Travellers have faced "more than a few Everests of negativity" so their stories of success are exactly what we need to hear at this difficult time, President Mary McAleese said as she presented the Traveller Pride Awards in Dublin today.
"They know the territory of obstacle courses very, very well. They faced into them with courage that never failed them," she said.
Mrs McAleese said minorities within the Traveller community, such as people who were gay, had to cope with being doubly excluded.
"For many kids who grew up...as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, we know that very often the first words of exclusion that they will hear...will likely be in their own home," she said. "You can imagine the loneliness and the misery of that existence and the pressure it puts on."
She said the impact on Travellers, in terms of mental ill-health and propensity to suicide was "way, way in excess of other groups in the community".
One of the ten Traveller Pride awards was won by the Gay Traveller Support Group, which took part in the Gay Pride marches in Dublin and Galway this year.
Accepting the award, Rosaleen McDonagh said gay Travellers were afraid for all sorts of reasons to make their orientation public. But she said Traveller culture was fluid and new generations were changing things. "There are a hundred ways to be a Traveller and being gay is just one of them."
Ms McDonagh also won the overall Traveller pride award and the community award for her work in pursuing a more inclusive community for Travellers.
Former Republic of Ireland soccer manager Brian Kerr presented the sports award to boxing coach John Mongan and paid tribute to the contribution of Travellers to boxing.
Nan Joyce, described as a trailblazer for Travellers' rights, won the lifetime achievement award for her campaigning work over the past 30 years.
The awards mark the beginning of Traveller Pride Week which runs until next Friday and celebrates the positive contribution Travellers make to Irish society.
Events include a Christmas Traveller craft fair in Roscrea, cultural awareness training in Longford and a nationwide event next Friday, where Traveller children launch balloons which carry a note of their hopes for 2011.
See www.travellerprideweek.ie for more details.
Traveller Pride Award winners:
Education Award: Anne O'Donnell, Kildare
Arts/Culture Award: Katie O'Donoghue, Cork
Music Award: Martin Collins, Dublin
Enterprise Award: Laois Traveller Men's Enterprise Centre
Youth Award: Denise McDonnell, Navan
Sports Award: John Mongan, Galway
Community Award: Rosaleen McDonagh, Dublin
Innovative Project Award for 2010: Gay Traveller Support Group
Lifetime achievement Award: Nan Joyce, Belfast
Overall Traveller Pride 2010 Award: Rosaleen McDonagh
