Mickey Dunne's memories of growing up as a Traveller in the 1960s are mixed. There was the wonderful freedom of travelling from place to place in a barreltop wagon but there followed terrible discrimination when he and his family decided to settle.
Other children in their Limerick corporation housing estate were told by their parents not to have anything to do with them.
"The discrimination was unbelievable and unbearable as a kid. When lads in the street played football they would not allow me play," he recalls.
"That was very hard. When you are young you don't want to be different and to be told you are, and that others aren't allowed to mix with you, is terrible.
"After a few years in the house we became part of the settled community. People began to see we didn't have three heads or tails and we became accepted," he said.
There were 16 children in the Dunne family and his mother in particular was anxious that they get an education. This was a key reason for settling into a house.
Mickey went to St Brendan's National School in Limerick city and spent three years at the local vocational school. He worked in various jobs afterwards until a love of music passed on to him by his father earned him a place in The Rakes 'n' Ramblers, a ballad group.
Playing the uilleann pipes, he toured Europe and the US with the group. His father Paddy had been a brilliant fiddle player who won the heart of a settled woman from Cork, Elizabeth Kennedy, with his music.
Mickey Dunne also charmed a woman with his music. He married a Dublin woman in 1983 whom he had taught to play the tin whistle. She was a doctor's daughter and had no connections with the Travelling community. They bought a house in Caherconlish, about 10 miles from Limerick city, and have lived there since. They have two daughters.
Mickey describes himself as a house husband. However, he partakes in trad sessions in the local pubs and has recorded two albums.
Spending lots of time playing music in pubs, however, along with having free time during the day, led to him developing a drink problem. He sought treatment and was advised to busy himself, which he has done by making uilleann pipes.
Each set, he says, takes about six weeks to make and he has made two sets for the recently revived Thomond Pipers' club, of which he is president. Music had opened many doors for Mickey. His being a Traveller makes no difference to his audience.
However, he realises other Travellers are still experiencing the discrimination he suffered as a child. "There is always going to be that gap between Travellers and settled people until both sides sit down and try to understand each other."
Mickey Dunne will play at the Traveller cultural and heritage exhibition in the Coach House, Dublin Castle, on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.