Donegal Daily
  • News
  • Sport
    • Athletics

      Williamson wins Furey Insurance Buncrana 5k

      22 hours ago

      Golf

      Cloughaneely Golf Club to celebrate 25th anniversary…

      2 days ago

      Sport

      Darragh Kelly added to Bellator Dublin card

      2 days ago

      Rugby

      Letterkenny girls play in front of huge…

      2 days ago

      Athletics

      Williamson wins Furey Insurance Buncrana 5k

      22 hours ago

      Athletics

      RunDonegal Women’s 5K next Sunday to benefit…

      2 weeks ago

      Athletics

      Pictures: Claire McGuigan is ‘first lady’ in…

      2 weeks ago

      Athletics

      Ireland’s first World Cup mountain race to…

      2 weeks ago

      Boxing

      Venue swap for Brett McGinty fight next…

      1 week ago

      Boxing

      Donegal boxers claim Ulster 9 County titles…

      2 weeks ago

      Boxing

      Brett McGinty to return to boxing in…

      3 weeks ago

      Boxing

      Night of Support being held for West…

      3 weeks ago

      Football

      Carl McHugh scores to help his side…

      2 days ago

      Football

      Former Finn Harps striker Tunde Owolabi scores…

      3 days ago

      Football

      Harps suffer fourth consecutive defeat as Dundalk…

      3 days ago

      Football

      No time to ‘feel sorry for ourselves’…

      5 days ago

      GAA

      Picture special: Donegal fans in Clones for…

      4 days ago

      GAA

      Podcast reveals how French company thought they’d…

      4 days ago

      GAA

      Donegal Ladies defeated in Ulster final by…

      5 days ago

      GAA

      ‘Sometimes sport can be cruel’ – Luke…

      5 days ago

      Golf

      Cloughaneely Golf Club to celebrate 25th anniversary…

      2 days ago

      Golf

      McDonald’s manager Victor Byrne supporting a charity…

      5 days ago

      Golf

      Prize fund of €2,500 for Letterkenny Golf…

      1 week ago

      Golf

      Top 10 finish for Ryan Griffin in…

      2 weeks ago

      Hockey

      Four Donegal players named in Ireland hockey…

      4 weeks ago

      Hockey

      Hockey: Raphoe go down fighting

      2 months ago

      Hockey

      Hockey: Raphoe lose out in crucial relegation…

      2 months ago

      Hockey

      Raphoe Ladies reach Irish Hockey Trophy final

      3 months ago

      GAA

      Match Report – Casey inspires Tyrone in…

      2 weeks ago

      GAA

      Mickey McCann reacts to heartbreaking defeat to…

      2 weeks ago

      Hurling

      Brave Donegal hurlers miss out on another…

      2 weeks ago

      Hurling

      SHL – Strong second half sees St…

      2 weeks ago

      Rugby

      Letterkenny girls play in front of huge…

      2 days ago

      Rugby

      Donegal girls feature for Ulster in provincial…

      3 weeks ago

      Rugby

      Last gasp drop goal clinches dramatic Gordon…

      1 month ago

      Rugby

      Donegal girls selected for underage Ulster Rugby…

      1 month ago

  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Travel
  • Features
  • Business
  • Property
  • Council News
  • Politics
  • More
    • Advertise with us
    • Haircare
    • Cooking
    • DD Pets
    • Hairdressing
    • Motors
Friday 12°CSaturday 16°C

