Traveller campaign to highlight benefits of horse ownership

Members of the Traveller community on Sunday began a drive to promote the mental health benefits of horse ownership and underline its importance within their culture.

Up to 20 horse and traps (or "sulkys") assembled on the Cahir bypass in Co Tipperary for the start of the Drive for Hope and Change, organised to highlight the problem of suicide among Travellers.

Watched by a large crowd of supporters and onlookers they wound their way through the town, into the car park beside Cahir Castle and then trotted across the low-lying branch of the Suir and into Inch Field, behind the castle.

Among those who gathered to watch was John Connors, the actor and documentary-maker who starred in Love/Hate and also made a series on Traveller history.

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"Not so long ago, we had ethnic recognition which should be about preserving our culture, yet they're trying to ban sulky racing which is a very important part of Traveller culture. Especially among men. I've travelled all around Ireland and met with families who moved into sites where they weren't allowed to have horses."

Animal welfare

There have been calls in recent years by politicians and animal welfare groups to introduce a complete ban on sulky racing.

In some cases, Traveller men have taken their own lives because of having to give up their horses, he said. "It's literally life and death," Connors said, adding that settled people also participate in racing, particularly in urban areas. "Where I'm from in Darndale there's even more working class, settled people involved than Travellers."

“If you look at suicide rates in the Traveller community, they’re seven times higher than the national average,” Mags Casey of the National Traveller Women’s Forum said.

She paid tribute to the Tipperary Travellers' Horse Owners Association and others for organising the horse drive which was also supported by Pieta House.

‘Part of our culture’

“From talking to Traveller men over the last two years, they’ve said enough is enough and they’re going to stand up and fight to preserve our culture. It’s the only bit of culture we have left.”

“They’re trying to ban it everywhere,” Michael O’Reilly from Kilkenny said of sulky racing, as he watched alongside his horse. “People overreact to it. It’s something for young lads to do. We want to bring the children up into it as well.”

Sonny Delaney from Cashel, who owns two horses, said it's "a very big issue" at the moment for Travellers. "It's part of our culture, really. We'd head off every morning ourselves with the horses, it's very important."