Travellers who attended primary and secondary schools hid their identities because they were afraid they would not be accepted by their classmates, according to a report published yesterday.
They found it easier not to identify themselves as Travellers for fear of discrimination from settled children and teachers.
The report, Achieving equity of access to higher education in Ireland: the case of Travellers and conducted by staff at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick, surveyed the 12 Travellers who made it to third-level education in Ireland in 2002-03. Most of the 12 took part-time diplomas at colleges in Limerick, Maynooth, Dublin and Cork.
While most gave positive feedback on their time in third-level education, nearly all said they had suffered discrimination from teachers and pupils in primary and secondary schools.
"I suppose I hid who I was in school because I was afraid the children mightn't accept me if I told them where I came from," one said. "I tried to hide my identity and I was trying to hide it because I would have no friends."
One of the report's authors, James Binchy of the Learner Support Unit at Mary Immaculate College, said Travellers did not face as much discrimination in third level because people were older and wiser.
"Of those surveyed, many said they were not allowed to play with other children during their school days but there did not appear to be as much discrimination at third level," Mr Binchy said. "A lot of this is down to the fact that some of them basically held up their hands and said we're Travellers and we're proud."
Some of the key recommendations include the establishment of performance targets for Traveller participation in third-level, the evaluation of current educational status of Travellers at all levels and promoting a policy to reassure Travellers that they would not lose their identity by attending third-level education.
The authors have made a submission to the Department of Education's National Traveller Education Strategy. The policy document is expected to be launched in June.