Donegal Daily Donegal Daily

  • News
  • Sport
    • Athletics

      Williamson wins Furey Insurance Buncrana 5k

      22 hours ago

      Golf

      Cloughaneely Golf Club to celebrate 25th anniversary…

      2 days ago

      Sport

      Darragh Kelly added to Bellator Dublin card

      2 days ago

      Rugby

      Letterkenny girls play in front of huge…

      2 days ago

      Athletics

      Williamson wins Furey Insurance Buncrana 5k

      22 hours ago

      Athletics

      RunDonegal Women’s 5K next Sunday to benefit…

      2 weeks ago

      Athletics

      Pictures: Claire McGuigan is ‘first lady’ in…

      2 weeks ago

      Athletics

      Ireland’s first World Cup mountain race to…

      2 weeks ago

      Boxing

      Venue swap for Brett McGinty fight next…

      1 week ago

      Boxing

      Donegal boxers claim Ulster 9 County titles…

      2 weeks ago

      Boxing

      Brett McGinty to return to boxing in…

      3 weeks ago

      Boxing

      Night of Support being held for West…

      3 weeks ago

      Football

      Carl McHugh scores to help his side…

      2 days ago

      Football

      Former Finn Harps striker Tunde Owolabi scores…

      3 days ago

      Football

      Harps suffer fourth consecutive defeat as Dundalk…

      3 days ago

      Football

      No time to ‘feel sorry for ourselves’…

      5 days ago

      GAA

      Picture special: Donegal fans in Clones for…

      4 days ago

      GAA

      Podcast reveals how French company thought they’d…

      4 days ago

      GAA

      Donegal Ladies defeated in Ulster final by…

      5 days ago

      GAA

      ‘Sometimes sport can be cruel’ – Luke…

      5 days ago

      Golf

      Cloughaneely Golf Club to celebrate 25th anniversary…

      2 days ago

      Golf

      McDonald’s manager Victor Byrne supporting a charity…

      5 days ago

      Golf

      Prize fund of €2,500 for Letterkenny Golf…

      1 week ago

      Golf

      Top 10 finish for Ryan Griffin in…

      2 weeks ago

      Hockey

      Four Donegal players named in Ireland hockey…

      4 weeks ago

      Hockey

      Hockey: Raphoe go down fighting

      2 months ago

      Hockey

      Hockey: Raphoe lose out in crucial relegation…

      2 months ago

      Hockey

      Raphoe Ladies reach Irish Hockey Trophy final

      3 months ago

      GAA

      Match Report – Casey inspires Tyrone in…

      2 weeks ago

      GAA

      Mickey McCann reacts to heartbreaking defeat to…

      2 weeks ago

      Hurling

      Brave Donegal hurlers miss out on another…

      2 weeks ago

      Hurling

      SHL – Strong second half sees St…

      2 weeks ago

      Rugby

      Letterkenny girls play in front of huge…

      2 days ago

      Rugby

      Donegal girls feature for Ulster in provincial…

      3 weeks ago

      Rugby

      Last gasp drop goal clinches dramatic Gordon…

      1 month ago

      Rugby

      Donegal girls selected for underage Ulster Rugby…

      1 month ago

  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Travel
  • Features
  • Business
  • Property
  • Council News
  • Politics
  • More
    • Advertise with us
    • Haircare
    • Cooking
    • DD Pets
    • Hairdressing
    • Motors
News

Over 100 local Traveller women create special pictorial quilt

written by Rachel McLaughlin December 15, 2018
Facebook0Tweet0LinkedIn0Print0

A spectacular pictorial quilt created by more than 100 Traveller women and girls from all over Donegal has been launched at Donegal County Museum.

The quilt, a community arts initiative of Donegal Travellers Project (DTP) is entitled “Beoirs, Lackeens, Whiden” (meaning “Women, Girls, Talking” in Traveller Cant).

It was unveiled on International Human Rights Day last Monday and will be on display at the museum until the middle of January.

The project was conceived by DTP as a way of bringing Traveller women together to talk about the issues affecting them as Travellers and as women.

Its success in accomplishing this was reflected in remarks by Maire O’Leary, a former HSE Social Inclusion Manager who officially launched the quilt.

Ms O’Leary said: “What’s really important is that because you were together and spending time together, you got to know each other and there’s solidarity between you now.

“There’s so much discrimination against Travellers, against women, that we really do need to stick together. So to have that bond while you were making the quilt is a really great thing.”

ject’s “Beoirs, Lackeens, Whiden” (“Women, Girls, Talking”) Quilt unveiling

The intricate design of the quilt features a large wagon wheel surrounded by other symbols of Traveller culture both past and present, including caravans, horses, and campfires – but also houses, letters of the alphabet, and graduate caps.

“Very often it’s said that it’s part of Traveller culture not to get educated,” Ann Friel, DTP Primary Health Care Team Leader, said to the 50 people present at the launch.

“Well, I’m sorry, that’s not the case, and you can see in the quilt the symbols for education – from ABCs to graduating – because Travellers want to get an education and we are hungry for education. So the quilt represents the past, but also the modern world that we are excited to be living in today.”

At the bottom of the quilt are dozens of colourful, six-petalled fabric flowers with button centres that were made by women and girls in their own homes and while participating as members of DTP women’s groups.

DTP’s “Beoirs, Lackeens, Whiden” (“Women, Girls, Talking”) Quilt will be on display at Donegal County Museum in Letterkenny to the middle of January.

Chrissie McGinley, a DTP Community Health Worker, explained the symbolism of the flowers and the buttons on the quilt, which was supported by the Department of Justice and Equality.

“Traveller women used to make paper flowers to sell, or hawk, for a living,” Chrissie said.

“The buttons in the flowers represent a time when Traveller women who met in the road would swap buttons in friendship, as a way of remembering the other person. A button always had a story to tell.”

Before the start of the launch women and girls who had helped to create the quilt gathered around it, pointing out the flowers they had made to family and friends.

