Accents, Bras and Handbags (4mins 03secs) I first showed this clip in front of a group of Traveller women and men in 2018 and they burst themselves laughing at it. Why? Well firstly because the two women Alice Berry and Margaret Connors are funny and secondly they could relate to
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The May Bush and May Eve Mass (3mins 43secs) On the first of May summer officially begins in Ireland and, in centuries old fashion, it's also the time that many people in Wexford will gather their painted egg shells, ribbons and bunches of flowers, to decorate their May Bush. The
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The Hare (4mins 18secs) This clip opens up with Nan and Bridget talking about the fear of a pregnant woman coming across a hare as the fear was that the child would be born with a "hare's lip". Growing up my mother always told us the exact same story of a hare crossing a pregnant
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The Fairies (5mins 58secs) Here are some stories recorded about encountering fairies. The first account comes from Alice Berry and Margaret Connors, two Traveller women with strong connections to Wexford and Wicklow. The story recalls an incident where Margaret's grandmother cove
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The Banshee (2mins 42secs) Here are some fantastic accounts of seeing and hearing the banshee as told to me by two traveller women, Nan Connors (Wexford) and Katheen Doran (Wicklow) back in 2017. Brilliant descriptive accounts and told with such conviction. Nan tells a great stor
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Superstitions, Customs and Facebook (3mins 56secs) In this clip Kitty Connors, a Traveller woman from Dublin, but with strong Wexford roots, chats about the bad luck associated with a bird coming into the house and recalls a story about a jackdaw coming down the chimney and destr
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St. Philomenas Cord (4mins 34secs) Here is a very strong tradition within this community where a red and white cord bracelet, known as St Philomena's Cord, is worn for protection. Worn mostly on the wrist by men and women, it is also worn around the belly by young women wishing t
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Remembering the Dead (4mins 03secs) Here are the most gorgeous accounts of people remembering the dead. The stories come from four Traveller women, two older and two younger, who recalled to me how they remember and connect with those who have gone before them. The accounts fro
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Personal Beliefs and Rituals (8mins 18secs) The clip starts with Kitty remembering her mother blessing drowning them with holy water as a child and then talks about how she does it too. She talks about blessing the children, the car, the front door and back door. John talks about
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Naming Traditions Old and New (4mins 46secs) The clip opens with Ann Maire Connors talking about how Travellers get more old fashioned as they get older. We then talk about how some Traveller women include their boyfriends or husbands name with their name on their Facebook profil
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Making Bread (3mins 43secs) Another great life story here from Nan Connors and how they were reared and fed by the farmers when they lived in Wexford. She talks about the vegetables they ate and also about drinking buttermilk. When she talks about drinking buttermilk she then tal
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Easter Tradition from Wexford In this clip Nan and Bridget chat about Easter traditions and Bridget remembers going out with a basket when she was a child and going "Gugging for Eggs". She recalls collecting hen and duck eggs and her mother dyeing them. They both make a joke abou
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