and acting on Traveller issues and in running a number of training and educational programmes. The project is currently involved in running a number of ongoing programmes, including:
Two homework programmes in St. Mary's and St. Catherine's Avenues
A crèche for babies / toddlers in St. Mary's Avenue
A training programme for Traveller men on horse care and project management
Literacy programmes with the support of Word Aid for both men and women
Anti-racism and Traveller awareness training programmes for service providers and local schools
Active women and men's groups
Networking with other community groups and state agencies in Kilkenny and the S/E region

Projects in the recent past have included:

A Personal Health and Development course for 12 Traveller women in 2002/2002
A Pre-Employment Training Course for 20 Traveller women in 2001-2002
The development of a project proposal for a Traveller Horse Project
Youth programmes including after-schools and summer activities

Additional Information

The ultimate aim of the Kilkenny Traveller Project is that Travellers will be better positioned to participate as equals in society and in the local community. The Kilkenny Travellers' Project is presently in the process of being incorporated and a constitution, memorandum and articles are being drawn up. The Kilkenny Travellers Project is planning to apply to the Community Development Programme of Department of Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs for core funding of a community development project.

The Kilkenny Traveller project is also currently applying for EOCP funding for expanded childcare facilities to extend the service to all Traveler parents who wish to take up educational, training and employment opportunities. The Kilkenny Traveller Project is planning to work with the South Eastern Health Board in the development and operation of a Primary Health Care Training Project later in 2003. The project has also applied to the Dept. of Agriculture for funding of a Traveller Horse Project.