Mary Ward, 14, showing her mum, Geraldine, the flower that she made on DTP’s “Beoirs, Lackeens, Whiden” (“Women, Girls, Talking”) Quilt.

Mary Ward, 14, a participant in a DTP/Involve Young Women’s Group, and her mum, Geraldine, a DTP Gender Equality Programme participant, were among them.

“That’s my flower that I made of cloth,” Mary said of a delicately patterned green and yellow flower with an orange button. “It’s to show our culture.”

“I enjoyed making a flower,” Geraldine said. “At the beginning I couldn’t understand how this was all going to be put together. It came out beautiful, really beautiful now. It’ll be there for a lifetime.”

Shown with Donegal Traveller Project’s “Beoirs, Lackeens, Whiden” (“Women, Girls, Talking”) Quilt are some of the more than 100 women throughout the county who took part in creating it: (seated, from left) Ann Friel, Nicole McGinley, Annie Mongan, (standing, from left) Judy McMenamin, Phyllis Poole, Margaret Joyce, Siobhán McElhinney, Katie Boyle, Noelle McGinley, Kate Hagan, Margaret Boyle, Chrissie McGinley, Mary Ward, Alisha Ward, Ann McGrory, Philomena McGinlay, Geraldine Ward, Annie Ward, Maureen Friel, and Aoife Boyle.

The quilt was designed and created in collaboration with Gaye Grant of The Fennel Shed Patchwork Studio in Buncrana, who told the audience she’d had some concerns about the project when DTP staff first discussed it with her last July.

 

“Group quilts are quite hard to get over the line because sometimes part of the group falls away and sometimes people drag their heels,” she said. “In this case I can honestly say that not at any time did I come across that. There was just enthusiasm and joy and craic every step of the way that made this quilt come together.”

Additional launch speakers included Ann McGrory, another DTP Gender Equality Programme participant who made a flower for the quilt.

“When I started in the programme I was very shy and lacked confidence,” Ann said.

“I would no way have stood up here to talk. I am so proud of myself that I stayed and finished the programme. Some of the women in our group are very outspoken, some shy like myself, and all have different beliefs and values. I think gender equality means to me that it is okay to be different as long as everyone is treated equal. We all have the right to be equal.”

Over 100 local Traveller women create special pictorial quilt was last modified: December 15th, 2018 by Rachel McLaughlin
Facebook0Tweet0LinkedIn0Print0

Tags:
Donegal County MuseumDonegal Traveller's Project
Rachel McLaughlin

LEAVE A COMMENT

You may also like

Stunning coastal walk to raise funds for...

12 hours ago

‘Workers and families paying the price of...

12 hours ago

Council to catalogue collection of renowned photographer...

13 hours ago

First case of monkeypox reported in Northern...

15 hours ago

Donegal mum putting hidden symptoms of MS...

16 hours ago

Health forum hears concern over Donegal disability...

17 hours ago

Make renovation dreams come true with a...

17 hours ago

Emergency services at scene of Letterkenny collision

17 hours ago

Castletown N.S. raise their ‘water’ green flag!

17 hours ago

Free compost giveaway events to take place...

18 hours ago
Advertisement
Advertisement

MOST POPULAR

Donegal County Council
Advertisement

Sport Hub

  • Stay up to date with Donegal Sport Hub on Facebook

    5 months ago
  • Donegal links rank in Top 100 Golf Courses in the World

    6 months ago
  • Bundoran 10 Event set for March 2022

    6 months ago
See More

Donegal Woman

  • Donegal mum shares the unseen side of MS

    20 hours ago
  • Donegal scientist joins prestigious Royal Irish Academy

    21 hours ago
  • Derry Girls star Jamie-Lee O’Donnell to show us ‘The Real Derry’ in new Channel 4 doc

    1 day ago
See More

Columnists

Motoring - Brian McDaid

Carrie Harvey – a community cornerstone

2 days ago

Group Holidays - Travel Department

See the world with holiday discounts from Travel Department

4 days ago

At Home with Hegarty's - Hegarty's Home Interiors

At Home with Hegarty’s: Sit back and relax in the stylish Positano Corner

1 week ago

Healthy Living - Sorcha McElchar

Sorchas Healthy Living: Is snacking bad?

2 weeks ago

Career Advice - Rory White

Career Guidance with Rory White: Choosing your senior cycle subjects? Keep your options open!

2 months ago

See All Columnists
Advertisement
Donegal Daily Jobs

Read More

  • News
  • Sport
  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Sales & Services
  • Obituaries
  • Features
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Council News

Information

  • Contact Us
  • About
  • Advertise WIth Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions

Our Sites

Donegal Woman
Donegal Woman
Donegal Daily

© 2022 Donegal Daily. All rights reserved.
Website by owenod


Back To Top.

Posting....